Congregations in Transition
From saying farewell to a pastor to beginning strong with a new one, the Office of the Bishop accompanies you through the time of transition.
Transitional Ministry
The transitional period is a “time between,” a time between what was and what will be, between pastors in the congregation, between saying “goodbye” and saying “hello,” between one chapter in a congregation’s history and the next. It can be a time of uncertainty, a time of anticipation of the future, a time of preparation and fearfulness and hope, especially since the world and church have changed drastically since you last thought about calling a new pastor.
Transition is a time to assess vitality and sustainability, test and shape some new behaviors and enter into a time of deep listening and prayer.
Some of the tasks to be completed concern the ministry relationship that is coming to a close as your pastor leaves or retires. Here are some resources for completing the ministry relationship.
- Call Status Change Form
- Pastoral ethics in times of leaving
- Sample Exit Interview for Pastor who is leaving
- Sample Exit Liturgy for Pastor who is leaving
- Congregation Financial Obligation Form
The Office of the Bishop will meet with leaders and assist you in securing transitional leadership. A Bishop's Associate will then lead the coordination of the work of Transitional Pastors. Your transitional pastor will be attentive to your situation and encourage you to move forward. A Bishop's Associate will ensure you examine sustainability and vitality issues so that you can make sound decisions as you plan for the future. If a congregation has the financial capacity for full-time compensation (generally a minimum of $80K to $90K in salary and benefits), the Transitional Manual for Councils will be your guide. If your congregations do not have the financial capacity for full-time compensation, the Office of the Bishop and your transitional pastoral leader will work with you to find cooperative partners in your area.
