Pastoral Transition Considerations

Holston Annual Conference

Pastoral Transition Considerations

This magazine was created for the pastors of Holston Annual Conference that might be in the midst of transition from one charge to the next. I offer it freely for other United Methodist Annual Conferences to use and to adapt for their annual conference.

This document was originally created in Microsoft Publisher.

Should you desire a copy that can be modified for use in your annual conference, please contact me at terrygoodman@holston.org.

Please note that images found within this magazine came from the site Unsplash.com.

This site offers all its images free of charge to those that want to use them and I gratefully acknowledge this site for the images included herein.

This magazine is a publication of The Holston Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. All articles contained herein are the sole property of their respective authors and organizations.

Rev. Terry Goodman, Editor Contact information: Rev. Terry Goodman Director of Clergy Services POB 850 Alcoa, TN 37701 At the time of publication (Oct 2019), all links in this document were active.

Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.

Psalms 25:4

I chose this image for a few reasons.

First of all, you are about to undertake a journey. You are moving from one charge to another charge. All journeys need some sense of direction. That is what the compass symbol represents.

Secondly, note that the compass symbol is on a journal. Like the explorers of yesteryear, it might do you good to plan and plot the course that is before and to take some notes along the way.

Thirdly, there is the computer. In this day and age we think of it as the great communicator. We can reach anyone and everyone with Facebook and Twitter and email. Perhaps, though in the initial stages of that journey, you might want to consider going old school and spending some quality face time with the people of your new charge. There will be plenty of time for the bells and whistles of modern technology. Surprise people and meet with them one on one and in groups. You might just be surprised how quickly you can get to know them and, conversely, they can get to know you.

I can’t write a plan for you, but I hope that this magazine will help you think about some of the things that are vital to acclimating yourself to your new community. Please read and take notes and create a roadmap of what you intend to do as you transition to this new pastoral assignment.

A fellow traveler, Rev. Terry Goodman Director of Clergy Services Holston Annual Conference

Some Random Thoughts on Pastoral Transitions Written by Rev. Terry Goodman

I like to jokingly say when I arrive at a new parish, “I have a promise to make to you. I promise that I am going to make all of you 100% happy. I’ll make some of you happy because I have come. I’ll make some of you happy while I am here. I’ll make the rest of you happy when I leave. Before it’s all over…everyone will be happy.”

If you think about the process of pastoral transition, you can begin to see the truth in that statement. In one sense you are coming into a situation and you will be making some of the people happy. There may have been issues with the former pastor. They could have been issues of style or they could have been issues of substance. It doesn’t really matter what the issue was that led to the pastoral transition, there will be a group of people at the new charge eager for your arrival.

Then again, the pastor you are replacing may be beloved by the congregation, there will be very few persons that you will make happy with your arrival.

Those will be the persons that you make happy as you live out you life and ministry with them.

At some point, however, it will become clear that you just can’t please everyone. Those will be the people that you make happy when you eventually leave.

I hope that you can see the complexities and dynamics involved in a pastoral transition. In the scenario above, I only mentioned your effect upon the charge. Don’t forget, there is also an effect upon you as a person, and if you have one, upon your family as well.

Consider your family. If you have children, you are asking them to move…oftentimes at a turning point in

their school. Maybe they are about to transition from elementary to middle or middle to high school. Maybe it is your child’s senior year. There will be an impact upon your family.

Then there is you spouse. He or she might have a good stable job that they really like. Perhaps he or she just got promoted or achieved a new level within their company. You are asking that spouse to give up a lot for the sake of your move to a new pastoral appointment.

Then, don’t forget, there is an impact upon you as well. You will be leaving behind your circle of friends. As a minister, it is not always easy to form freindships.

Doing so within the church often causes problems. So we tend to forms friendships with other clergy colleagues. Moving stretches…maybe even severs those contacts.

I hope you begin to see the complexities that arise as a move is anticipated. Within United Methodism, we sort of know what to expect.

We consult with the District Superintendent and express our desires in relation to moving or staying or making our self available should the Bishop and Cabinet decide our gifts and graces are needed elsewhere. By mid-March/early April we are waiting for or dreading the call that will come from the District Superintendent telling us where we are projected to go.

We do quick searches on the internet trying to find out all that we can about the new assignment.

(Thankfully, the internet is available…early on for me… there was no such luxury.) We are told not to go by the church “checking” things out, but low and behold something comes up and we find ourselves 150 miles from home in a new community driving around hoping that we don’t run into anyone that is a member of the church to which we are projected.

We have that initial meeting with the SPPRC. Oh, it seems as if there is always something else going on at the same time and we end up meeting half the church that just happens to be present the night of our

introduction. We tour the church and the parsonage and wonder how our stuff will fit in the rooms. We wonder about schools and doctors and all the other day to day things of life that we are about to leave behind as we transition to a new place that we are about to call home.

Once those things are behind us we go home.

Have a good cry and wonder what we have gotten ourselves into!

Now the packing starts. Where are we going to get boxes? We have to choose a mover or decide to do it our selves with the promise that there will be folks there to help us unload. The only problem is that the never expect us to have the volume of stuff that we have and its always sort of awkward having these strangers…of I meant new parishioners… there moving our stuff.

It’s exhausting work both mentally, physically and emotionally. In essence we are trying to go on with life in the midst of trauma. There has been a death.

The relationship that we had with our former church has been shattered and we are still in shock and grief as we meet new people and try to remember names and try to learn the new ways of doing things.

If we are lucky, it will be a few weeks before the first funeral. It will be about 10 days before we preach our first sermon. All in all, the stress is enormous. Yet, somehow, we muddle through and survive the transition and begin laying the foundation for ministry that we hope will go on for many more years.

In the remainder of this magazine, I will share with you various items to help you think about that time of transition and help you to make it as smooth as is possible. You will survive and you will begin to make the new relationships that come when you make a pastoral transition. Use the things you find in this magazine to help make that as smooth as possible.

“It’s exhausting work both mentally, physically and emotionally. In essence we are trying to go on with life in the midst of trauma. “

One of the premiere sources of information related to all things having to do with the church is the Lewis Center for Church Leadership located at the Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. One of their trademarks is the “50Ways to…”series. In the links below are some of those 50 Ways documents as well as links to other resources that might be helpful during this time of pastoral transition.

Some of these documents are helpful to you as you transition, others might be shared with either the church you are leaving or the church to which you are projected to go.

