Whats Next for PCFL?
(excerpts from
Presbytery's Committee on Ministry Policy Manual):
Basically the liaison appointed by COM walks
through the process with the congregation from the Pastor's announcement of
departure through the First Year Visit. There are two areas of activity
involved; 1) what the
congregation/session does; and 2) what the liaison does. Both are vital to the
transition in pastoral leadership.
Departure
of Pastor
When any minister resigns from a pastorate,
or retires from service, or becomes a pastor emeritus, the minister should
cease to perform such functions of a pastor. These functions include, but are
not limited to funerals, baptisms, and weddings, unless invited to officiate in
such capacity by the pastor or by the moderator of vacant churches."
Compliance with this policy is expected by all existing and new members of
presbytery and applies to all ministers.
The Book of Order states "Former
pastors, associate pastors, and assistant pastors may officiate at services for
members of a particular church, or at services within its properties, only upon
invitation from the moderator of the session, or in the case of the inability
to contact the moderator, from the clerk of session. (G.0606) When a minister
resigns from a pastorate or retires from service or becomes pastor emeritus,
the minister should cease to perform functions of a pastor at funerals,
baptisms and weddings unless invited to officiate in such capacity by the
pastor or the moderator of vacant churches.
A congregation in transition of new
leadership provides the COM with a good opportunity to strengthen the
partnership between presbytery and the congregation. It is a good time for
healing and/or strengthening the relationship, and is the time when a
congregation is most open to change. An experienced/trained liaison from COM
should be assigned to work with each congregation throughout the entire
transitional period and through the First Year Visit.
A good search for a new pastor begins with a
healthy good-bye to the departing pastor. Exit interviews will be conducted by
the Interview Team of COM with the departing pastor.
The liaison will
Talk with the session about appropriate and
inappropriate contact with the congregation after the pastor has departed.
Conversation regarding appropriate contact with the departed pastor is
especially important if the pastor is staying in town or moving to a nearby
location. Help the departing pastor prepare an agreed upon carefully worded
announcement for the congregation, including statements that draw a clear
distinction between honoring the friendships made and performing official
functions or being involved in the future ministerial life of the congregation.
In short, church members should not request a former pastor to perform pastoral
duties. If requested, the pastor should tactfully decline.
The liaison will
Facilitate conversation with the departing pastor and the session, with the appointed moderator of session, and describe the presbytery's pastoral leadership transition process.
The liaison will Help the session
begin to plan for the transition period, including pastoral care and Share
information on the various possibilities and resource information.
The
liaison will explain
the calling process is a primary
responsibility of the COM.
COM
provides resources, guidelines, compensation requirements, and other services
to help
search
committees identify the leadership that will serve their congregation in the
foreseeable future.
After a discernment process is complete and
approved by COM, permission is given by COM to form a Pastor Nominating Committee.
Com will approve the final Church
Information Form and give permission to enter the data
on line with the PCUSA Congregational Leadership Connection.
The
COM is involved at key points and in an interview will decide whether or not to
concur
The session must be involved at key points
in the calling process:
Plan for and participate in any
congregational mission study or discernment process.
Provide a process for the congregation to
elect a PNC.
Support the PNC with prayer.
Provide funds for search expenses such as
travel, telephone, mail, and other incidentals.
Determine the amount of money available for
financial compensation for the new pastor.
The
clerk of session attests to the session's approval of the GIF with his or her
signature
If a trained liaison not currently serving
on COM works with a congregation, the liaison is responsible to COM.
Exit
Interviews are conducted by the COM Interview Team
Exit
Interviews will be conducted with all pastors leaving a position in the
congregation, stated
supply,
interim, designated, tent maker, and installed.
They will be kept on file and available to
the next pastor serving that congregation.
It is recommended that the COM liaison
participates in the exit interview scheduled by the interview
team.
During
the Exit Interview, it is recommended that the pastor be asked to talk about:
Experiences when she/he felt positive about
their work. Barriers experienced to effective ministry. The relationship
between the pastor and session. Advice they might give to the next pastor.
Exit interviews with the departing pastor
and with the session are extremely helpful as the all begin to disengage and
moving forward into the future. It also provides information that may be
helpful to the COM as it works with the congregation during its search.
The COM liaison is encouraged to conduct the
exit interview with the session after the pastoral relationship has been
dissolved. This helps the congregation begin to disengage from the pastor. The
Moderator of session appointed by presbytery should be present for this
interview.
When in transition of Pastoral Leadership,
points of discussion with session include:
positive growth in the life of the congregation during the pastor's
ministry.
the relationship between the pastor and session/congregation.
ways the session might build a strong relationship with the next pastor.
appropriate and inappropriate contact with the congregation after the
pastor has left.
