- Spell out the steps from former pastor leaving to new pastor beginning using a roadmap graphic for print/handouts—see a sample roadmap below.
- Develop an interactive roadmap for digital applications such as the church website and social media.
Write a thoughtful job description outlining the desired leadership traits you are looking for: pastoral care, teaching gifts, conflict management and resolution skills, etc. Be prepared to articulate these traits clearly in the interview and explain why each is necessary.
Record online conversations and interviews—always ask for the candidate’s consent before doing this. When talking to many people, it's easy to forget details, take incomplete notes, or come away with differing opinions, so a recording provides a way to go back and replay the conversation later. It is also a helpful resource to share with others who did not participate in the original call.
How do you approach the preaching task during a season of anxiety?
Betsey: I try to be as honest as possible with myself about what I feel anxious about and what I hear others are anxious about and not be afraid to give voice to it. When I read and study a text, I think, "Where does the rubber hit the road here? If I were in a pew, what thoughts would I have going through my mind as I came to church and then as I heard this scripture passage read?"
Read More
What the people at Lord of Life are finding is that in unsettled times, when the future is largely unknown, it’s hard to figure out how to be the Body of Christ. They can all pretend that they’re going along with business as usual, but underneath the surface, there is grief and anxiety right alongside hope and anticipation.
Read More
Thoughtful Pastor Nominating Committees and Presbytery Executives will be ready and willing to answer questions along these lines.
Read More
An outline for a Pastor Nominating Committee/PNC commissioning in a worship service:
- elected members of the Pastor Nominating Committee stand in the front of the sanctuary for commissioning,
- litany and prayer led by the interim pastor,