50 Ways to Improve Pastoral Transitions 50 Ways to Welcome a New Pastor Suggestions for Churches with a Clergywoman Suggestions for Churches with a Single Pastor Suggestions for Churches with a Young Pastor Why Women Are Clergy

Other Resources at Leading Ideas: Lessons for Clergy Preparing to Leave a Congregation 4 Traps for Clergy When Moving to a New Congregation Eleven Questions for Getting to Know a New Congregation First Year Priorities When Pastors Move

FREE Pastoral Transition Resources

A Guide to Pastoral Transitions: The First 30 Days

By Eric Seiberling As found at UMCOM.org on September 28, 2019 at the URL http://www.umcom.org/learn/a-guide-to-pastoral-transitions-part-1-the-first-30-days

When pastors receive a new appointment, they have 90 days to prove themselves, gain credibility and start to establish positive momentum. That’s according to organizational research by Michael Watkins, outlined in his book “The First 90 Days.” Watkins says that a leader’s success or failure is largely determined in the first few months of their tenure. This is part one of a two-part series on how to get off to a quick start at your new appointment.

The quality of the transition will either set the stage for success or sow the seeds of trouble and potential failure. Transitions are also periods of acute vulnerability, because new pastors lack established working relationships and a detailed understanding of the issues facing the church.

Opinions of your effectiveness begin to form quickly. Once formed, they are surprisingly hard to change.

The key to success is not to jump immediately into the day-to-day grind of the church, but to stop, observe and learn about the new congregation in order to build a plan to create quick wins and positive momentum for change.

Break from the past (the date of the introduction until the first day at the new appointment) Leaders need to prepare themselves prior to the transition. Your transition starts the day the introduction is made. This may be months before the transition date or just weeks. Establish a clear transition. Take the time to assess your own strengths and vulnerabilities by scheduling an “exit interview” with people whom you trust.

Also, take the time to set the stage for your successor. Talk positively about the change and encourage church leaders to follow your example. This can dispel the fear, uncertainty and doubt individuals may have about the transition and set up your successor for success.

Accelerate the learning (The First 30 Days) In your first 30 days, focus on taking a structured learning approach to understand the specific opportunities and challenges of the congregation and the personalities and abilities of the people you have come to serve. Learn about the culture, politics, financial situation, condition of the building and many other factors inside the church, as well as the community it serves.

Here are some suggestions to get you started even before your first day:

Learn about the community To get a free demographic report for the community, send an email request to Chuck Niedringhaus at cniedringhaus@umco m.org, director of strategic marketing at United Methodist Communications. Start listening to your community’s digital conversation and spend time with people outside the four walls of the church.

Skip church one Sunday and go where the people who are not in church on Sunday morning go — whether it is the local diner or the soccer fields. Observe and learn.

“Google” your church Search your church’s name and city. Read the results. What is the digital appearance of your

What is your game plan for the first month you are at your new charge?

Time will fly and if you do not plan what you intend to do, then you will not get done what you need to get done.

church? What is the impression it makes?

Outdated? Non-existent? Internally focused?

Connected to the community? Repeat on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest and other social media sites.

Conduct “cottage meetings” Set up meetings with small groups from the congregation in people’s homes. Try to keep the groups in between 12 and 16 people to facilitate conversation. Have everyone introduce themselves and then ask four questions: 

What do we as a church do well?

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What is the greatest challenge/ opportunity facing this church in the next 12-24 months?

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If you had a magic wand that could perform mid-sized miracles, what miracle would you perform for our church?

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How has this church, specifically, helped you grow spiritually?

Discuss the findings with church leaders, develop a summary and share it with the congregation on a Sunday morning.

Gather data via surveys

Before you ever arrive, you need to have a plan in place and convey that plan to the leadership of the church. Get them to assist you in doing the things that need to be done. Get them to help introduce you to the people you need to be meeting—both in the church and in the community.

Surveys provide a structured method to gather the attitudes and views on “hot button” issues and ensure everyone’s opinion is heard. Surveys, better than hearing individual opinions and generalized statements, help provide unbiased data to inform the discussions of your church leadership team.

Gather all of your communication materials Gather every bulletin, brochure and communication tool the church uses. Take pictures of the outside of the building and the church sign. Print out pages from the website, Facebook page or any other place the church exists online. Place all of the elements on a single wall or table and then

look at them as a whole. What message or feeling do they convey about the church? Does it all look like it comes from the same church?

Assess the church’s financial health Take the time to dig into the financials and determine the church’s fiscal health.

Diagnose the giving trends of the church and even ask for an outside audit to ensure the financial records are in order. Assess the financial condition of the church and where resources are being spent.

Understand the buildings Inspect the facilities and find out when items like the heating system, roof, parking lot, lighting, technology and others were last replaced. Ask if there is a long range plan for the trustees for building maintenance. Look for opportunities to save money with energy efficient measures.

Assess the church’s existing programs Churches rarely take the time to assess their existing programs and determine which ones are no longer effective. Assess the programs of the church and their effectiveness. This needs to be done with sensitivity and care as this can evoke some strong emotions. Hold off on making drastic changes except where there is broad agreeement to prune programs to free up resources for new priorities.

Gathering the data is the key priority.

Take the time to understand thoroughly the situation and encourage the entire leadership to participate in this learning process. Meet weekly to share what everyone has learned and discuss your findings. Set up a room at the church to post all of the findings on the walls so people can see across different functional areas and can start to see the “big picture” of what is going on.

The key outcome of the first 30 days = A clear picture of the real situation The key output from the first 30 days needs to be a summary of the current situation of the church and identifying the key priorities for the church for the short -, mid- and long-term. Many churches operate under a set of assumptions and viewpoints which may not reflect reality. By embracing the current reality of the church and the community it serves, it is possible to move forward.

Learn how to align the organization and deliver quick wins in the next 60 days by reading “A guide to pastoral transitions, Part 2: Day 31 and beyond.”

Additional Resources Church Marketing Plan FREE eBook – “Connecting with Your Community” by Flockology.com

A Guide to Pastoral Transitions: Day 31 and Beyond

By Eric Seiberling

As found at UMCOM on September 28, 2019 at the following URL: http://www.umcom.org/learn/a-guide-to-pastoral-transitions-part-2-day-31-and-beyond

Pastors have 90 days to prove themselves and create momentum in ministry. Organizational research and interviews have shown new leaders can make or break their success in the first few months in their tenure. A previous article “A guide to pastoral transitions: The first 30 days” outlines ideas from Michael Watkins, author of "The First 90 Days," to break from a previous appointment, prepare a systematic way to learn about the congregation and community and develop a summary of the current situation.

During the next 60 days, the focus needs to be on translating those insights into action.

