Transitions of Clergy Leadership in Mission Congregations

1. Transitions of Clergy Leadership in Mission Congregations Diocese of Colorado 2011

2. Almighty God, giver of every good gift. Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a vicar for this congregation, that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

3. Mission Shaped Congregations • Christ Centered and Healthy • Forming numerous Leaders • Becoming a “sending community” • Participating in God’s Mission • Proclamation • Discipleship • Servanthood

4. Mission Shaped Leadership • Grounded in God: prayerful, gospel oriented, kingdom values embodied • Creative, flexible, innovative, courageous, adaptive, emergent • Contextual and engaged, moving out into the community • Equipping and nurturing leaders

5. Office of the Bishop Provides • Identification of supplyclergy or interim • Consultation and support from the Bishop and the Canon Missioner • Materials, resources, training, and consultants • Appropriate vicar candidates • Prayer and support during the process

6. Congregation Responsibilities • Wardens and Bishop’s Committee are formal canonical leadership during the vacancy • Clear and ongoing communication with the congregation and the Office of the Bishop

7. Stages of Transition Loss Preparation The Search Call & Start Adjustment Re-visioning

8. Stage One: Loss • Issue: grief • Emotional content: is charged with sadness, anger, and anxiety • Leadership task: bring closure and celebrate the past • Danger: failure to face the loss (denial) • Icon: closing celebration for current vicar

9. Stage Two: Preparation • Issue: re-assessment • Emotional content: resolve and anxiety • Leadership task: to look honestly and realistically at present situation and needs • Danger: creating a fictional profile • Icon: meeting with Canon to begin assessment work

10. Stage Three: The Search • Issue: find the person to lead for the future • Emotional content: anticipation and excitement • Leadership task: finding best leader with right skills for mission shaped future • Danger: rebound selection • Icon: Discernment Season Beginning

11. Stage Four: Call/ Start • Issue: bonding • Emotional content: enthusiasm and euphoria • Leadership task: welcome & establish working relationship • Danger: the Messiah has come • Icon: Celebration of New Ministry (6 mos.)

12. Stage Five: Adjustment • Issue: reality vs. expectations • Emotional content: frustration • Leadership task: lead change, manage conflict • Danger: focus on new vicar personality or isolated areas of symbolic change • Icon: first year mutual ministry review

13. Stage Six: Re-visioning • Issue: shared identity and common vision • Emotional content: resolve the excitement • Leadership task: focus on shared vision • Danger: distracted or derailed by issues • Icon: Vision Celebration

14. Vicar Appointment Process • Congregational assessment and leadership needs • Bishop provides best candidates • Bishop’s Committee interviews and agrees (if not Bishop provides other candidates) • Canon to the Ordinary finalizes letter of agreement with mutual ministry reviews

15. Transition Process • The transition process lays the foundation upon which a congregation builds healthy mission and ministry. • Biblical Foundation: 1 Samuel 16: 1 - 13

16. Theological Reflection • What does the passage say to you about the search process? • What does the passage say to you about your role in the search process? • What does the passage say to the church?

17. Ministry Reflection • Review the past: history, clergy, patterns • Assess the present: health, worship, leadership, ministry, context, dynamics, and stewardship • Envision the future: core values, identity, purpose, mission, vision • Clergy leadership needs • Development of parish profile

18. Assessment Work • Work with Canon Missioner or your interim for tools and resources • Consider utilizing a congregational development consultant • Take time to do this well for the future health and ministry of the congregation

19. Visioning Work • Define Core Values • Develop identity and purpose statements • Involve the congregation through visioning events and/or value & vision based surveys or cottage group discussions

20. Community Context • Gather community information statistical and environmental including housing, schools, health care, & work opportunities • Utilize demographic data and resources for new ministry opportunities www.MissionInsite.com • Exegete your community context to understand potential ministry needs

21. Parish Finances • It is the Bishops Committee’s responsibility to: • Develop a compensation package according to the guidelines • Budget for moving expenses • Background checks budget

22. The Congregation Portfolio • Provides information about the congregation • Outlines the congregation’s identity, mission, and purpose: currently lived and future vision • Presents a profile of the type of clergy leader desired to live into vision • Complete Community Portfolio Worksheet

23. Other Resources for Candidates • Current parochial reports • Newsletters • Worship bulletins • By laws • 10 year giving and attendance trends • Missioninsite reports • Cottage meeting feedback

24. Visiting with the Candidates • The Senior Warden should telephone the candidate, inform him/her that the Bishop’s Committee would like to invite the candidate (and family) to visit the parish in discernment for a call.  • The parish pays expenses for the visit. • In the same visit, out of state candidates need to meet with the Bishop

25. The Visit • This visit is not a public event. It should take place during the week and should include a meeting with the Bishop’s Committee. • Other meetings should be at the request of the candidate. It is usual for the candidate to meet with staff members and any of the key ministry leaders desired. • There should be no public introductions or occasions. • Information packets for the candidates sent beforehand should include: newsletter, financials, bulletins, Bishop’s Committee minutes, annual report, etc.

26. Discerning a Call • The Bishop’s Committee discerns and comes to consensus on a candidate • The Sr. Warden notifies the Bishop and the Canon Missioner • The Bishop extends the appointment for the call • Once the call is accepted, agree upon announcement and start up time frames

27. Terms of the Call • The Canon to the Ordinary with input from the wardens meets with the vicar elect to work out the terms of the call leading to a Letter of Agreement (template available), which is reviewed and acknowledged by the Bishop. • Mutual Ministry Reviews and Clergy Relationship Reviews are conducted after the first six months and annually thereafter. • Housing arrangements need to be explored, including time with a realtor if the priest wishes to get an idea of what is available in the community.

28. Vital New Ministry • Intentional Welcoming and Bonding • Celebration of New Ministry after six months • Mutual Ministry Reviews • Diocesan Support Groups: “Rookie Rectors”, Priests in Charge, CDI

29. God, we have no idea where we are going. We do not see the road ahead of us. We cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do we really know ourselves, and the fact that we think we are following your will does not mean that we are actually doing so. But we believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And we hope we have that desire in all that we are doing. We hope that we will never do anything apart from that desire. And we know that if we do this you will lead us by the right road, though we may know nothing about it. Therefore, we will trust you always though we may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. We will not fear, for you are ever with us, and you will never leave us to face our perils alone. Amen