July-August'25: Pastor's Corner

Some of the most important work in interim ministry is introducing change – even at the exact time when many congregants may feel that too much change has already happened.

As we prepare to have our fourth Dinner & Discernment gathering – hints of discomfort with the process have begun to appear. I want to remind you that this is a normal part of the process. This month, instead of writing an article, I'm sharing excerpts from an article that Jeri-Lynne Bouterse, transitional pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Upper Arlington, Ohio, wrote for the Presbyterian Outlook. I encourage everyone to take the time to read this as she explains the process – affirming that discomfort is to be expected – and that congregations willing to work through the discomfort will come out the other side with a deeper understanding of who they are and better prepared to call their next minister.

Blessings,
Pastor Lynda

 

The In-Between Time: Interim Ministry as Sacred Space

The tension in the congregation is high after the pastor announces a change in call. Questions abound: Can't we just elect a pastor nominating committee and start searching for our next pastor? Why do we need an interim pastor anyway? Isn't an interim pastor just a space holder? This is when I take a deep breath, count to 10, and begin the hard – but important – explanation of interim ministry.

I serve as the chair of the Commission for Congregational Life, which provides support for the congregations in the presbytery — including assisting churches in transition. This season of transition is the in-between time. It is a sacred space and one of our tasks is to guide and support congregations as they discern what God has in store for them next.

I have walked with congregations many times now as a presbytery representative, as well as an interim pastor. Each time it is a privilege and a challenge. In every church – big or small, healthy or challenged, rich or poor, urban or rural – there is always a sense of urgency to find the next pastor and rush through the search process. It is my job to help congregations take a deep breath, count to 10 and then understand the benefits of intentional interim ministry.

Benefits of interim ministry

The benefits to this sort of ministry are plentiful. Interim pastors provide the opportunity for churches to discern who they are as a congregation without their former pastor, and who God is calling to minister with them in the future. Every church can benefit from interim ministry. But congregations who have experienced extreme conflict with the last pastor, the death of a former pastor, or the end of a relationship with a long-tenured pastor, especially benefit from leadership that walks them through conflict resolution, healing, grieving, restoration and change. Giving an interim pastor time to help the congregation come to terms with these issues will lead to a healthier beginning with their new installed pastor.

An interim pastor's primary task is to meaningfully fill the in-between time, allowing the congregation to reflect on who they are. Every pastoral change creates a void and often that space will unintentionally be filled by a strong, trusted member who may or may not represent who the congregation is. Interims step in and impartially fill that spot. Siding with no one, supporting all. The way in which the in-between space is filled is intentional: preparing the congregation for new spiritual leadership.

Vision and identity

It is sometimes difficult to convince a congregation that re-visioning and re-visiting who they are can be the most valuable part of their search process. Bob Anderson, an instructor of interim ministry and interim senior pastor at Wyoming Presbyterian Church in Wyoming, Ohio, shared: "A common theme in almost all the churches I've served as an interim is the difficulty congregations have articulating their sense of identity as the people of God."

Yet that seems to be exactly what my colleagues leaving healthy congregations hope the interim pastor will facilitate. Being clear about who they are will help the congregation create a solid beginning with a new pastor. New ways of being the church in this new season are possible!

Allison Bauer, recipient of The Fred McFeeley Rogers Award for Creative Ministry and pastor at Second Presbyterian Church in Portsmouth, Ohio says; "I hope any transitional pastor following a long-term pastor would help a congregation to see where they've perhaps gotten a little too comfortable and challenge them to re-imagine new ways of doing things even if they continue to do the same things they've been doing."

Other times, an interim provides an affirming, outside perspective on the current life, mission and ministry of a church. "I hope the interim pastor will take the time to observe the congregation, to see the good things they are doing in ministry, help them to recognize this and give them encouragement," stated Tracy Keenan, mission presbyter in New Castle Presbytery. However, most of the time, though, there's a need to clear old brush to make room for new growth.

Reflect, correct, protect and resurrect

Interims take time to reflect (what was), correct (change what isn't working), protect (maintain what is working), and resurrect (revitalize the ministry). Why an interim pastor? Reflection, correction, encouragement and hope. What if these things don't happen? If the congregation is unaware of who they are and where they are going, they can expect that the pastor they call will be at a disadvantage, perhaps feeling called to an illusion of the church.

Some of the most important work in interim ministry, though, is introducing change — even at the exact time when many congregants may feel that too much change has already happened. "I think the most important thing a transitional pastor does is to get the congregation to the understanding that things are changing. And to help them see into a future that is different from their recent past. Sometimes this is made extremely difficult because the pastor is beloved or is still physically in the area. It is even more important for the transitional pastor to help the congregation understand the 'end of an era,' whether positive or negative," said Brenda Barnes, the interim pastor of NuValley Presbyterian Church in Rural Valley, Pennsylvania.