Align the organization and focus on what matters most (Day 31 to 60) The second 30 days need to help drive alignment in the organization and rally the congregation to action. The congregation will not just act simply because the pastor says so. During this time, focus on sharing the results of the first 30 days, defining quick wins that address immediate opportunities and concerns, building the team to deliver the results and aligning the resources needed to succeed.

Present the findings. Create a report to share the key findings from the first 30 days. These findings should be identified by the entire leadership team, not just the pastor. Share both the grim realities and the exciting opportunities for ministry. Include quotes from the cottage meetings, surveys and discussions to give a “human voice” to the findings. Present them in a way that both focuses on what must change for the church to thrive, and celebrates those aspects of the church which are going well. 

 Pray to discern God’s calling for your church. The impact of prayer cannot be overestimated.

The findings will evoke a number of emotions in individuals: fear, anger, relief, anxiety or maybe sadness. Prayer helps us center on God’s will versus our own preferences and desires. Provide some guiding thoughts for leaders to mediate or focus everyone on appropriate Scripture passages.

Refocusing the congregation on God’s unique calling for their church can transform fear, uncertainty and doubt into passion, conviction and commitment.  Create conversation to facilitate convergence. Many times, the data will lead to some obvious places for action. Facilitate conversation about the findings and ask different leaders and groups to brainstorm on potential actions for the short-, mid- and long term. Work as a team to group these ideas into core themes and then prioritize them. Next, create a list of short-, mid- and long-term actions. Create a set of goals, deliverables and milestones that create a clear plan to succeed.

 Focus on quick wins. Help the team define two or three quick wins for the next 30 days. Make sure these quick wins have high priority, high visibility and broad support. Part of a successful transition is making positive changes that are visible to the congregation to drive excitement and positive momentum.  Build the team. Take the time to understand how well teams or committees are operating. Many times you cannot build a team from scratch. Take time to observe people in action for yourself and help coach the team. Consider using personality assessments to help create balanced teams from a temperament standpoint and make sure you have the right gifts on the team to be successful.

Remove any inactive members from a team as a signal that action and not “membership” is expected. This may take several months to complete.

Focus on the core; delegate when you can. It is easy to become overwhelmed at the amount of work that needs to be done. Focus on the top priorities and delegate where you can. Delegating tasks to 

individuals can also provide an opportunity to assess their capabilities.

 Listen to the “difficult people.” Even though they complain and sometimes obstruct change, take time to listen to criticism, but do not be consumed by it. Understand what is driving their fear, share with them how you are addressing that underlying fear, adjust plans if needed, and then move on.

Deliver quick wins (Day 61 to 90) To quote Nike, “Just do it.” Now is the time to translate plans into actions and actions into quick wins. It is critically important to deliver results within 90 days that are visible and clearly communicate the future direction of the church.

Involve as many people as possible. While the team leading the “quick-win” initiative may be small, find ways to involve as many people from your congregation. If the church is looking to create a household goods pantry, ask the youth group to collect items door-to-door or ask Sunday school classes (from the nursery to the adult classes) to bring in items and compete against one another. 

 Look for evidence of success. Based on your goals, think about what success looks like and then try to capture evidence that things are working. Take pictures of children at a Vacation Bible School. Create a short video of people working at the soup kitchen. Hold an open house after a church cleanup. Find ways to capture people in action and then share that with the congregation.

Communicate early and often. Take the time to communicate to the congregation the results of efforts and the impact they can have. Connect with both the “unplugged” and the “digitally pluggedin.” Share pictures, videos, testimonies or anything else that can show results and generate excitement. 

Celebrate at the end of 90 days. Show off the congregations’s efforts at the end of the 90 days both during the worship service and a celebration reception afterwards. Achieving together creates community. Take the time to celebrate results and focus on what has been achieved in such a short period of time

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The Power of Quick Wins (Beyond Day 90) By the end of the 90 days, you want your congregation and your community to feel that something new and good is happening. Creating these quick wins can create a virtuous cycle. Otherwise you can get caught in a vicious one where fear, uncertainty and doubt can take hold or, worse yet, complacency.

Early wins excite and energize people, build your credibility and quickly create value for your organization. They can bring a congregation together and make a “kingdom difference” in your community. Make the first 90 days count and you can experience many fruitful years of ministry by all.

4 Key Challenges in Pastoral Transitions

By Lovett H. Weems, Jr. on May 10, 2017

What challenges are most commonly faced when pastors move from one ministry setting to the next?

Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says four key challenges are dealing with family and emotional issues, paving the way for one’s successor, understanding the culture of the new ministry context, and saying goodbye in a way that provides closure.

Despite the prevalence of pastoral moves, often little time is spent reflecting on all the issues at stake for many people during such transitions. A few years ago United Methodist district superintendents were asked to reflect on their years of moving to new appointments as well as their experience in observing other pastors make such transitions. They helped identify four key challenges faced in pastoral transitions.

“Everything possible should be done to pave the way for a successful transition in the church from which a pastor leaves and for the continuation of ongoing ministries in the new congregation.”

The Personal Challenge: Dealing with Family and Emotional Issues Family adjustment, spouse employment, and issues related to children are paramount. There is a need to find appropriate ways for the pastor, family, and congregation to express their feelings, including the grief that inevitably is present — even when the congregation and/or the pastor are pleased about the move. This transition includes letting go of important relationships. For some, it also includes letting go of past hurts.

Just at the time when these emotional strains are so real, there are the pressures of adjusting to a new community, congregation, schools, doctors, and other new colleagues and friends. Without adequate rest, spiritual renewal, and support, these challenges will prove immensely more difficult. With attention to these essentials, a move can become a fulfilling time for all.

The Professional Challenge: Enabling a Smooth and Positive Transition The pastor leaving will set the tone for how the new pastor is received. Differences of personality or theology that distinguish the new pastor from the old should not interfere with the manner in which the departing pastor helps prepare the way for the new pastor. The same is true for dealing with one’s predecessor at the new congregation. Congregations, specifically the staff parish relations committee, can be helped to prepare for a new pastor. A pastor’s feeling of grief in leaving or loneliness in the new setting should not cloud dealings with successor and predecessor. Everything possible should be done to pave the way for a successful transition in the church from which a pastor leaves and for the continuation of ongoing ministries in the new congregation.

The Leadership Challenge: Understanding a New Church and Community Things taken for granted after years of interaction in one church and community must now be relearned in a new setting. Learning to “read” the history, traditions, and culture of a new context is the primary challenge in the first year or so in a new church. This also gives the new congregation a chance to “learn” the new pastor. In both cases, imperfections will be spotted quickly; discovering each other’s strengths will take much longer. Your “job” as pastor may be similar from church to church, but the leadership assignment in a new congregation, in all likelihood, will be very different given the new circumstances. Merely doing what one has always done normally is inadequate when a leader changes from one context to another.

