"...to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" -- Ephesians 4:12
Pastoral leader transition steps
"Our pastor has resigned. What should we do first? What help can we expect? How can we grow through this change and look forward to an even brighter future with a new pastor?"
The Southeastern Pennsylvania has established a process for helping congregations and pastoral leaders achieve healthy transitions. The process is designed to ensure healthy closure with an outgoing leader, assist the congregation in assessing its needs and beging the developmental tasks of the interim period, and move into interviewing candidates and calling a new pastor.
Step one: The Process Begins
In this step the congregation closes with the outgoing leader and the Synod assists in reviewing the process and determining interim ministry needs.
Step two: Interim Ministry Begins
In this step an interim pastor is engaged, the congregation's needs are assessed and books are audited, and the council determines the call process option and appoints a call committee.
Step three: Call Committee's Tasks
The call committee considers candidates presented by the Synod, interviews candidates and recommends a candidate to the church council.
Step four: Call Is Issued
A congregational meeting is called to approve the calling of the notified candidate.
Step five: Process Concludes
The candidate accepts the call, the congregation concludes with the interim pastor, and the new pastor arrives.
For more information about your congregation's process contact the assistant to the bishop who relates to your conference.
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Vocations Staff
The Rev. Larry Hand
Assistant to the Bishop for Vocations and Leadership
Pastor Hand's responsibilities include mobility, the interim ministry network, candidacy for rostered leadership, and coordinating the committee of deans. He relates to the Chester, Lower Montgomery and Upper Montgomery conferences.
Contact: (610) 278-7344 |
James Gadsden
Coordinator for Vocations and Leadership
James assists Pastor Hand and works closely with the Deans, Candidacy Committee and our Synod's candidates for called ministries, and handles questions about the mobility, discernment and candidacy processes.
"I love seeing the hand of God at work in our lives leading us closer to Him," James says. A native of Wilmington who now lives in Glenolden, James is a talented gospel musician whose chief passion is "creating music for our Father." His previous experience includes work as a sales manager and helping youth and adults obtain employment through the Success Center of Delaware. He is the father of 3 children. He is also the author, under the pen name King James, of the novel "An Orphan's Prayer," published June 21, 2008 by PublishAmerica.
Contact: (610) 278-7344 |
Upcoming Related Events
Vocations and Leadership Links
- ELCA.org > Leadership
- ELCA.org > Become a Leader
- ELCA.org > Candidacy
- ELCA.org > Call process
- ELCA.org > Mobility
Related News
It's God's Party events in Bucks, Chester
Join your colleagues and friends and excite your missional imagination at the first of our conference gatherings this fall: \ Lower Bucks Conference: Thursday, Sept. 25, 6:45 p.m. at St. Paul, Doylestown. RSVP: The Rev. Paul Sorcek, 215-355-2529. \ Chester Conference: Monday, Sept. 29, 6:45 p.m. at Calvary, West Chester. RSVP: The Rev. William Mueller, 610-436-0807.
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