"(G-14.0606 Officiate by Invitation, Only)."
ways the session might lead the congregation to disengage
a
brief overview of the call process
maintaining regular worship and congregational life during the
transition
the benefits of the session appointing a transition team to coordinate
activities during the time of transition - including reporting to session,
serving as the main communication link with the COM and the presbytery.,
updating the congregation and church staff, planning and coordinating special
functions celebrating the leaving pastor's ministry, providing worship and
pastoral care during the transition period, recommending responsibilities of
the Interim Pastor,
Interviewing prospective Interim Pastors and recommending their choice
to the session.
Most presbyteries maintain a list of
ministers and Lay Pastors willing to conduct worship services and provide
pastoral care on a temporary basis. The Liaison should provide a copy of the
list at the first session meeting. Current list may be obtained from the Presbytery office.
The session is the employing entity for
temporary relationships. Ministers who have served in a temporary relationship
are not eligible to serve as an installed pastor in that church.
Many multiple staff churches are tempted to
assign head of staff responsibilities to an associate pastor. We strongly
advise against this practice. Doing so creates role confusion within the
congregation and for the associate. It frequently creates difficulties within
the staff and congregation upon arrival of the new head of staff. The best
advice to give is that since the congregation is a multiple staff congregation
now, it is best to remain one during the transition period
Interim Pastor, Interim Co-Pastor(s),
Interim Associate Pastor is invited by the session of a church without an
Installed pastor to preach the Word, administer the Sacraments, and fulfill
pastoral duties for a specified period not to exceed twelve months at a time,
while the church is seeking a pastor. The session may not secure or dissolve a
relationship with an interim pastor or interim co-pastor without the
concurrence of the presbytery through its Committee on Ministry. A minister may
not be called to be the next Installed Pastor, Co-Pastor, or Associate Pastor
of a church served as Interim Pastor. Both the Pastor and the congregation know the relationship is temporary
which adds an ingredient of objectivity to the relationship.
Steps to inviting an interim Pastor include:
COM appoints a liaison
COM recommends to presbytery for election a moderator for session
Session meets with moderator and liaison
Session identifies an Interim Pastor Search Team
Interim Pastor Search Team writes job description and Church Information
Form
Circulate job description and GIF to session members and COM for
approval
COM resources Search Team in working with Presbyterian Leadership
Connection web site
Search Team receives and reviews Personal Information Forms
Search Team negotiates terms of call for one year with 30 or 60 day
release in contract by either party
Search Team informs liaison of final Interim Pastor candidate
COM sets up entrance interview
Presbytery receives Interim Pastor into presbytery minister membership.
With COM permission and presbytery election of Interim Pastor as
moderator, the Interim Pastor may begin to serve the congregation.
Call Referral Services can assist a
congregation seeking an Interim Pastor. The congregation completes a Church
Information Form listing the interim position. The GIF is then matched with Personal
Information Forms of ministers searching for an Interim Ministry position. For
assistance call 1-888-728-7228 ext. 8550. .
Specific
Interim Pastor Tasks include:
Help the congregation grieve the loss of their last pastor.
Deal with concerns arising from leadership styles different from the
last pastorate so the congregation can avoid projecting the past onto the new
pastor.
Start the new pastoral relationship with new hope, vision and
confidence.
Since both the congregation and Interim are free of long-term personal
investment, significant changes can be tried out on a low-risk basis.
Create an environment where the PNC can be more intentional in their
work without undue pressure from the session or congregation.
Support the continuation of present programs and services of the
congregation and providing some creative innovations.
Call attention to familiar and tolerated conditions such as, building
repairs needed, interpersonal alienation, ineffective programs, and neglected
areas of congregational life.
Discernment Process during the Interim time
of Pastoral Transition The COM liaison will explain
How to involve everyone who wishes to be involved
What are we doing as a congregation?
What is God calling us to do in the next phase of our ministry?
What are the needs of our community?
What is God calling us to do to meet those needs?
What specifically will we do to strengthen our congregational and
community ministry in the next year?
What must pastor and lay leaders do to help that happen?
Help with the format to be used to gather data needed and information
organized
The COM liaison will
Arrange for and work with the discernment process team.
Follow the process in getting the mission study approved and permission
to form a Pastor Nominating Committee.
Review the AAEEO policy of the presbytery and the denomination and
encourage interviews without restrictions of gender, age, marital status,
racial or ethnic heritage
Permission to Form a Pastoral Nominating
Committee is granted by Committee on Ministry after completion of a Discernment
process or Mission Study.
