Meeting With the Committee
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Meeting With the Committee
"The person is given an opportunity to meet with the Committee to share the allegation and information she or he may have regarding the person's fitness for ministry.  The person's support person may also be present for the meeting." (United Church of Christ, 2002, p.60)
Read through The Committee Meets With the Parties in The Oversight of Ministries (pp 42-45).  
 
Prior to the Meeting The Committee Shares the Concerns About Fitness
According to The Oversight of Ministries, the Committee on Church and Ministry "should prepare a concise summary of the questions that are being pursued in the Fitness Review and be prepared to share this summary with persons invited to participate in an upcoming meeting not longer than one week from the information gathering." (The United Church of Christ, 2002, p.42)  
This sharing of information will let you know the concerns that will be addressed by the Committee.  You can then prepare for the meeting, writing specifics about the questions that will be pursued.
 
If this summary of questions is not provided, write a letter to the Committee on Church and Ministry stating that you understand that this information will be shared with you so that you can prepare for your meeting with them.  Quote directly from The Oversight of Ministries.  
 
Prior to the Meeting, the Committee Shares Other Information
No later than one week prior to the meeting, the Committee should notify both parties regarding what will be included in the meeting.  You should be provided with specific information outlining the fitness review process that will be followed and the "nature and specific details of the question of fitness being raised"(p.42) as well as other information pertinent to the process as outlined in The Oversight of Ministries  (United Church of Christ, 2002, pp 42-43).
Again, this will help you to prepare for the meeting with the Committee.  If you do not receive this information, write a letter requesting it.  Again, quote The
Oversight of Ministries.
 
Parties Involved in the Meeting
The composition of the Committee on Ministry will vary.  You may expect the Regional Minister who acts as an advisor, the Committee Chair, whose role is to facilitate the process, and several ministers and laypersons from your local region.  These individuals will have varying degrees of understanding and training regarding the issue of clergy sexual abuse.  Some will have a very clear understanding of the violation of the ministerial relationship.  Others may have none.  Again, your support person and/or your attorney may be allowed to accompany you to this meeting, but will not be allowed to address the Committee.  You may also bring forth witnesses at this time.  Regarding the issue of witnesses, ask for clarification in writing as to who can be called.  This was never clearly explained to me, so I had no witnesses other than my husband.
 
Presentation of Information that Questions Fitness
This presentation may take the form of answering specific questions regarding the abuse.  It is crucial that you clearly state the specific behavior in detail.  For example, where, specifically, did the minister touch you?  How long did the touch last?  It will be helpful to rehearse your responses with your support person before the meeting.  If you are given a question that takes you by surprise, write it down and give yourself time to think about it before you respond.  A response given off the top of your head may not be the best response.  Again, you may be asked to re-enact the harmful behavior.  Be prepared for this possibility.    

Opportunity for Those Raising the Concern to Respond to the Information Presented by the Authorized Minister
According to The Oversight of Ministries, you should also have the "opportunity ...to respond to the information presented by the authorized minister" (United Church of Christ, 2002, p.44) when he or she meets with the Committee.  You must clarify that this will happen with the Committee prior to the meeting, since this step in this process was omitted in my case.  Ask for this clarification in writing.
 
In my opinion, this step in the process is crucial.  If you do not know what the minister has said regarding the allegation, how can you defend yourself?  Has he categorically denied what you have said?  Has she confessed to some of what you said?  Has he stated that you misinterpreted his words or touch?
 
Again, you can benefit from the words of Gary Schoener.  Regarding the investigation of complaints, he states:
 
The most important guideline: DO NOT ACCEPT CONFESSIONS as
 
being the whole story, and DO NOT ACCEPT CATEGORICAL DENIALS
 
(e.g. "None of that is true.")  With a confession I still need to check on the rest
 
of the story.  More importantly, a "categorical" or complete denial is:
 
(1) virtually never true; (2) often constructed out of distortion.  For example,
 
here is a real interchange we have on tape:
 
Q. Did you have sex with Mrs. G?  A. Absolutely not! Q. Well, did
you have oral sex with Mrs. G?  A.Well, yes, two or three times. 
Q. You don't call that "sex"?  A. Well, I didn't know what you called
As for the misinterpretation of words or touch, Schoener states that "while many offenders use this as a defense, in our experience, it is quite rare."
If the minister has done any of these things - partial confession, categorical denial, or stated that you misinterpreted his words or touch, state the guidelines proposed by Schoener or his words regarding the misinterpretation or words or touch.  You might also give a copy of the advocateweb.org article to the Committee members. 
 

Your Statement to the Committee
Because the Committee members may lack an understanding of the issue of clergy sexual abuse, when you write your statement to the Committee, in addition to using Schoener's work, it will be beneficial to use other resources (e.g. the church's sexual misconduct policy and Reverend Patricia Liberty's
Why It's Not an Affair)  and apply what you find to your situation.  Your statement can include:
  • The issue of clergy sexual abuse from a survivor's point of view.  That is, you should clearly state the damage that has been done to you.
  • References to the specific abusive behavior, including any grooming behavior.  You can also state any violation of the law, either criminal or civil, that occurred.
  • The effect of the behavior on the ministerial relationship.
  • How the overall ministry of the church is compromised by this behavior, even if there are no members who have "conscious" knowledge of it.
  • That without a proper ruling, there is no way they can guarantee the integrity of the minister's future behavior and the safety of others.
  • The theological and biblical foundations for a just action that should guide their decision making.

These suggestions are meant to facilitate the understanding of those conducting the fitness review and were given to me by Reverend Patricia Liberty.  It is recommended that you speak with your support person regarding these issues and any others pertinent to your case and that you ask for assistance from your support person in writing and/or reviewing your statement.

Come prepared with questions that you have regarding the process.  State your understanding of issues such as confidentiality and ask for confirmation of this understanding.

Be prepared to state what you feel would be the right decision from among the six possible outcomes listed in The Oversight of Ministries (United Church of Christ, 2002, pp 47-51)  State why you feel the decision would be appropriate, using the language of The Oversight.  Remember, this is a legalistic process.  You should also ask the Committee if there will be flexibility in the decision making process.  That is, will the Committee choose from the options that are listed in The Oversight or will there be "flexibility" and "adaptability" in the decision making process as allowed by the Manual on Ministries Supplemental Section.  (You should ask for a copy of this document.)  If this flexibility is allowed, you will then be prepared for decisions that do not "fit" the six outcomes listed in The Oversight of Ministries.

Be aware that the decision can be made by the Committee on the Ministry or by the Association Governing Board or other designated body upon recommendation of the Committee on Ministry (The United Church of Christ, 2002, pp 45-46).  

The Decision/Appeal

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