The pastor s gone now what?

Transcription

1 The pastr s gne nw what? Yur pastr has just annunced his resignatin. Feelings in the cngregatin run the gamut f emtins. Sme saw it cming. Sme are surprised. Sme feel grief. Others feel jubilatin. If the pastr has left under duress, sme may blame thers fr his exdus. Regardless f the emtins, life ges n the church must face the future. There are a cuple f things that need t happen and the sner the better. First, the church shuld cnsider the questin f wh will step up t lead the cngregatin. Nature abhrs a vacuum. The exdus f the pastr may result in a scramble amng thse in the church wh want t take ver the reins. If the pastr has left in respnse t grwing cnflict, the prblem is exacerbated. Which side will fill the vacuum? The ptential fr lss is great. It is t be hped that there are mature lay leaders in the cngregatin wh will recgnize the critical need fr a balanced decisin leading t interim leadership. Secnd, the church shuld elect a Pastr Search Cmmittee r Team. Care shuld be taken that the steps fllwed in this prcess are in cmpliance with the church s Cnstitutin and By-laws. There is a tremendus amunt f preparatin that ges int getting the Search Cmmittee/ Team ready t d its wrk. During a time f transitin, many churches tend t mve t quickly. Churches passing frm the leadership f ne pastr t anther may be well served by transitinal pastrs wh help the passage be as psitive and cnstructive as pssible, gaining mmentum and prductivity in the prcess f changes. 1

2 Wh Will Preach fr Us? The perid in which the cngregatin is withut its pastr is called the "interim perid" r transitinal perid. This refers t the time between the frmer pastr leaves and the new ne cmes." Prviding smene t preach in each wrship service during the interim is referred t as "filling" r "supplying the pulpit." During the absence f a pastr, everyne wnders wh might be preaching in his place. Mst churches fill the pulpit in ne f three ways: Pulpit supply Sme churches ask a minister t preach n a variety f different ccasins. This is ften referred t as "supplying the pulpit" and the ne wh preaches is said t be the "pulpit supply." Ministers wh pulpit supply d just that they preach during wrship services. They are generally nt expected t perfrm ther pastral functins (visiting the sick, presiding at meetings, etc.) Temprary/interim pastr Sme churches ask a minister t serve as temprary pastr. This des nt mean he will becme the new pastr. It merely means he will be the primary persn preaching in all services f the cngregatin and serving in ways cmmn t a pastr (smetimes making hspital visits, cunseling needs, etc.). This is ften referred t as an "interim pastrate," and the ne wh serves is said t be the "interim pastr." He is nt a candidate t becme the next pastr, and his wrk is cmpleted when the cngregatin secures its new pastr. Transitinal pastr The Transitinal Pastr is nt just an interim preacher. A Transitinal Pastr is a temprary shepherd wh is trained t lead a church thrugh specific steps tward a healthy beginning fr the arrival f the new pastr. Transitinal Pastrs cme frm a variety f ministerial backgrunds, but they all have these things in cmmn: He is a seasned minister wh has a wealth f experience, training, and skills with which he can mve a church frward during the interim perid. He prvides pastral leadership t the church during the interim perid. He perfrms ministerial duties (leading wrship, cunseling, visiting the sick, cnducting funerals, weddings, etc.) as agreed upn in cnsultatin with the church. He helps the church clarify her purpse and visin. 2

3 He prvides training and guidance t the church-elected Transitin Team. He wrks with the Transitin Team in helping the church deal with matters that affect future health and prgress. He prvides training and guidance t the Pastr Search Cmmittee/Team. He readies the cngregatin t accept a new pastr. He is nt a candidate t becme the next pastr. The church is well advised t call an interim pastr r a transitinal pastr t help the church mve thrugh the transitin frm pastr t pastr. During a time when the members are anxius abut the future f the church, the interim r transitinal pastr strives t be a nnanxius presence fr the cngregatin. It shuld be understd that when a persn agrees t serve as interim pastr, he als agrees nt t allw himself t be cnsidered as a candidate fr the psitin f pastr. The Missuri Baptist Cnventin ffers training fr men wh wish t serve as Transitinal Pastrs. Cntact Dr. Gary Mathes, Pastral Ministries Specialist at ext. 338, (gmathes@mbaptist.rg) fr a current list f thse wh have cmpleted this training. 3

