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The Clergy Wellness Commission
Clergy Mentor Program Guidelines
Purpose of a Mentor Program
The purpose of a mentor program is to assist parish clergy (priests and deacons) in their effort to be faithful and effective ministers, at the same time maintaining and enhancing their own physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional health. Although the Mentor Program's long term objective is to invite all clergy newly ordained, new to parochial ministry, and/or new to the Diocese to participate in the Mentor Program, initially its outreach will be to those in the Clergy-in-Training Program. Our idea is not to replace or replicate the Clergy-in-Training Program but to augment it. The Mentor Program is voluntary, but it is expected that once a relationship is established both the mentor and clergy colleague (mentee) will commit time and energy to making it effective and mutually rewarding.Purpose of a Mentor
A mentor is not a spiritual director nor a therapist, a professional consultant nor a personal friend. A mentor is none of these and the role of a mentor has aspects of all of these. The personal qualities a mentor brings to the mentoring relationship in order that it is a relationship of trust are:- Wisdom born out of experience
- A sense of her/his own "sinnerhood" and
- A willingness to be open, candid and vulnerable. Purpose of a Mentor Program
Role of a Mentor
- to listen to the clergy colleague, actively and sympathetically;
- to help the colleague reflect theologically and spiritually upon the situation which he or she is presenting, in the light of the learner's overall ministry;
- and to assist the colleague in developing possible next steps to address the presenting situation.
Ways of Mentors to Assist Clergy Colleagues
- The mentor will invite the learner to reflect theologically about a specific issue or incident arising from the life of the colleague;
- The mentor will ask questions intended to help the colleague see her or his situation from various perspectives and in a variety of dimensions, and to entertain the possibility of varying courses of action;
- The mentor may suggest to the colleague study or research to broaden and/or deepen his or her understanding, and may provide information about the church, ministry, or other subjects which the learner seems to lack;
- The mentor will refrain from making decisions for the colleague, solving problems, or laying out courses of action.
- As appropriate, the mentor will disclose commitments, experiences, or anything else, which might inhibit him or her from objective response to any situation or issue which the colleague presents.
- The communication between the mentor and clergy colleague will be absolutely confidential.
Meeting Pattern of Mentor Sessions
- Each mentor and clergy colleague will work out directly the pattern of his or her own relationship. In most cases the clergy colleague will travel to meet the mentor, but the mentor might well want to be in the colleague's office or study early in the relationship to gain the insight provided by the environment in which a person works. Frequency of visits will be determined by each pair; however, it seems advisable that initially the mentor and clergy colleague meets at least every other week to make a connection.
- After and initial period, the mentor/colleague will agree to meet for one year and then evaluate the relationship.
- The mentoring relationships will be facilitated by the Coordinator of the Mentor Program in consultation with the volunteer mentors and clergy colleagues.
Who May Serve As Mentors
The Commission will begin this program in cooperation with the Executive Officer of the Diocese of California, by establishing a pilot project, which involves nine or ten mentors. The "pioneer" mentors will include women and men who are widely understood to have been effective in their ordained ministry over time. They may be drawn from the ranks of rectors, vicars, associates, interim pastors, deacons and experienced lay leaders. If and as the Mentor Program is expanded, all these categories will be represented among the mentors.
The Commission seeks as mentors clergy who "have experience, maturity and balance in their lives, ... with humor and humility" (Commission minutes of October 23, 1998). The Commission also seeks lay people whose experience is comparable or specialized (e.g., experience as senior warden with vestries), arising from their leadership in the life of the parish and possibly the wider church. Mentors will see this work as part of their contribution to the profession, the Diocese, and the larger church. However, the Commission will create an expense fund and made available (under guidelines to be developed) to help defray mentor/colleague travel costs.
The Clergy Wellness Commission will name a coordinator for the mentor program with the primary responsibility of recruiting mentors and assisting inquiring clergy to find a mentor. The Coordinator will convene all mentors to meet together from time to time (probably every six or twelve months) to exercise their mutual accountability and support. The coordinator of the program (see below) will plan for and conduct the meetings.
As the mentor program grows, it will be evaluated from time to time by the Clergy Wellness Commission. To the degree that it is deemed effective, it can be broadened successively beyond newly ordained clergy, clergy new to parochial ministry, and clergy new to the diocese. Recruitment of new mentors will be informed by the experience of those who have already served.
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