A very important group in any United Methodist Church is the Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations. The Book of Discipline of our denomination says that one of the primary functions of that body is "to counsel with the minister and staff pertaining to their relationship with the congregation, including priorities to be given in the use of their time and skill in relation to the goals and objectives set for the congregation’s mission and demands upon the ministry." When this sentence was read to the newly-elected Pastor-Parish Relations Committee of a small church, the elderly farmer chosen as chairman commented dryly: "What all them words mean, folks, is that we’uns are them who decides what to do with our preacher!"

That old gentleman greatly oversimplified that committee’s responsibiliti…