The Congregational Challenge: Closure and Saying Goodbye Saying goodbye to the pastor leaving and hello to the new pastor should not be left to chance. This is a time of major transition in the lives of many people. As such, it needs to be handled with care, sensitivity, and sufficient spiritual depth and ritual. Special attention to the needs of children and youth may be particularly significant in some congregations. Lack of proper closure can hamper ministry for a long time. A pastor’s ability to express genuine love for a congregation and, at the same time, make clear the new relationship of former pastor will do a great service to self and congregation. A congregation’s ability to express profound appreciation for the years of service by a pastor and, at the same time, release that pastor for new ministry and welcome their new pastor with open arms will make effective ministry more likely for all involved.

Related Resources The Right Start: Beginning Ministry in a New Setting Video Tool Kit. How Incoming Pastors Can Navigate the Changeover Zone by Jim Ozier 50 Ways to Improve Pastoral Transitions, a free Lewis Center Resource As found at Church Leadership on September 28, 2019 at the following URL https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/four-key-challenges-pastoral-transitions/

The Four Stages of a Pastoral Transition

BY LOVETT H. WEEMS, JR. ON MAY 19, 2010 LEADING IDEAS

A time of transition for a pastor can be both exciting and terrifying. The possibility of a new start with its challenges and opportunities brings anticipation. Yet leaving the known for the unknown also brings anxiety. Such transition is more complex than may be immediately apparent. As pastors are dealing with both personal and professional transitions, there are also congregations going through their own transitions.

What we know about clergy moving from one setting to another is that all pastors have the best of intentions, but many do not give adequate thought to those best practices for leaving and beginning that can help ensure a good transition for everyone involved. In planning for a transition, it is helpful to think of the Stages of a Pastoral Move and what is needed for each stage to go well to advance the mission of all churches involved.

1. Leaving begins when a pastor learns that he or she will be moving to a new ministry and continues through the day of the actual relocation.

2. Entry begins on the day the pastor arrives at the new location and usually continues for about six months. Keep in mind that transition begins before the move and continues after the move. The change of formal position can be marked by a date — but transition is a more internal and emotional process for everyone involved.

3. The Start Up Period usually extends from about six to eighteen months as the pastor builds credibility and comes to understand more of God’s calling for the congregation’s next faithful step.

4. The First Chapter is a multi-year period of pastoral ministry coming out of pastoral and congregational discernment in which the current challenges and opportunities are addressed, thus providing the foundation on which other chapters can be built.

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has provided training and resources for pastoral transitions for a number of years. Drawing on these years of research and training, the Lewis Center has just released two new resources: The Right Start: Beginning Ministry in a New Setting is a video learning resource for pastors preparing to move — with both individual and group training versions.

50 Ways to Welcome a New Pastor is a free resource with suggestions for congregations receiving a new pastor.

It is our prayer that these resources (see details below) will contribute to an excellent transition for pastors and congregations alike. We hope pastors can celebrate and offer thanks for a ministry that is ending, in order to begin in a new setting with both confidence and humility, always remembering that this move involves the pastor — but is not primarily about the pastor. It is about how the pastor and the congregation together can fulfill God’s purpose through the church. May God bless all of you who are changing churches or pastors in these important days.

As found at Church Leadership on September 28, 2019 at the following URL https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/the-four-stages-of-a-pastoral-transition/

Helping Families Cope During Pastoral Transitions

By Lovett H . Weems on June 10, 2009 We are often unaware of the grieving that goes on in our families and our congregations around times of transition. Spouses, for example, may feel resentment about not having more say in the move.

Other common concerns for spouses include housing issues, leaving a job — especially if finding a comparable position is unlikely, leaving a familiar place and close relationships, concern for the clergy spouse’s heavy work schedule, and anxiety about finding a place in the new church.

Remember that transitions can be stressful times for relationships. Sharing feelings and permitting others to do so is emotionally freeing for everyone. The following suggestions can help families cope:

        

Stay closely connected during this time.

Communication is key.

Be attentive to your own feelings, especially grief.

Attention to your own grief will tend to keep it from hindering your help for others.

Remember that people grieve differently.

Do not underestimate the hurt family members are experiencing.

Acknowledge losses with understanding.

Remember that children and youth deal with change in their own ways.

Involve family members in the transition process to the maximum extent of their comfort.  Provide opportunities for children and youth to say goodbye in ways that matter to them.  Continue family events throughout the transition.  Try to limit the “negative emotional spillover” from church struggles.  Find ways to mark the endings and beginnings as a family.  Seek professional counseling if needed.

As found at Church Leadership on September 28, 2019 at the following URL: https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/helping-families-cope-during-pastoraltransitions/

“Remember that transitions can be stressful times for relationships.

Sharing feelings and permitting others to do so is emotionally freeing for everyone. “

Pastoral Transitions — Leaving Well

If you will be moving to a new congregation this summer, keep in mind the importance of ending your ministry well at your current location. It is easy to shift one’s thinking and emotional energy to the anticipated new congregation and neglect some key elements of leaving well and preparing the way for your successor. Most mistakes clergy make in their last months before moving are not intentional but the result of oversight from not planning carefully for leaving.

Remember that the primary goal of the transition is the continuing faithful witness of the congregation in which you have invested much energy. There is an important dimension of the leaving time that is about you — in that people want to express appreciation for your ministry. But you will want to find every opportunity possible to receive their thanks graciously while reframing what is happening as God’s ongoing purpose for the congregation.

Many clergy do not have an adequate plan for their leaving. This can leave a feeling of incompleteness for the pastor and congregation. One also wants to be very careful not to do things in the closing months that will undermine one’s overall ministry there or make the entry of a new pastor difficult.

Communicate There can never be too much communication during times of change. Give people information and then do it again and again.

The pastor does not need to do all the communicating, but the pastor needs to ensure that such generous information sharing is taking place.

BY LOVETT H. WEEMS, JR. ON MAY 21, 2008

“Many clergy do not have an adequate plan for their leaving. This can leave a feeling of incompleteness for the pastor and congregation .”

Adhere to all denominational protocols and timelines, but do not be content to think that just because “the change was announced” or “a letter went out,” the task of communication has ended. Find multiple ways to give people information they will need to understand and to interpret to others the upcoming change.

