Pastoral Transitions

Healthy pastoral transitions are vital for the well-being of both congregations and clergy alike. These transitions mark significant shifts in leadership within a religious community, impacting its dynamics, morale, and direction. A smooth transition ensures continuity in spiritual guidance, fosters trust and stability among parishioners, and facilitates the integration of new leadership. Moreover, it offers departing clergy closure and affirmation while allowing incoming pastors to establish rapport and understand the unique needs of their congregation. Healthy transitions honor the legacy of outgoing leaders, promote open communication, and lay a strong foundation for the future growth and vitality of the faith community.

The Pastoral Transitions Commission will shepherd a congregation from the moment a Pastoral leader decides to leave, is removed from office or retires until a new leader is formally installed. This commission is responsible for working with the Session to determine the best course of action for a congregation searching for new, permanent leadership, including all the various steps of the PNC process including examining and receiving the new teaching elder/CRE, approving any Interim contracts and new terms of call. The Commission will also work on a suggested Installation Commission for the newly called Pastor.

The design of this commission is to create a “turn-key” process to ease the burden, eliminate the confusion and lower the anxiety for congregations in transition. The Commission recommends Presbytery minimum terms of call each year after a thorough evaluation of national and local salary trends. This commission shall appoint moderators to Sessions of churches with leadership vacancies due to the search process and other duties assigned by the Presbytery or Coordinating Commission. This commission may recruit, seek additional help, and build teams with people not on the commission for short-term projects when necessary. This Commission has the authority to receive and dismiss teaching elders and receive candidates who have been certified to receive a call (pending their successful examination on the floor of the presbytery); the authority to approve calls, or changes in calls, when they are found to be in order, and to appoint commissions to ordain and/or install; the authority to dissolve pastoral relationships in cases where the teaching elder and congregation concur; the authority to grant the status of Honorably Retired; the authority to approve validated ministries and confer upon teaching elders the status of member-at-large; the authority to counsel with a local church session and approve the election of a Pastor Nominating Committee; the authority to grant permission to a local congregation to circulate a Ministry Information Form.