See the Teen News page or Student Ministries overview for more information on youth group programs and special events. In last month s article I shared what I have discovered to be some of the kinds of things interim pastors do. It s a chance to look back and appreciate our history, both recent and long-term. It s also a time to consider the present scene, discerning the good and the not so good in the congregation s life. And it s an opportunity to look ahead and chart out the future course of the congregation that builds upon the past history.
Congregations tend to think that they don t change over time, but nothing is further from the truth.
The time between installed pastors brings a unique chance for a congregation to come to a new understanding of itself. A self-study process can help focus a congregation s identity, resulting in a picture based on reality and not on fond memories of the past. This is basic work which needs to be done before a new pastor is considered so that the search committee can accurately describe the congregation and its vision for the future to those it interviews. It s been the experience of scores of churches that discovering a new identity is a process that energizes the congregation, enhances the healing process, and builds excitement and anticipation for the future. Leadership Changes during the Interim.