Pastor's Letter
Dealing with Leadership Changes
I am often amazed at God’s timing. The third task congregations face during an interim period is dealing with the other leadership changes that follow when a pastor leaves. By the time you read this, most of you will have learned that both Lara and Nancy are resigning because God is calling them elsewhere. Please be aware this is NOT chaos, it is transition; and it is normal. Staff changes during an interim period are so common that interims actually joke about how often they happen.
The reason for such changes vary. New pastors often want to build their own teams so staff may feel uncertain about their job security and look for other positions. Sometimes budget concerns means staffing needs to be reorganized. Sometimes the transitions a congregation undergoes leads to a realignment of staff responsibilities. And sometimes, as is true here, God calls people to new opportunities. I have learned to pay attention whenever that happens. It usually means God is preparing the way for something different to spring forth. It seems to be God’s way of tilling the ground so new life can come forth.
At the same time there are changes in paid leadership, interim periods often bring changes in lay leadership as well. I once read that after a pastor leaves, the average congregation undergoes a ten- percent change in lay leadership. There are multiple reasons for such changes. Some leave because their ties were to the pastor, not the congregation. Others leave because they dislike uncertainty. When the new pastor arrives, they may return long enough to check out that person before deciding whether to make their leave-taking permanent. Some may not leave the congregation; but feel free to resign from their responsibilities while remaining within the congregation. And regularly scheduled elections may bring forth new leaders.
That doesn’t mean the changes are all easy or joyful. The leadership changes that occur in an interim period trigger emotional reactions. There is still a need to say good-bye, to both people and the ways of doing ministry they represent. The loss of a pastor, the loss of other leaders, even the loss of former commitments all trigger grief. Congregations in transition go through all the stages of grief identified by Kubler-Ross and others (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance).
The hardest stage for most congregations is Kubler-Ross’ fourth stage, depression. Depression involves letting go. n a congregation it may be felt as a sense of discouragement. This is often expressed in comments about, “Why can’t we be as active/exciting/large as we were in the past?” or “Why don‘t we still do things we used to do?” If members become upset about the sense of discouragement that is present, without recognizing that it is part of letting go so the congregation can move forward, they may look for someone to blame. A leader, lay or ordained, becomes the problems person and is removed. This in turn leads to more leadership change, which in turn triggers a new grief cycle. Some congregations get trapped in this cycle, removing leaders rather than ever finishing the grief. Congregations who successfully deal with leadership change grieve, accept the loss that is part of grief, don’t panic over the sense of discouragement, and then move into the future. It is important to remember the resurrection came after the crucifixion. For those who grieve, be it individuals or congregations, new life comes after the loss.
Leadership changes among paid leadership are also common. The larger than normal rate of leadership turnover makes interim periods a good time to look at the often unwritten expectations about who can become a lay leader. Many congregations have unwritten rules for who can lead. These rules can be both healthy and unhealthy in their affects. An expectation that leaders must have been members for some minimum number of years insures that people understand and are committed to the congregation but also excludes new insights into rapidly changing communities.
-- Rev. Elizabeth Steele
04/22/08
5 Real Road (corner of Stockdale & Real)
Bakersfield, CA 93309
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FAX: 661-327-4443
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