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PARISH MINISTRY TRANSITION AND RETIREMENT Expectations for the Sake of the Church FOREWORD In 1994 the New Jersey Synod began a period of significant retirements. Over a four-year span some twenty-six Synod parish pastors would be moving toward retirement. In the face of such a significant period of transition in our life together, I invited these twenty-six pastors to join me for dinner along with their spouses so that we might discuss what was to take place, share experiences and concerns, and work together for the sake of the mission of the church on this territory. Twenty-two of the pastors were able to be present. What follows is the information that I presented then. I present it now to all of the pastors on our Synod roster as a way to share my expectations of us in this regard, as we continue through these transition years. I. AN IMAGE FOR TRANSITION I take very seriously the pastoral nature of the role of the bishop. I have said in my report to the annual assembly that I come to this ministry with the understanding that every congregation has at least two pastors: the pastor (or pastors) serving under regular call in that parish, and the bishop who shares responsibility for Word and Sacrament Ministry in that place. In that understanding a congregation is never without a pastor. That is my understanding, and how I have approached this responsibility. The image that should be created at the time of transition in parish ministry is one where the parish pastor gives directly into the hands of the bishop the care of the flock he or she was called to serve. It is then the bishop's responsibility to take that congregation and give it into the care of another shepherd. It is important that this image remain as we talk about the various aspects of transition, since it is upon that careful giving over of the congregation from pastor to bishop to pastor that the call process in this Synod has been built. Why isn't it just as possible for one parish pastor to pass on the responsibility of care directly to the next pastor? In my view the answer is accountability. The next pastor cannot be accountable to the previous pastor. That is no accountability. It isn't that the previous pastor wouldn't care about the successor's ministry in the congregation. Of course, they would and do. But the Church has entrusted to the bishop of the synod the responsibility for oversight of each ministry. I believe it is critical for an incoming pastor to understand the weight of that responsibility and accountability to the Church for the care of the congregation, the parish, and the mission tasks, that are there. This is so much theory, so much ecclesiology to be sure. But, this is the base on which the process for parish ministry transition rests. II. THE CALL (TRANSITION) PROCESS IN A CONGREGATION IS ABOUT THE CHURCH, NOT ABOUT FOLLOWING YOUR MINISTRY. The ministry transition process in a congregation, commonly referred to as the call process, is about MISSION - God's Mission. It is about understanding that the ministry entrusted to the ordained is a privilege, a stewardship, and not our possession. When that stewardship is ended, it is over for us and entrusted to another. It is absolutely critical that we respect that principle. The plan for transition is outlined in The Pastoral Call Process - Guidelines arid Procedures (New Jersey Synod, ELCA). It is a guided process. It is guided by the deployed assistants to the bishop and the mission cluster counselors. The transition guided by this process provides opportunity for new ministry direction and new ministry style. It is not a process based on the previous ministry, but on a conviction that at the point of change, God's Spirit works to create new vision for ministry through the congregation. That new vision for ministry is rooted in (1) study and reflection upon God's intention for the Church, (2) assessment of mission needs and opportunities in the congregation and the parish, and (3) discussion and exploration of new possibilities for ministry leadership. The process is not a matter of this is what we had and didn't like, so let's get this or that; but rather, here is where we are now, where would God have us go from here? Deep appreciation of the laity for particular pastoral gifts and skills previously experienced certainly can and does exercise influence. The process, however, continually calls the discussion back to mission needs and opportunities. This mission discussion is about how the people of God in a particular place will plan to follow their Lord into the future. The discussion belongs to those who will be making the journey together. The discussion continues through the transition phase and into the early years of the new pastor's ministry. The previous pastor plays an important role in creating safe and unencumbered space for this mission discussion and transition to take place. When the previous pastor is moving into retirement, some elements of the transition process require particular attention. III. FOR THE SAKE OF MISSION, FOR GOOD ORDER, AND TO BE MOST HELPFUL: A. "Make part of your retirement planning immediate movement of your congregational membership to another church, and if at all possible, relocation to another town." (from Expectations Days 1, 1991, Expectations for Parish Pastors, item #9) Parish ministry is built on relationships. There is an absolute need for space so that relationships, particularly new ones, can develop. This encourages the congregation to be truly intentional about the new pastor-parish relationship. B. Do not return to the congregation until your successor invites you to do so. That's the rule. It is extremely important not to use that rubric against the successor pastor. When persons inquire whether or not you are going to be present at thus and so, do not then inform them that it is "up to the new pastor." That puts him/her in a very unfair position. The appropriate response is that in your judgment, it wouldn't be appropriate at this point in time. This rubric says no weddings, no