What a joy it is to address you for the first time in my new role as Interim Senior Pastor. Transitions can be challenging times for us individually or as a church, but these are also significant opportunities for us to see God at work in new and powerful ways among us. I am grateful for my skilled colleagues Darin and Colton, as well as our first-rate staff and enthusiastic elders and deacons. God has blessed us with wonderful and devout leadership, and I’m excited to experience with you what God shows us about himself and how he is leading us.
I have had some experience and training in the area of Transitional Pastoring. I’d like to share with you three advantages our EPC denomination sees in having an interim/transitional pastor:
Provide a clear understanding of the church’s mission and purpose, which allows the pastoral search team to discern the gifts and experience needed for a pastor that best suits the congregation.
FPC did some excellent work on our mission and purpose before Gerrit’s departure. I’ve held individual interviews with each of our Ruling Elders on the Session, and I guided interviews with all of our staff members to update and clarify where we are now.
Mature and stable leadership allows the pastoral search team the time to be thorough.
Having three and half years with our church family has provided a sense of security for many that I believe will help give “breathing space” for our search team, knowing that Jesus Christ is still our true Head Pastor.
Intentional preparation for the congregation to receive the new pastor well.
We don’t know how long this season will last, or exactly what the next permanent pastor will be like. We do know, however, that he will have a different skill set and particular call from the Lord as your pastor that is a bit different from Gerrit. If we were to compare Rev. Dawson’s ministry to a fine wine, and his successor to a new wine to be decanted, it only makes sense to have a cold glass of water in between to “cleanse the palate.”
God has good and important work for us to do here and now. Let’s enjoy that together as we walk into the future he has for us!
Blessings,
Scott Graham