You will want to give special attention to some persons with whom you will plan to have personal conversations to express thanks and discuss the transition. For some you may want to prepare personal letters of appreciation. Who are the persons that need particular consideration because of close personal relationships, extraordinary service, or key current or past roles within the congregations? Who are the people with whom your relationship has often been difficult and troubled — and you would not want to leave without some kind of personal communication?

For the congregation as a whole, find multiple ways to say in speech and writing your thanks for how much they have meant to you. Always lift up positive things from your tenure, even if there

have been unhappy or rocky periods. Share ownership for the move and for your church’s polity. Do not blame others for the move or use closure to get back at others; be gracious to all. Clarify in spoken and written communication your new relationship with the congregation. Define what is over and what is not.

Also think of communicating with public and community leaders. They often do not have access to the information shared within the congregation. Make sure that ecumenical and community partners know what is happening. Tell them about your successor. You might also serve as a linking person in connecting the new pastor and key community leaders.

Mark the Endings It is particularly important to find ways to mark the endings that are taking place. Rituals, ceremonies, and litanies that mark occasions of celebration and goodbye are essential for all. It is important to capture the significance of what is happening by acknowledging what has been accomplished, what is changing, and what lies ahead.

Such services create common experiences that make it easier for everyone to move forward.

One component can be your final message as pastor.

George B. Thompson, Jr., provides some suggested themes for consideration (How to Get Along with Your Church: Creating Cultural Capital for Doing Ministry, Pilgrim, 129).  Accomplishment — “See what God has done in our midst!”  Affirmation — “You continue to be God’s people.”  Anticipation — “Behold, God is making all things new.”

William Bridges, in his work on transitions, has noted how important it is to give careful attention to such markings.

“Most unsuccessful transitions start with failing to handle the ending well,” he says, in that such endings rarely get the thought and planning they need. (The Way of Transition, Da Capo, 144-145)

As found at Church Leadership on September 28, 2019 at the following URL: https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/pastoral-transitionsleaving-well/

Why First Impressions Really Do Matter

By Lovett H. Weems, Jr. on May 10, 2017

One spring day a few years ago, a graduating student stopped by my office to tell me that he had just learned of his first appointment as a United Methodist pastor. He was being sent to three churches that had been separate appointments, but due to decline, were now forming a multichurch pastoral charge with one pastor. He was preparing to travel to his home conference for his introductory meeting with leaders from the churches and the district superintendent. His excitement surrounding forming first impressions was high.

When he returned, I asked how things had gone. He thought they went well. Then, a few days later, he returned to my office quite concerned. He had heard that the church members were resisting his coming as their pastor.

Here’s what had happened. During the introductory session, the district superintendent reported a savings of several thousands of dollars with the three churches coming together, and they would need to consider how those funds would now be used. To that, the seminary student had said with a laugh, “I guess you’ll have to add it to the pastor’s salary.” He thought no more about it.

Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says people’s first impressions are often shaped by assumptions and stereotypes. And the early information we get about a person influences how we interpret and remember later information, simply because in dealing with so much input our minds default to cognitive shortcuts

Apparently, the members took from that statement that their proposed new pastor was interested only in money and his personal advancement. In truth, that was not at all the character of the student as we knew him. He was actually quite humble, and his identity was not about status but service. The fact was he was nervous and, trying to be funny, said something that was misinterpreted. He returned for another session. They gave the new pastor a chance, and all went well.

Cognitive Shortcuts How do such things happen? How can people be convinced they are right about something based on such limited information? It happens all the time, and you and I are as guilty of it as the members in these churches. Here’s why.

We are all “cognitive misers,” a phenomenon studied by psychologists Susan Fiske and Shelly Taylor. In describing their findings, Heidi Grant Halvorson (No One Understands You and What to Do About It, chapter 2) describes our tendency to think only as much as we must and no more because so much is going on around us. Therefore, we trade speed for accuracy in our judgments. There are favorite shortcuts we use to avoid the time and careful analysis required to make more objective assessments.

Some of these include assumptions, confirmation bias (we

see what we expect to see), stereotypes, past experience, and “the primacy effect.”

First Impressions Really Do Matter The primacy effect means that the early information we get about a person influences how we interpret and remember later information.

That’s why it is absolutely true that you never have a second chance to make a first impression. In the case of the seminary student, had his offhand comment been made three years later, after people had a myriad of different experiences with him, it would barely have been noticed.

However, a new person is a blank slate, so anything said at the beginning explodes to fill the entire slate.

So, what does this mean for a leader entering a new situation?

Recognize that people will make judgments based on what is most apparent, even if they are as open-minded and fair-thinking as we believe we are. We do it all the time, even when we think we do not. All that we bring to those first encounters — attitudes and feelings about gender, race, accent, stature, education, appearance, dress, and other factors — will shape various impressions that “cognitive misers” use to get a take on a new person. Yes, this includes stereotypes, confirmation bias, and past experience. It’s not a pretty picture, but neither should it be a shock. Numerous experiments show that we all use inadequate shortcuts to shape initial judgments. To ignore this reality can be as harmful as ignoring any other factor in a leader’s context. We can regret it while still understanding the reality.

If you are responsible for assessing someone new and think your first impressions are purely objective, consider this. Those who selected musicians for symphony orchestras were convinced that their selections were based strictly on the quality of the applicant’s performance and nothing else. But, when there was a curtain between the musician and the judges, the percentage of women selected increased dramatically.

All of us are cognitive misers. There is simply too much all around us for anyone to receive information in a totally objective manner. So it is wise to be careful and attentive to this dynamic, to share differing perspectives within a community of discernment, and to be willing to revisit our first impressions.

As found at Church Leadership on September 28, 2019 at the following URL: https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/first-impressions-really-matter/

Numerous experiments show that we all use inadequate shortcuts to shape initial judgments.

To ignore this reality can be as harmful as ignoring any other factor in a leader’s context.

Honoring the Context of a New Ministry Setting

By Lovett H. Weems, Jr. on June 6, 2018 When clergy enter a new pastoral setting, it is difficult to avoid comparing everything in the new place with what they have done in the past or to a general understanding of what is good for any church. New pastors tend to see everything through the lens of their own experiences, which may or may not fit the new context. Despite their best intentions, they often see deficiencies of past leadership much more quickly than strengths. Writing in his journal in 1924 as a young pastor in Detroit, Reinhold Niebuhr observed, “One of the most disillusioning experiences which I have had with ministers is their invariable tendency to belittle or to be unappreciative of the work of their predecessors.”

The consequences of ignoring context Leadership is always about a group, not the

leader. Leadership begins with those whom God has given us the opportunity to serve.