"Effecting change is not easy!" My colleague Brian Harroff describes this well. "You can't do the job without ruffling feathers." Some of these changes are going to be "heavy lifting." 

When I'm asked, "How long will all this take?" I simply hold back a sigh and say: "I don't know. God's timing is God's timing."

June'25 Words from the Pastor

 As we approach our third Dinner & Discernment gathering, our focus will be on finishing the collection of the church’s history. Over the summer we will be looking at what has been collected with the goal of understanding how this community has come to this place in time. You will be asked to consider questions such as:

• What was important to the congregation during each period?
• Are there themes that appeared and continue to repeat with each new pastor? If so, are they healthy and/or promote growth?
• Was there a time when membership was disappointed by leadership? If so, what was the cause of the disappointment and why?
• If there was conflict, what was the cause? How was it addressed?
• Has the congregation experienced loss? If so, what was the cause and how was it addressed.
• Are there ongoing hurts, frustrations or differences that still exist that could be addressed and healed during the interim process?

Small groups will continue to meet as well. As we begin processing the church’s history in a large group setting, the focus of the small groups will be on our individual experiences within the larger community. Questions for consideration are:

• How long have you been a member of this congregation and why did you join?
• Why are you glad you are a member?
• What keeps you coming and engaged?
• Who do you especially respect as a person or as a leader in this congregation and why do you hold them in such high regard?
• When have you felt especially proud of some members or leaders from your congregation? What makes the incident stand out in your mind?
• How has being part of this congregation helped you and members of your family grow in faith?
• What are some examples of experiences, groups, or classes that made a difference? How did you change?
• Are there any annual traditions of which you particularly enjoy and in which you look forward to participating?

As we continue this journey – a journey that you have not engaged in with previous interims – I would encourage you to consider attending. This process is an invitation to participate in the process of visioning and defining who this congregation will be – what it values – and where it will invest its resources. The success of this process relies on the participation of everyone. If you have not yet been to Dinner & Discernment nor a small group – I strongly encourage you to join us. Everyone of you is important to the future of this church!

Blessings,
Pastor Lynda

The Interim Process

It has been 14 months since Pastor Cara left, and while we are grateful that Pastor Lynda has been with us for the past three months, many of us are getting anxious, confused about what lies ahead. In her role as interim pastor, the emphasis of Pastor Lynda’s work is both to lead us in Sunday worship and to prepare us for our next chapter. In addition to getting to know us and working with Session, her main focus is leading us through the discernment process. Presbyterian Church USA and Interim training break this down into five segments:

1. Heritage of the church – Studying how our congregation has been shaped and formed through pastoral leadership, worship style, membership, and community and world events.
2. Leadership – Assessing membership needs, studying those who have been leaders among our members, and empowering others.
3. Mission – Guiding us through discernment to redefine our identity and our sense of purpose.
4. Connection – Discovering relationships we can build with community associations beyond our walls.
5. Future – Building a vision for our future through really understanding our ministry goals and pastoral expectations as a launch for our pastoral search committee.

With Pastor Lynda’s arrival in late January, we are in our fourth month of the process, with an expectation the journey might be 24 months, requiring time and patience.

The first Tuesday evening of every month, many of us meet in Fellowship Hall, sharing a meal and digging into each of the 5 topics; later that month we break into smaller groups delving into each topic more deeply and on a personal level, sharing our thoughts at the next larger gathering. We believe after studying each of these five areas we will be ready to document the foundation for what we as a congregation want to be and form a pastor search committee to search for someone to lead us in that direction. We invite you to join us and make your voice be heard to further strengthen our future. 

 

May'25 Words from the Pastor

 A timeless message from Pope Francis while hospitalized before his death. 

“The walls of hospitals have heard more honest prayers than churches...
They have witnessed far more sincere kisses than those in airports...
It is in hospitals that you see a homophobe being saved by a gay doctor.
A privileged doctor saving the life of a beggar...
In intensive care, you see a Jew taking care of a racist...
A police officer and a prisoner in the same room receiving the same care...
A wealthy patient waiting for a liver transplant, ready to receive the organ from a poor donor...
It is in these moments, when the hospital touches the wounds of people, that different worlds intersect according to a divine design.

And in this communion of destinies, we realize that alone, we are nothing.
The absolute truth of people, most of the time, only reveals itself in moments of pain or in the real threat of an irreversible loss.
A hospital is a place where human beings remove their masks and show themselves as they truly are, in their purest essence.
This life will pass quickly, so do not waste it fighting with people.

