The last pastor
Subtitle: faithfully steering a closing church
By: Gail Cafferata
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
Published: 2020
Place of publication: Louisville, Kentucky
Language: eng
Number of pages: 215
ISBN-13: 9780664264987; 9781611649758
Subjects: Church closures; Pastoral theology; Clergy; Appointment, call, and election; Ecclesiastical Vocation
Description: "Gail Cafferata was heartbroken when the church she pastored voted to close its doors. It may have been the right decision, but it led to a million questions in her mind about her call, leadership, and future. She began to think that other pastors who close churches perhaps go through this same experience. This led her to obtain a grant from the Louisville Institute to conduct a sociological study of over 130 pastors in five historically established denominations (Episcopal, Lutheran, United Methodist, Presbyterian, and United Church of Christ) who were called to serve churches that closed. This book tells the results of that study, which consisted of many interviews, and the hard-won lessons learned by these courageous pastors"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 208-215).
Table of contents: title: part I. The pastor, the sacred community, and the judicatory; title: The pastor : minding the tiller; title: The sacred community : sailing in the groove; title: The judicatory : the 'coast guard'; title: part II. Leading the pilgrimage; title: Leadership gifts of a transformational pastor; title: The pilgrimage to a grace-filled closure; title: Stormy weather : conflict and recourse; title: A 'good enough' death : ceremonies, preaching, and legacy giving; title: part III. The pastor's transformation, reflections, and recommendations; title: Grief and vulnerability; title: Consolation and hope; title: The next call : vocational transformations; title: Different on the inside : pastors' spiritual and personal transformations; title: The ship's log : hard-won lessons; title: Closing thoughts : an so we sail on.