Transition Workshop

The conference's annual transition workshop for clergy is next week. For the last many years Gail Grossman has facilitated this event where pastors get their heads around leaving one church well and starting strong in the next...all without much time in-between. In addition to managing the practical nuts and bolts of the change, there is the much trickier work of relationships to think about. Gail does a great job.

This year, the workshop has been lengthened. In addition to the content Gail brings, the bishop and us district superintendents get to be present. Learning alongside the clergy will better prepare us to support them and the congregation. In addition, there will be time for the superintendents to talk with his or her pastors about the specifics of the church and community to which they'll be moving. Together they can begin thinking through that pastor's "assignment."

Now, a critical part that will need to follow, is finding a way to bring the staff parish relations committee at the local church into this conversation. You can imagine the mess (and the bind that the pastor is is) when the Superintendent thinks their assignment is one thing...and the local church thinks it's something quite different.

The workshop is being held much later this year than in previous years - the whole appointment process was slow. I'm helping with the section on leaving well. Given that the pastors have less than a month left, that section will be different than in the past. I'd love to hear your comments about what you think are the MUSTS about leaving well. (Thank you to all you who sent comments via email on the post about guaranteed appointments. Interesting that people had opinions...but no one wanted to post them publicly)

But wait! There's more! Transition workshops for laity (people in churches who are getting a new pastor) are scheduled in each of the districts. Vancouver's was yesterday. Seven Rivers tomorrow. Inland District's is Saturday the 12th. Tacoma's and Seattle's are Sunday the 13th. Call your district office for more information.