Thursday, May 25, 2023

 



“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”                ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

Everything Has Its Time – this is one of the subheadings for this above noted chapter from the Bible, and as we’ve talked about for the past several days my “season” as pastor for Prineville Presbyterian Church ends with my retirement on September 10th.

Understandably, this leads to questions about “what comes with the next season?”

Our denomination’s Committee on Ministry (COM) has a process in place for this. From that manual:

•           A meeting of the congregation is called…to dissolve the pastoral relationship. It is appropriate that the COM liaison assigned to the congregation be present at the meeting of both the session which calls the meeting of the congregation and at the meeting of the congregation itself.

•           When congregational action on the pastor’s request to dissolve the pastoral relationship on a specific date has been taken, that recommendation is forwarded to the regional COM for approval.

•           The regional COM will work with the departing pastor and the officers of the particular congregation to suggest appropriate transitional celebrations, to arrange for an “exit interview” with the pastor, to explain the requirements of “separation ethics,” to explain to congregation and session the processes for interim pastoral services, to appoint a moderator of session when the church is without a pastor, and to answer questions which might arise regarding the process of selection of a new pastor.

Kathleen and I will remain in Prineville, we’ve come to call this place home. And we will continue to serve groups we’re involved in - and maybe add a few? We’re going to wait a while before those decisions are made.

Regarding the “separation ethics,” at some point I will be able to come lend a hand, but in the immediate future I will need to distance myself from PPC to give the new pastor the space needed as they find their footing. So while Kathleen and I enjoy treasured friendships, we’ll all need to be careful that while our friendships include me as a pastor – but not as your pastor.  

And take heart friends, God’s Spirit is already on the move with this “next season.” The day after I announced my retirement, a friend stopped by “out of the blue.” Currently a chaplain, she’s also an ordained PCUSA pastor and has previously served a church – and is a certified interim pastor. She’s very interested in talking about what might be…

May we all stand by…ready to be amazed by what God has in store,

Pastor Mike

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