Blest Be the Tie That Binds

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3.14:)

“Connection, I just can't make no connection” (Connection, The Rolling Stones)

“Rethinking Denominational Linkages: The transition time helps raise the awareness of a congregation to its denominational heritage, ministries and resources.”
(from The Five Developmental Tasks of the Congregation in Transition)

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It’s been said about the mainline church that we live in a post-denominational era. People don’t attend worship or formally join a church because of its denominational affiliation. Combine this with the oft-heard phrase, “I don’t trust organized/institutional religion” and we have a stew of indifference about “denominational linkages.”

While there’s truth to the expression that “all politics are local”, it’s also true that a church can’t deny it has some denominational connection even if tangentially. The style of worship, the form of governance, the theology of a church has a history of some sort. That history (and linkage to it) may be invisible to most, but the heritage is visible in clergy attire (jeans or robe), who the clergy are (white and male), and what’s heard from the pulpit.

Which brings me to the interim task of “rethinking denominational linkages.”

Most PC(USA) congregations will experience denominational ties through their presbytery’s Committee (or Commission) on Ministry (COM). This group will provide a Liaison to the COM helping the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) do its work.

The PC(USA) provides a matching service (Church Leadership Connection/CLC) connecting churches seeking a Pastor to Pastors seeking a call.

And foundational to the entire call process is our understanding of Ordered Ministries (Book of Order) that is distinctively Presbyterian.

So, denominational connections are built into the transitional process of getting to the call of a new Pastor. There’s much more that could be said about strengthening connections (worship, sacraments, social policy) but let’s leave that for another post.

Focus Areas of Interim Ministry

Photo by Paul Skorupskas on Unsplash

“Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life
that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.” (James 3:13)

“Without knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God. Our wisdom, insofar as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.” (John Calvin)

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Intentional interim ministry is, in the grand scheme of Christianity, a recent development. Loren Mead (of the now-defunct Alban Institute) formulated five developmental tasks of the congregation during the in-between times (interim) of a congregation in the 1980’s. These tasks were viewed as being necessary for the congregation’s ability to detach from the departing Pastor and connect with the new Pastor. Congregations, like people individually, change when relationships change, and the five tasks (led by a skilled Interim Pastor) helped a congregation have a healthy letting go and embracing of the future.

In the past few years, a group out of Winston-Salem, NC (Center for Congregational Health, a ministry of Wake Forest Baptist Health’s FaithHealth Division.), has tweaked the five tasks into five “focus areas.” Rather than viewing interim work as a checklist, the focus areas encompass more laterally the way congregations (like individuals) work through transitions–more holistically rather than sequentially. In other words, interim ministry looks at the whole system of people changing, adapting to the transition. I follow the “focus areas” model.

•Heritage: Reviewing how the congregation has been shaped and formed.

•Mission: Defining and redefining sense of purpose and direction.

•Leadership: Reviewing the congregation’s ways of organizing and developing new and effective clergy and lay leadership.

•Connections: Discovering all the relationships and networks a faith community builds beyond itself.

•Future: Synthesizing the interim work, activating and training the pastoral search or call committee, and coaching the committee (as requested) to accomplish its work

I’ll say more about the common work we’ll do over the next few months in future posts. This is a challenging time for the church and also one rife with opportunities.

Traveling by Stages

Photo by Matt Duncan on Unsplash

“Here are the stages in the journey of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt by divisions

under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.” (Numbers 33.1)

“Oh, the places you’ll go!” (Dr Seuss)

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The time between pastors is a season of transition. The relationships between people and pastor change often coming to an end. Worship takes on a new tenor with the loss of a voice. Vision for the future may become murky after the spiritual leader departs.

The interim time is also a journey. Much like the Israelites who travelled for forty years in the desert and who were formed into a new people as a result of that journey, congregations can find a new identity and new purpose during the time of transition. Also like the Israelites, the congregation in transition is promised an end but still gets anxious by not knowing exactly when the end will come. “How long must we travel in this desert,” God’s people asked (demanded) “When will we get a new pastor?” the congregation asks.

Our journey together will probably last twelves months or so. Apart from the work of a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC), we have work to do before a new pastor is called. Are there unresolved issues? Is the church’s vision clear? Is the mission (action plan) aligned with the vision? What is the financial health of the church? What needs to be tweaked or altered or completely changed? Addressing issues like these will offer solid ground on which the new pastor can “water the seeds” planted by God.

So, here we go, starting our travels together. Remember the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”