Introduction

One of the most significant times in the life of a congregation is during a change of pastors. It is a period which produces considerable anxiety, confusion, ambiguity, and uncertainty about the future as well as openness to change and new life in the congregation.

During this transition period persons grieve for the pastor who is leaving and have a sense of anticipation for developing relationships with a new pastor and family. New leadership often emerges in the congregation while others at the same time feel cut off. If managed well, it can become a time for growth in the congregation. If managed poorly, it can impact negatively your future relationship with your pastor.

The Cabinet is requesting all congregations that will have a change of pastors in 2012 to participate in a Pastoral Transition Process in order to:

1. understand the issues involved in a pastoral transition

2. provide for a positive exit process for the departing pastor

3. prepare to receive the new pastor

4. utilize this period of openness to expand their vision for their future

5. develop an understanding of the issues that the new laity - clergy team need to address

Developing a Transition Team

Each congregation is asked to form a transition team that will be responsible for managing the transition process. It will be its responsibility to plan for and manage the transition related issues being faced by the congregation. It is up to the congregation to determine who serves on this team. It should include trustee, program, office, worship, PPRC persons as well as others who have good insight into the nature of the congregation, whether or not they have a current leadership role.

The team should include 6 to 10 persons. If there is more than one church on the charge, you may want to consider 5 - 6 persons from each church. The departing pastor shall serve as a consultant to the committee and attend the training but should not provide leadership for it. The team will serve from now to the conclusion of the first six months review.

Steps in the Transition Process

1. Consultation Process with the PPRC

The District Superintendent will lead the PPRC in a process to identify current leadership needs of the congregation. This process may include an opportunity for the congregation to provide feedback to the PPRC.

2. Pastoral Transition Workshop for the Team

This workshop will introduce the team to the phases of a pastoral transition, assist the team to develop an appropriate strategy, introduce resources that can be used to implement that strategy, and begin to develop a time line and responsibilities. Prior to attending this workshop the team is requested to administer a "Congregational Survey" and bring the results of the survey to the workshop. This survey can be administered to the leadership team, or if there is time, to the entire congregation. Leadership for the workshop will be provided by the District Superintendent or other leaders. Your respective District Superintendent will inform you of the locations, dates and times. Reservations are to be submitted to your District Superintendent.

3. Transition Planning

During May and June the team will continue to develop and work their plan for the transition. It will include planning for helping the departing pastor to exit as well as entry and startup planning for the incoming pastor. Congregations wishing consulting assistance during this process may request it.

4. Exit Interview with the Departing Pastor

This interview should take place during the latter half of May. It is an opportunity to express the sense of loss being felt by the pastor and the congregation, identify issues and concerns that need to be addressed, enable the departing pastor to share information about members of the congregation that needs to be passed on. A process for this meeting will be introduced at the workshop.

5. Preparation for Entry/Startup with Incoming Pastor

It is recommended that the team meet with the incoming pastor in late May or early

June. This is a time to share transition plans that involve the new pastor, begin a team building process, identify the congregation's priorities for pastoral leadership during the first six months, introduce a ministry planning and review process for assessing ongoing needs and leadership roles. A variety of startup options for use by the team will be shared during the training.

6. Six Month Follow-up

An opportunity to focus on a feedback process that assesses the accomplishments of the first six months and identifies issues to be addressed by the lay and clergy leadership will be developed. A follow-up "Congregational Survey" process may be recommended at this time.

Songfest 2011 Is Coming!

Do you like to sing? Do you like to hear and participate in the great songs of the Christian Church, new and old? Then the Bishop's Songfest is for you!  

A great festival of Christian music will be held in Ocean Grove's Great Auditorium on Sunday afternoon, September 18th, at 4:00 PM. Hymn singing, music of praise, a gospel choir, and the Songfest Choir under the direction of Dr. Tony Godlefski will all be celebrating in song. We'll cap the afternoon with a rousing rendition of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus, and everyone who wants to sing this glorious piece will be invited onto the stage of the Great Auditorium to perform it. Please mark your calendar, and come join our Bishop and the entire GNJAC leadership team as we praise the Lord in song and celebration!

The Songfest Choir

Choral singers, your attention, please! The Songfest Choir will be singing three anthems that afternoon (in addition to the Hallelujah Chorus):

        · Ralph Vaughn Williams: "O How Amiable";

        · Joseph Martin: "Jesus Is My Song of Grace"; and

        · Phillip Kern: "Behold That Star".

If your choir wishes to participate, please call Songfest Producer Rev. Rich Hendrickson to receive your copies of the music. The conference will be providing music, so if your choir participates, you'll be set with three anthems for your church's upcoming singing season! (Individual singers will be able to receive music at the rehearsals.) All other participating choirs are asked to please participate in the Songfest Choir as well.

There will be Songfest Choir rehearsals on September 10th and 17th at 10 AM at Montgomery United Methodist Church, 117 Sunset Road, Belle Mead, NJ 08502. Also, a dress rehearsal for the Songfest Choir will take place at 3:00 PM on September 18th.   Please watch this space for further rehearsal details.

Please contact Songfest Musical Director, Rev. Tony Godlefski, with thoughts or questions: PastorTony@MontgomeryUMC.org.  

Let's sing!

In April of this year, Bishop Devadhar, along with Rev. Steven Bechtold (Chair of BOOM) and John Bishop (Chair of the CF&A), sent a letter to all pastors in the Greater NJ Conference regarding a new federal law requiring local churches to verify employment eligibility for all persons hired after November 26, 1986.  The United States Dept. of Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been particularly active in auditing local churches for evidence of violations. Fines and penalties for violations present significant risks to the ministry of local churches and the United Methodist Church as a whole.

In this vein, we urge Raritan Valley District pastors, treasurers, and SPRC chairs to review I-9 Forms for all of their employees, and make certain they are correct and up-to-date. Having done so, we ask that ALL district pastors mail an updated I-9 Form to the district office  as soon as possible:105 Diamond Hill Rd., Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922. (Even if you have submitted an I-9 Form for yourself in the past, we request that you do so again to help us ensure our files are kept as up-to-date as possible.)

Copies of Bishop's letter and of the IRS I-9 Form are available for download below.