4 Next steps First, when the pastr annunces his resignatin, it wuld be helpful t invite the Directr f Missins t cme and speak t the church. He can help the church adjust t being withut a pastr by clarifying what t expect, spiritually and emtinally, in the days ahead. Secnd, review the church s by-laws and cnstitutin, t determine guidelines such as: Wh is respnsible t invite the pulpit supply and call an interim/transitinal pastr? Hw is the church instructed by the cnstitutin t select the Pastr Search Cmmittee/Team and Transitin Team? Wh serves n the cmmittees/teams? What size shuld the cmmittees/teams be? Third, gather a list f prspective interim/transitinal pastrs. The Directr f Missins r Missuri Baptist Cnventin Pastral Ministries Specialist may be helpful in securing names f ministers available t serve as an interim/transitinal pastr. Furth, interview the prspective interim/transitinal pastr t determine his qualificatins fr the psitin (accrding t the church s by-laws and cnstitutin.) Fifth, define expectatins and cmpensatin. The team respnsible fr recmmending the interim/transitinal pastr, in cnsultatin with the Budget/Finance Cmmittee and the prspective interim/transitinal pastr, will want t negtiate a Cvenant f Agreement with the interim/transitinal pastr. The cvenant shuld include cmpensatin details, expenses, expected duties, and any ther cnditins f his emplyment. Last, the team will bring t the church a recmmendatin (including the signed cvenant) fr calling the interim/transitinal pastr. A WORD TO THE WISE While many churches may have a persn in the cngregatin wh is able t serve as interim pastr, thse respnsible fr calling an interim pastr need t review the prs and cns f calling a church member t serve in this rle. It is strngly suggested that the Pastr/Staff Search Cmmittee (hereafter referred t as the search cmmittee) nt cnsider the interim pastr as a candidate fr pastr. In the event the search cmmittee decides t cnsider the interim pastr as a candidate, he shuld resign immediately. His resume wuld be cnsidered first, but will be evaluated based n the prfile develped by the search cmmittee. 4

5 What d we want him t d? Sample Jb Descriptin Wrksheet fr Interim/Transitinal Pastr Principle Functin: The Interim r Transitinal Pastr is respnsible t the Chairman f Deacns and the Chairman f the Persnnel Cmmittee and shall prvide pastral and administrative leadership fr the church and shall use his skills in prclamatin and pastral care t minister t the needs f persns in the church and cmmunity as negtiated in a cvenant agreement. Respnsibilities t be Negtiated between the Interim r Transitinal Pastr and the Church: 1. Prepare fr and preach at wrship services n Sunday mrning and Sunday evening (3 units) {Nte: 1 unit = 4 hurs}. 2. Prepare fr and lead mid-week prayer/bible study service (1 unit). 3. Administer ffice respnsibilities, including the preparatin f bulletins, newsletters, financial reprts, etc.) (¾ units). 4. Supervise the church staff and ther church emplyees (2 units). 5. Minister t the sick in the hspitals and nursing hmes (1 unit). 6. Participate in church utreach and visit prspective members (1 unit). 7. Visit the hmebund (1 unit). 8. Cunsel with members in crisis (1 unit). 9. Meet with the Deacns in their regular meetings (½ unit). 10.Meet with ther church cmmittees (e.g., church cuncil, trustees, persnnel cmmittee, budget/finance cmmittee, and search cmmittee) (½ unit). 11. Cnduct training fr deacns and cmmittees (1 unit). 12. Prepare fr and cnduct funerals and weddings (1 unit). 13. Prepare fr and serve as mderatr fr church business meetings (¼ unit). 14. Attend ther church functins (e.g. class scials, anniversaries, prayer breakfasts, denminatinal meetings, etc.) (1 unit). 5

