A Few Lines on the Proposed Interim Work

From pastor Jack Westerhof, Sarnia, ON

Dear friends at Kanata Community Church,

I was glad to have a chance to meet with council last Tuesday. It gave me a sense of what the church is about, and what we might do together in the next little while. Early in the meeting I made it a point to stress the need for congregational buy-in. I explained that this is a key feature of the work I would help you with – that no part of it is going to feel imposed on you, because it will be your work and you the congregation will do it. This is why I asked council not to agree to this without a congregational vote. And then, of course, council threw the ball right back at me, and asked me to tell you as clearly as I can what this involves, the time required, the outcomes we foresee. Council also gently suggested to go easy on “process” and “vision” words -- you’ve heard them before, and you want more. All right. I’ll say my piece without these words. Here goes.

Why would you consider interim work?

Churches, for the longest time, didn’t. Churches have long regarded the time between pastors as a time of waiting – keeping things going, keeping pulpit supply and providing for pastoral emergencies, and finding the next pastor as quickly as possible. Today this is changing. Churches are beginning to see the vacancy as a unique opportunity , as the very best time for a congregation to review its journey so far, and to prepare itself for its ministry with its next settled pastor. This is what the trained interim ministry is about: helping churches with this transition, assisting them to make the most of this opportunity. Many churches are blessed by this ministry; churches vacant after a long pastorate especially.

Can this be done without the interim pastor moving in?

Normally an interim pastor would simply be asked to move in to take on the usual pastoral duties, with a special emphasis on the transition work. We did exactly that, Pat and I, when we took on the work at Redeemer, Sarnia, the first year to help them get ready, the second to accompany the church with implementation. I’ve turned 66 now, am officially retired, did a six month stint in another church last winter. Now we feel the need to develop roots here in Sarnia, and therefore it’s important for us not to have to make another move just now. This is why I suggested that the church engage me to focus almost exclusively on the transition work, leaving the rest of the work to those who are doing that now.

What exactly will we be doing? We’ll be doing what really is an exercise in discerning God’s leading of our church – done in three stages:

First, with your own stories and the creation of a time line I’ll ask you to trace your history, to bring to mind and celebrate God’s presence in the past. A transition team will turn that into a narrative. Our Sarnia church actually published its narrative: Redeemer’s Story.

Next, we’ll bring this right up to the present, taking a good look at ourselves in our community, naming the gifts that now equip us and the issues that confront us. Again, we ask the congregation to endorse the picture we’re creating – it doesn’t have to be perfect, but it needs to be a pretty good snapshot of the way we work and live as a church.

And then we’ll get ready for what all of this was laying a good foundation for: a time for us as God’s people to sort out and name what we believe the Lord wants us to be and to become for him. This is where the self-reflection gets very down-to-earth – with proposals that put wheels underneath it all, in manageable chunks, year 1, year 2, year 3 and 4.

What would be the outcomes?

The outcome I am looking for is that members of this church get a chance to freshen their love for God and his work in this community. I’m looking at a church that at the conclusion of this work hands prospective pastors a profile, one that informs them exactly what this church is all about. Will you get your pastor quicker? One church asked me that. I’m sorry, it doesn’t. What it will do is get you the best possible match.

What will I expect from you?

Your total engagement. You can see why this has to engage the congregation. This is why this process needs more than your approval, it needs your commitment, your participation, your time and especially your prayer.

We will also need a transition team (or interim steering committee); seven or eight of you to work with me from start to finish. For seven months these folks may expect to have many meetings and to do a ton of work. They’ll be super busy but they’ll love it and be blest.

How do I plan to do this without moving in full-time?

I plan to come to Kanata for eight to ten days at a time, once a month except for July and August, each segment spanning two Sundays each time so that I can meet people, take services, and lead the three major congregational activities. I expect to have enough time this way to get to know you, to help you name what you need to be about, and to encourage council, ministry groups, and transition team.

Council asked me why I still want to do this work. The answer is, this work excites me. I see it energizing churches. I hope you’ll have lots of questions when I meet you on Sunday, January 30^th. Meantime, should you want to chat with me about any of this, please feel free to call me at 519-542-6658, or to e-mail me at jackw@rivernet.net.

The Lord bless you and keep you. Pastor Jack.