Three examples illustrate what can happen if context is not considered before making major changes.  A church had developed a strong tradition of recognizing on All Saints Sunday members who had died in the past year. While naming and ringing a bell for each of the deceased took a brief portion of the service, the care with which it was planned and promoted made All Saints Sunday one of the best attended Sundays of the year. It also became an occasion for people to learn about the history and meaning of a Christian tradition new to many of them. An entering pastor moved this recognition from All Saints to Memorial Day Sunday without adequately inquiring about the local tradition.

The Memorial Day recognition never caught on

Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says incoming pastors tend to see everything through the lens of their own experience, vision, and interests, rather than learning how things got to be the way they are. Good leadership is always about the group, not the leader, says Weems. So it’s important for new pastors to take time to understand the pulse of a new congregation.

in this church so schooled in the All Saints tradition.  In another case, a church had for years held youth confirmation on Easter, certainly an appropriate time. But there was always a time crunch, and, with extra attendance, families of confirmands were not always able to sit together. So the congregation shifted the reception of confirmation class members to Pentecost Sunday, also a meaningful time for such an important event. But a new pastor, who had always received confirmation classes into membership on Easter, changed confirmation back to Easter. This pastor, who had previously served in smaller churches, failed to understand the challenges of Easter confirmation experienced by the new church and without appropriate consultation made a poor decision.

The third example occurred when a pastor very interested in mission went to a church with a long history of mission engagement. That match was good. However, the new pastor failed to recognize the strong ties between the church and a particular place where youth mission teams had served for the past 20 years. The incoming pastor had similar long connections with another place equally in need of help and, by the pastor’s second year, had changed the mission trip location with little consultation.

Begin with the people you are called to serve How can an entering pastor avoid such mistakes? One example of taking the time and having the interest to appreciate a new context involves a pastor whose personal passion had always centered on teaching and education. In every church he served, he would establish high quality studies that offered wonderful opportunities to learn more about the Bible, history, theology, and ethics. After serving many years at a church where the interest in Christian

education matched his, this pastor went to another church whose identity revolved around mission. From the first day, every person the new pastor met talked about the congregation’s vast engagement in a multitude of mission initiatives. It would have been tempting for this incoming pastor to say, “That’s wonderful” and then proceed to implement his own priorities around education and learning.

Instead, the new pastor spent the first year immersed in the congregation’s vital life of mission. He came to understand the culture of the church and to know the key leaders well.

After a year, the pastor began asking some of those leaders some questions such as, “Have you ever studied biblical models of mission? Or the history of missions? Or the theology of mission?” Invariably, those active leaders were unaware that such learning was available.

“Could we study that?” and “I’d love to know more” were the responses. Out of these conversations emerged a Mission Academy that gave those active in mission the opportunity each year to study in depth a new aspect of the biblical, theological, historical, or ethical dimensions of mission. It also gave the pastor a chance to exercise his vision and gifts in a way that fit the new context.

The pastor began with the people God had given rather than beginning with the pastor’s interests. This is a good reminder of something we know about leadership but often forget — leadership is always about a group, not the leader. Leadership begins with those whom God has given us the opportunity to serve.

As found at Church Leadership on September 28, 2019 at the following URL: https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/honoring-the-context-of-a-new-ministry-setting/

Leadership is always about a group, not the leader.

Leadership begins with those whom God has given us the opportunity to serve.

I came across this checklist. It’s not perfect and it refers to things that might not be done in the Methodist way of doing things. However, it highlights the importance of having a plan. I encourage you to look at this list and, from it, create your own transitional timeline and checklist. Be sure to share it with key people in your current church as well as the church to which you will be going. It might not be a bad idea to also share it with your District Superintendent and solicit some ideas from him or her to help make the transition go more smoothly. —-TDG

Pastoral Transition Timeline and Checklist PASTORAL CHANGE ANNOUNCED

•Outgoing pastor prepares and sends farewell letter to the congregation, stating the reasons for the transition and what is ending (the pastoral relationship).

•Incoming pastor prepares an introduction letter, with a short bio and a word of excitement about this new pastoral relationship. Mail to entire congregation.

THREE MONTHS OUT Outgoing pastor begins preparing the transition packet.

• Incoming pastor begins transition blog.

• Church begins recruiting members for Transition Team. 

ONE MONTH OUT • Outgoing and incoming pastors plan a “hand-off” meeting. Transition packet to be passed to the incoming pastor at that time.

• “Passing the mantle” celebration in worship (if possible).

• Church conducts initial meeting of the Transition Team to outline scope and responsibilities.

• Promote “gift card shower” for the new pastor and family and begin collecting donated cards.

• Church personnel committee conducts exit interview with outgoing pastor.

• Outgoing pastor signs Covenant of Conduct document.

• Church plans farewell celebration for the outgoing pastor.

• Interim plans for worship made and communicated.

• Recruit helpers for pastoral family’s move-in day, if requested.

ONE WEEK OUT • Finalize move-in plans for the pastor’s office at the church. Make repairs and paint as needed.

Prepare for the new pastor to move into the office before his/her first official day of work.

• Prepare bulletin for the pastor’s first Sunday, making sure that preaching is his/her only responsibility.

• Set first meeting of the Transition Team with the new pastor for his/her first full week on the job.

• Prepare welcome celebration and gift card shower for the first Sunday.

NEW PASTOR’S FIRST OFFICIAL DAY AT WORK • Prepare lunch meeting for pastor and staff.

• Provide pastor with a list of those in the hospital so that he/she can make visits that afternoon.

• Have employment paperwork prepared for payroll, etc.

THE FIRST SUNDAY • Pastor delivers sermon while others direct the other parts of the service.

• Use your denomination’s ritual for welcoming a new pastor.

• Provide a liaison for the pastor’s family to make them feel welcome, help them find their way around, and introduce them to the people of the church.

• Enjoy a post-worship celebration (meal or snacks) to welcome the pastor and family. The gift cards should be given to the family at this time. • Encourage maximum attendance by the congregation on that Sunday.

THE FIRST FULL WEEK • Pastor has initial meeting with the Transition Team.

• Home Gatherings begin.

• Pastor meets with church board and/or individual church leaders to begin learning their roles in the church.

• Pastor begins regular pattern of staff meetings.

• Pastor prepares bulletin for the next Sunday.

THE FIRST MONTH • Conduct the majority of the Home Gatherings within the first month.

• Pastor to attend regular meetings of church committees and/or ministry teams.

• Transition Team meets with pastor at 30-day mark to discuss adaptive challenges and begin identifying early wins.