Do not criticize your body too much.
Do not complain excessively.
Do not lose sleep over bills.
Make sure to hug your loved ones.
Do not worry too much about keeping the house spotless.
Material goods must be earned by each person—do not dedicate yourself to accumulating an inheritance.
You are waiting for too much: Christmas, Friday, next year, when you have money, when love arrives, when everything is perfect...

Listen, perfection does not exist.
A human being cannot attain it because we are simply not made to be fulfilled here.
Here, we are given an opportunity to learn.
So, make the most of this trial of life—and do it now.
Respect yourself, respect others. Walk your own path and let go of the path others have chosen for you.

Respect: do not comment, do not judge, do not interfere.
Love more, forgive more, embrace more, live more intensely!
And leave the rest in the hands of the Creator.”
—Pope Francis 

Rev. Lynda Myers
Pastor

April'25 Words from the Pastor

We are at the midpoint in our Lenten journey. In last month’s newsletter I introduced the spiritual practice of stillness and silence as a tool for identifying habits and practices that might be distracting us – leaving us unable to hear God whispering– calling us to let go and trust that God has a plan for us and this community. Like Jesus, we are having a wilderness experience. If we follow Jesus’ example of stillness and silence – we will emerge with a clearer understanding of who we are, as God’s people, and what God is calling us to.

As we prepare to have our first Dinner & Discernment gathering – our first gathering to begin the transitional work that is the focus of my time with you – I would like to introduce a second spiritual practice. Curiosity. You might be thinking to yourself – Curiosity as a spiritual practice? In this time of uncertainty and fear, I would argue that curiosity is a powerful spiritual antidote.

Author Celeste Ng recounted that her family motto is “Be kind, be curious, be helpful” and that her son didn’t understand why curious is in the mix. She told him:

“Because being curious is admitting that you don’t know, but also that you want to know... that people you don’t know are worth knowing, that they have something to teach you. That learning about them—that encountering new ideas—doesn’t threaten you, it enriches you... That you approach the world as a trove of things to take in, rather than things you frantically, fearfully wall out.”

I am a huge proponent of curiosity. It keeps us engaged in the world around us – leaving little space for fear. I was recently asked by another pastor doing Transitional Ministry how I am able to meet and engage people when I am out in the community. I explained that I don’t do anything special – I’m simply curious and – despite being an introvert by nature – have allowed curiosity to be the driver. Albert Einstein once said,

“The important thing is not to stop
questioning... never lose a holy curiosity.”

I love that he called it a holy curiosity – that it is something sacred and essential to living and loving life.

I think Jesus appreciates curiosity. In the gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions, but of the 183 he was asked, he only directly answered three. He preferred to answer questions with a question of his own, preferring instead to parables and metaphors. Jesus wanted people to be curious – to think – to contemplate as they discovered the meaning behind Jesus’ teachings.

Curiosity keeps us open and wondering – less likely to judge or shut down. I believe that right now, God is calling us to be curious.

What are you curious about?

How might God be calling us to be curious?

Blessings,
Pastor Lynda

March'25 Words from the Pastor

 I first want to begin with words of gratitude for how wonderfully I have been welcomed and how supportive and patient everyone has been as I settle into both the manse and my role as your Interim Minister. My heart is filled with joy, and I am excited to see where this journey will take us all.

We are just days away from entering the most sacred season of Lent. We enter Lent as a community in transition – a community that has committed itself to doing the difficult work of discerning where and to what God is calling you to. Over the coming months we will be gathering regularly to begin the discernment process. You will be asked to reflect upon your history (who you have been) – doing an honest assessment who you are in this current moment and what brought you to this place of transition – identifying what of the past needs to be released to create space for God to do something new – all in preparation for creating a vision and plan for who you will be in the future.

The season of Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and self-examination in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of the Lord at Easter. “The liturgies throughout Lent try to pry loose our fingers, one by one, from presumed securities and plunge us into unknown baptismal waters, waters that turn out to be not only our death tomb but surprisingly our womb of life.”*

While the work of Intentional Ministry is focused on the community – the process is benefitted when we, as individuals, engage in personal self-assessment and self-reflection. How wonderful that our work as a community begins during Lent – a season of self-reflection and transformation.

This Lenten season I encourage you to consider engaging in the spiritual practice of stillness and silence. The world is a noisy and distracting place. And yet, God speaks to us through the silence of our hearts. Create time each day to reflect and listen for what God is calling each of us to– as individuals and as a faith community.

I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19 NRSV

As we enter Lent, let us fully immerse ourselves in silence – allowing the power and possibility of the paschal mystery to transform us.

Blessings,
Pastor Lynda
* Companion to the Book of Common Worship