The Uniting Church has a Code of Ethics and Ministry Practice which applies to Candidates, Community Ministers, Deacons, Deaconesses, Interns, Lay Pastors, Ministers of the Word, Pastors, Youth Workers and Ministers from another denomination serving in an approved placement. Each year Port Phillip East Presbytery runs two Ethical Ministry Refreshers that cover one aspect of the Code of Ethics.
Lay Preachers
The Uniting Church also has a Code of Ethics and Ministry Practice for Lay Preachers, which applies to people who are accredited by the Presbytery and the wider church in that role.
Lay Leaders
The Uniting Church has a Code of Conduct for Lay Leaders, which outlines the behaviours expected of persons who participate in the life of the Uniting Church in Australia as leaders. It applies to all the Church’s lay leaders, including but not exclusively Church Councillors, elders, worship leaders, chairs of committees, team / activity leaders. That is, any lay person who accepts a leadership role within a Congregation, Presbytery, Synod or Assembly. It does not apply to those holding paid positions as it is expected that employment contracts will bind employees to the organisation’s code of conduct.
Ethical Ministry Refreshers
Each year Uniting Church Presbyteries run two “Ethical Ministry Refreshers”, three hour sessions that focus on a section of the UCA Code of Ethics and Ministry Practice. They include theological reflection, consideration of case studies, and time to meet with colleagues to talk about ministry.
Relationships with Colleagues 2023
The Ethical Ministry Refreshers (Code of Ethics Training) for 2023 will be on Wednesday 10 May and Thursday 11 May.
“The relationships between pastoral colleagues is often strained, unhealthy, even hostile, which takes a toll not only on the pastors but also on the congregations they serve. It takes adults or people who willing to become adults, or at least act like adults, for a marriage to succeed. And the same is true in pastoral colleague relationships”. (The one thing necessary in pastoral colleague relationship by Martin B. Copenhaver)
Download Resources
Ethical Ministry Refresher: Relationships with Colleagues Workbook