• Pastor begins collating data from the Home Gatherings.

• Pastor begins meeting with community leaders to get a feel for the setting around the church.

THE FIRST 90 DAYS • Regular meetings of the Transition Team continue. Expectations begin to be clarified and early wins identified, executed, and evaluated.

• Identify the breakeven point of the transition. Pastor and Transition Team begin to define when the new pastor has begun to add as much value as he or she has received from the church.

• When the Transition Team and pastor believe that the breakeven point has been reached (may take longer than 90 days), plan a celebration together. You made it!

SEEDLINGS: ONE PAGE RESOURCES FOR THEOLOGICAL FORMATION By Bob Kaylor We encourage the further copying and distribution of this resource. Find more at Seedbed.com | © 2014 Seedbed Publishing

The website www.seedbed.com appears to be Wesleyan in its orientation and seeks to promote what they refer to as the “second half of the gospel” which is “Sanctification by grace through faith.” They are all about making disciples.

Numerous free resources are available on the site. —TDG

Nine Steps for a Pastor’s First 90 Days July 10, 2013

by Dr. Thom Rainer As found at thomrainer.com on September 28, 2019 at this URL https://thomrainer.com/2013/07/nine-steps-for-a-pastors-first-90-days/

I remember well receiving a call from one of my sons. It was his first day on the job as a new pastor. It was also his first full-time ministry position. His words were amusing: “Okay, Dad. I’m here.

What do I do next?”

A new pastor has a great opportunity to begin a ministry positively.

Conversely, the first 90 days can also be the eventual downfall of a pastor.

I’ve spoken with hundreds of pastors around the country; many of them have shared with me their keys to early successes. I distilled them to nine steps that should help most any new pastor.

By the way, these nine steps require much upfront investment of time. You can slow down after the first 90 days, but this time is too critical to short change any one step.

Wisdom comes from all kinds of places. Dr. Thom Rainer is well known with Southern Baptist circles and provides a wealth of knowledge on a diversity of topics. You have to learn to weed out some of the Congregationalist ideas and see things with a Wesleyan perspective. When it comes to the advice on this topic, I think it applies to pastors of all denominational varieties.

UPDATE: Listen to the related podcast

1. Spend significant time in the Word for your sermons. All preaching is important, but your first few sermons are critical. That’s where most members will hear and see you. And that’s where many first impressions are formed.

2. Listen. Take time to listen to the stories and concerns of your members.

Unless you must speak, allow them uninterrupted time to share with you. As a consequence, you will learn much about the church, and you will win the trust of those to whom you listened.

3. Be visible. I know. I just said to spend significant time in the Word. It’s hard to do that if you are constantly visible. As I indicated, you should be prepared for some long workweeks your first 90 days.

4. Be accessible. Again, you can overdo it here. You need time to carry out the other steps. But early in your ministry you should not be hidden away in a secret study at the church.

5. Find low-hanging fruit. In almost every church there are some actions you can take that will cost little and please most members. One pastor knew that the members really wanted to paint the worship center, but the church didn’t have the funds. So he challenged them to an all-day paint day.

Some members committed to buy paint. Several agreed to do the painting. And others cooked meals and served the workers. The young pastor became an instant hero.

6. Learn the powerbrokers. No one is asking you to compromise your principles or play dirty politics.

It’s just a good idea to know who the true decision makers are in the church. You need to get to know them and befriend them if possible.

7. Go into the community. Make a statement to the church members and the community that you are determined to serve and love the community where your church is located. Eat in local restaurants.

Join a civic organization. Go meet some of the community leaders.

8. Express your enthusiasm about being their pastor. If you don’t have enthusiasm for the church when you first arrive, you are in trouble. Let the members know how excited and honored you are to serve them as pastor.

9. Don’t speak badly about your previous church. I have eight “thou shalts,” so I’ll add just one “thou shalt not.” If you start speaking negatively about your former church, many members will assume you’ll do the same for your present church. There is nothing to gain in such negative talk.

Tips to Help Pastors and Families on the Move

As found at UMCOM.org on September 28, 2019 at the following URL: http://www.umcom.org/learn/tips-to-help-pastors-and-families-on-the-move

Susan Miller knows how it feels to live a gypsy’s life. As the wife of a corporate hotel executive, Miller moved 14 times in 25 years. The experience had a profound effect and led her to start Just Moved Ministry. The spiritually based non-profit reaches out to women who are frequently uprooted and equips them with tools to help them let go of the past and embrace new lives. She now leads relocation classes in churches, military installations and corporations, as well as trains motivators to guide families who are dealing with the stress of moving. Miller offers these suggestions.

Tips for pastors and their families making a move to a new church and community 1. Before you move, be sure you have closure with people and places. Take pictures to recall important memories. You might want to make a scrapbook or album with keepsakes representing your time in that church and community.

2. Once you have moved, be aware of what your overload factors are. Watch for physical, emotional and spiritual strain.

3. Try not to compare your last church and community with your new situation.

4. Be careful of having unrealistic expectations. They can be the ruin of any new appointment.

5. Remember, moving is a loss — a tangible loss. You will grieve on some level. Expect to go through the stages of grief because you have lost close touch with friends, a church, a home or a neighborhood you love. It can be even more traumatic when you move to a new place where you may not have a support system in place. Understand that what you are experiencing is normal.

6. Be sensitive to your spouse’s identity crisis. The loss of personal identity in a move can be huge.

So many times people introduce the spouse as a pastor’s wife or husband rather than “this is Judy” or “this is Joe.” Loneliness in ministry is a bigger issue than many people realize.

7. Let people help you. It could be the beginning of a friendship and it lets the congregation be a part of your family. Don’t isolate yourselves.

8. Borrow an egg! The best way to begin a friendship is to borrow an egg. It’s a way to start a conversation. It’s a first step.

9. Build your nest. Circumstances may force you to hit the ground running, but as much as

possible, find time to settle in. It is important to get unpacked, put things in place, begin to make a home and start putting down roots.

10. Communicate. Share your anxiety. Don’t let your emotions fester. Talk to someone—preferably a spouse. Pray.

11. Remember, the greatest adventure is building the kingdom of God. You are doing God’s work.

God has you right where you are to be.

Miller also has advice for congregations greeting new pastors and their families.

Ideas to help churches put out the welcome mat in meaningful and constructive ways: 1. Don’t just take the family a meal the first week and then forget about them.

2. Coordinate a team of volunteers to help with unpacking boxes, providing transportation, running errands, providing meals and stocking the house with groceries and cleaning supplies.

