The FELC transition ministry began on January 16 and has two parts: the transition itself and then the call process.
The executive committee talked with Bishop Sue Briner about our hopes and needs during the transition. We determined that we need a part-time transition pastor, and we will consider adding additional staffing and volunteer positions to enhance our ministry.
Bishop Sue and her staff contacted several potential transition pastor candidates. Bishop Sue made a recommendation to the council in early February, and the executive team and council had Zoom meetings with that transition pastor. The transition pastor began the week of March 20.
In the time following the arrival of the transition pastor, we will form a transition committee from members and participants of the congregation. This transition committee seeks to clarify our ministry and shape our direction for the future. That process takes purposeful time and care. There will be opportunities to gather as a congregation in large and small group settings to work on this together. This is an important part of our future. From that work, a profile will be created seeking a new, called pastor.
Following the transition committee work, a call committee is formed from members of congregation by vote of the congregation council. That work will be explained in further detail as we move through this year. The call committee will offer a candidate to the congregation. As a congregation, we decide who our next pastor will be in a called congregation meeting.
FELC is a community of faith: spiritually, emotionally, and financially. We have opportunities to grow. We can dig deep in prayer and listening to form the ministry to which God is calling us in these next stages of our life.
We are not alone. The Holy Spirit holds us.
Let us pray. O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot know the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through things unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we’re going, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.