6 What abut cmpensatin? The average laypersn in the church wrks 40 hurs a week, r 10 4-hur quadrants f time. The average pastr wrks hurs a week representing quadrants f time. The search cmmittee shuld ask themselves what respnsibilities they want the interim/transitinal pastr t fulfill. Make a list and place an X in the apprpriate quadrant when the interim/transitinal pastr wuld cmplete that task. Fr example: We want ur interim/transitinal pastr t preach Sunday AM and PM and Wednesday PM. Place an X in thse blcks. The interim/transitinal pastr will need t prepare his messages; allw 8 hurs (2 4-hur quadrants) preparatin time during the week fr this wrk. What ther respnsibilities will the interim/transitinal pastr have: hspital visits, deacn and church cmmittee meetings, etc. Place an X n these quadrants. Nw cunt the number f quadrants. Divide the number f quadrants yu expect the interim/transitinal pastr t wrk by the number f quadrants yu wuld expect a full time pastr t wrk (in the abve example 6/14, r 43%) t determine the percentage f full time cmpensatin (including salary and husing) t be paid t the interim/transitinal pastr. (Cntinuing with the abve example, if the prpsed annual full-time cmpensatin is $35,000, the interim/transitinal pastr wuld be paid $15,050.) With this infrmatin in place, the church can begin t negtiate expectatins and develp a cvenant fr the interim/transitinal pastr. In additin, the interim/transitinal pastr shuld be reimbursed fr mileage (56cents per mile in 2014 see IRS Publicatin 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses) and ther expenses incurred as indicated by receipts. 6

7 Clarify expectatins. SAMPLE COVENANT WITH TRANSITIONAL PASTOR Cvenant between Transitinal Pastr and Baptist Church I. TRANSITIONAL MINISTRY OBJECTIVES: Mve thrugh grief and frustratin. Reslve unfinished business that may be crippling the church. Listen t hurts and ideas. Reinfrce the ministry f vlunteer leadership. Raise the trust level. Renewed appreciatin fr fellwship and recnciliatin. Fresh understanding f the church s missin. Deal with special needs f the church. Prepare cngregatin fr a psitive experience with next pastr. II. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRANSITIONAL PASTOR Be directly accuntable t the Church thrugh the Deacn Bdy r its designate grup. Under n circumstances be a candidate t becme the next pastr. Cnsult with the Pastr Search Cmmittee in the prcess f rganizing/training the cmmittee fr its wrk, but withut interference. Serve until the church has called a new pastr r until the cngregatin releases him f his service. Prvide regular pastral and administrative leadership as agreed upn. Maintain regular ffice hurs and wrk schedule as agreed upn by Transitinal Pastr and Cngregatin. III. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONGREGATION Pray fr and supprt the church thrughut the interim prcess. Pray fr and supprt the Transitinal Pastr. Wrk tgether t reslve any unfinished business and t establish healthy gals fr ministries and missins. IV. SALARY AND BENEFITS The cngregatin agrees t prvide the fllwing salary and benefits: 1. Salary 2. Husing 3. Benefits a. Medical insurance b. 7

8 Disability insurance c. Life insurance d. Retirement 4. Reimbursable expenses 5. Vacatin and/r leave time V. TERMINATION OF THE COVENANT-AGREEMENT Either the Transitinal Pastr r the Church may terminate this Cvenant-Agreement with thirty (30) days written ntice. The Cvenant-Agreement is based n mutual trust and may be altered by mutual cnsent and agreement f bth parties. This Cvenant-Agreement becmes effective. (DATE) (signed) Deacn Chairpersn (signed) Transitinal Pastr SAMPLE COVENANT OF AGREEMENT WITH INTERIM PASTOR Cvenant between, Interim Pastr and the Baptist Church t serve as Interim Pastr. He is t begin t serve this cngregatin n,20 Limitatins: The Interim Pastr will nt be cnsidered as a candidate fr the psitin f pastr. In the event that he r thers cnsider the Interim Pastr a candidate, this cvenant shall be cnsidered null and vid and the psitin f Interim Pastr shall be cnsidered vacant. Further, this agreement shall be cnsidered cmpleted when the call has been extended t and accepted by the new pastr. Gals: During the interim perid between pastrs, ur church recgnizes the need fr pastral leadership t maintain the cngregatin's health and ministry. (Gals fr the interim perid are t be determined in cnsultatin with church leadership and interim pastr.) List gals t be achieved here: Respnsibilities f Interim Pastr: (T be determined in cnsultatin with church leadership and interim pastr) List belw: Cmpensatin Fr services rendered by the interim pastr under this agreement, the Baptist Church will pay: Salary... $ Husing allwance... $ GuideStne... $ 8

9 Mnthly mileage expense (per mile)... $ Other expenses... $ Ttal... $ Terminatin f Cvenant The interim pastr agrees t d all in his pwer t make the transitin f the new pastr t the field as effrtless as pssible. In the event unfreseen circumstances ccur, either party will have the right t cancel this cvenant with a -week ntice. Interim Pastr Date Chairman f the Cmmittee: Date 9

10 Ntes: 10