3. Be attentive to their personal needs. Give them a list with the name and phone numbers of grocery stores, plumbers, drycleaners, wallpaper hangers, painters, repair people and babysitters.

4. Give a pastor and family gift certificates for home improvement stores, restaurants, bookstores, magazine subscriptions, movie theaters and entertainment venues.

5. Perform random acts of kindness like washing their car(s), offering to babysit, giving them rides (they may not know their way around) and running errands.

6. Invite them to participate in fun activities like church parties, informal dinners and events in which they might not normally expect to be included.

7. Give them a call, send them an email, drop them a note — without an agenda. Don’t write criticism, but affirm them. Be an encourager.

8. Give them permission to take time to rest and get settled in.

9. If possible, provide a place for a little R&R — perhaps someone in the congregation can offer a weekend home or a guesthouse for a brief retreat.

Justmoved.org also offers Christ-centered books and materials related to moving, as well as a weekly Words of Encouragement email, a newsletter to encourage women in transition, a prayer support team, resources, devotionals, tips and encouragement for the mover.

Rev. Terry Goodman, Director of Clergy Services and Rev. Jason Gattis, Smoky Mountain District Superintendent talk about issues around pastoral transitions.

CLICK PICTURE to watch video.

“Then they said to him. “Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful.”

The priest answered them, “Go in peace. Your journey has the Lord’s approval.”

-Judges 18:5-6

Things I have Learned in Seven Pastoral Transitions

by Rev. Terry Goodman

The year was 1983 and I was moving from the home I grew up in to my first parsonage at Walland, Tennessee. I would be living on my own and serving as the student pastor of the Walland United Methodist Church. I was so new at this whole thing and moving, well it was done in the back of a pick up truck. I compare that to 2012, when I was married with four kids and it took a 55 foot semi to move everything. A lot happened in that nearly 30 year time span. Along the way, I learned the following things (they are listed in no order of importance: 

As pastors we tend to accumulate lots of stuff: books, furniture, clothing, electronics, etc. All that stuff has to be packed up in boxes and loaded onto trucks and transported from point A to point B. I was always amazed at what accumulated, even when we said we were cutting back on stuff...easier said than done.



Allow yourself plenty of time to get things packed up. Don’t be like we were as move day came, we were still packing boxes. By late afternoon, the movers were standing next to us and taking boxes from our hands as soon as the tape was on them.



On that same move, once all the boxes were loaded, we then had a 3500 square foot home to clean and we were at it

until about 200 am when the church members came by and said, “You need to leave. We have cleaners coming in tomorrow. Go get your boys and head on out.” This act of love still brings tears to my eyes. 

Make an essentials box (maybe 2). This is the last box put on the moving van and the first one that comes off. It contains some essentials: a couple of days worth of clothes, towels, sheets, toiletries, toilet paper, light bulbs, medicines. Trust me, you don’t want to get there and start wondering in the midst of all the boxes where some of these essential items might be. Those essentials will vary from family to family, but just think about it.

You will know what to include.

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Make sure that you have worked out details of where church members can bring food.

They are going to want to… don’t prevent them from doing so. However, consider if you really want it brought to the house. On some moves, it was simply more convenient to have it brought to the church fellowship hall. At an appropriate time, you will need the break and getting away from the boxes will be a welcome respite. You judge and do what is best for your situation.



Make sure that you have negotiated ahead of time regarding church furniture. The parsonage guidelines spell out what the church is required to supply and what the pastoral family is to supply. Some churches, however, are reticent to empty out their furniture and you don’t want to get into a dispute on move day.

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If you have children, move out and move in day is extremely stressful on them, especially the younger that they are. I would strongly suggest that on move out day, you “farm” the children out to another family in the congregation that they know and that you let them play with their friends...perhaps for the last time. On move in day, I suggest that you try to find an appropriate family in the congregation that would be willing to entertain and watch over your children while things are getting unloaded. This allows them a chance to make some new friends. If at all possible, try to introduce them to these new friends prior to move in day. Perhaps, you can arrange to have some children of the congregation present when you go for your initial visit with the church.

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Please remember, that when you leave Church A to go to Church B, you cease to be the pastor at Church A. I take a hard line approach to this and make it quite clear to Church A that I will not be back to conduct funerals or weddings. I will not be back to visit them in the hospital. I will not be back to visit in their homes. These were appropriate actions when I was their pastor, however, they will have a new pastor and it will be his/her privilege to engage in these actions. Some of those that love you the most at Church A are not going to be pleased with such a hardline stance. However, it is an act of love for the new minister to know that you will not be back and involved in the affairs of the congregation. When the new minister calls, it is your responsibility to say, “No. I cannot come back and ….” Make it clear when you leave that this will be your stance and then stick with it.

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Conference Guidelines have changed in the last decade. Sometime after 2012, when I made my last pastoral transition, the conference has instituted a 2 week period of recovery for those pastors that are moving. Typically, this means that your church is expected to find someone to preach for you on (generally) the third Sunday in June. You then move the middle of the next week. You are not expected to preach at the new church until the first Sunday in July. In my last, and all previous moves, I preached my last sermon , packed the van on Tuesday and unpacked on Wednesday (sometimes Thursday) and preached the first sermon on the following Sunday. This was difficult in the 2012 move, at which we were still cleaning at 2:00 am on Wednesday morning...we picked up the boys drove two hours up the interstate and slept for about 3-4 hours at a motel and then drove about 280 miles to our new location.

We had moved from Jasper, Tennessee to Bluefield, Virginia. We then began unpacking about 400 pm on Wednesday and unloaded until about 2:00 am Thursday morning and grabbed some sleep and was back up early on Friday, just in time to take our one year old to the hospital with a fever and an overnight stay.

I calculated that I got about 10-12 hours sleep in a 72 hour period. By Sunday I was preaching my first sermon at Virginia Avenue. It was a brutal week.

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Make sure that you communicate with the Pastor-Parish Relations Chairperson at the church to which you are going. This person should be your go-to person for any questions that you might have and he or she should also be asking you about things that you expect to happen during the transition.

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Make sure that you allow the church you are leaving an opportunity to say good-bye in a formal manner.

Churches will do this differently. Typically, it is at the final worship service or a final meal. Graciously accept what they plan for you and be thankful for the love they want to share with you. Even if the situation you are leaving is rough and rocky, there will be some people there that truly love you and will be hurt by your move. Allow them a chance to express their grief and their love, even if you feel most folk just want you out of there.

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My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

-Isaiah 32:18

“He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good and what the LORD is requiring from you— to act with justice, to treasure the LORD’s gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God.” —Micah 6:8