baptisms, no funerals after the resignation date. In a rare instance of extenuating circumstance, in the early part of the transition period when there is as yet no regularly called pastor, permission may be given by the office of the bishop to return for a specific purpose. This, however, will be the remote exception to the rule. [In 1995 the South Carolina Synod, ELCA reprinted material on this topic written by Bishop Peter Rogness of the Greater Milwaukee Synod. I am providing that material as an addendum and commend it to you.] C. Be clear with the bishop about retirement plans/date as soon as you have determined the year and month. Identify your last Sunday as early as possible so that the presence of someone representing the wider church can be arranged. D. Read the synod call process document, but do not attempt to explain the process to the council or congregation. Let the assistant to the bishop do that as either an early, anxiety lessening summary of the process at a council meeting, or as the regular Step #2 with the mission cluster counselor. E. Do not get involved in selecting the call committee. The process and the assistant to the bishop provide that guidance to lay leaders. F. Write a letter to the congregation clarifying the ground rules for your leaving. Ask them not to put you into an awkward position with requests for pastoral ministry after your resignation date. [The text of the letter written by Pastor David Mangiante upon his retirement from Sr. Paul, Mt. Holly is included as an example.] G. Provide time for an exit interview with the bishop or an assistant to the bishop. This is time for reflecting upon your ministry, and an opportunity to share your perspective on the challenges and opportunities ahead for the congregation, as well as special concerns. IV. OTHER MATTERS AT RETIREMENT A. The dilemma for the spouse. The stipulation that parish membership (and home location, if possible) be moved immediately upon retirement of the pastor can be especially difficult for the spouse of the pastor. After all, this requirement is dictated by professional considerations and ethics related to the office of ministry; and yet, the spouse is equally affected. Longtime friendships and leadership in particular areas of parish life can seem badly disrupted. Often the spouse is left feeling that she/he is being unfairly penalized. Experience has taught us that it can often be even more difficult for the pastor's spouse to remain in a congregation. It is not easy to remain silent as changes are made by a new pastor, or at least to feel they are not necessary. It is often hard to hear affirmation of the new pastor without thinking this to be a reflection upon some inability of the former pastor. It can be very awkward to find oneself receiving criticism of the new pastor from members who believe you would naturally share their view or anticipate that you would bear those criticisms as an affirmation of your spouse and his/her ministry. In this matter we rely upon the spouse's sense of the Church, as much as we rely upon the pastor's sense of devotion to ministry. For the health and well being of the community of the church we make this request of the pastor, spouse, and immediate family: that they move their membership to another congregation. B. Early announcement of retirement plans. This is truly a judgment call on the part of the pastor. The advantages have to do with planning for change, and in some cases relieving unhealthy uncertainty on the part of members. The disadvantages have to do with an overly long period of focus upon impending change, lame-duck syndrome, and unhealthy anxiety about the future with no possibility of finally addressing it since it is many months down the road. Much of the call process cannot operate effectively with the former pastor still on the scene. The grieving that normally takes place at the conclusion of a ministry must be accomplished in large measure before clear consideration can be given to new possibilities. I am increasingly dubious about the benefits of announcement of impending retirement a year or more in advance. However, every situation is different, and the pastor's judgment in this is likely to be the best course. Consultation with me or one of my assistants prior to such an announcement is very important. C. Life after confirmation classes ... busier than ever? Supply preaching and interim ministries are roles that a number of our retired pastors are ably filling. Thanks be to God for this gift of ministry to the church given at a more relaxed pace! D. The title Pastor Emeritus. Some congregations have honored retiring pastors after many years of service in a particular place with the title Pastor Emeritus. This title is purely honorary on a local basis, confers no rights or privileges in ministry, and carries no roster status. E. Electing retired status. Pastors can elect retired roster status according to 7.41.17 of the ELCA Constitution by notifying the office of the bishop of the synod. Pension is another matter. It is the pastor's responsibility to secure an application for retirement pension from the Board of Pensions. This application, when completed, is sent to the synodical bishop for his/her signature, and the bishop forwards it to the ELCA Board of Pensions. E. Roy Riley, Bishop
PLAN FOR TRANSITION: [ Return to Main Document ] RETIRED PASTORS IN THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA Ordained ministers may retire upon attainment of age 60, or after 30 years on the roster of ordained ministers of this church or one of its predecessor bodies, or upon disability and continue to be listed on the roster of ordained ministers of this church, upon endorsement by the synodical bishop, by action of a Synod Council in the synod in which the ordained minister is listed on the roster... (Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [bylaw 7.41.17)]. Persons who have served within the ordained ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and who have determined that they will enter retirement are not only to be honored for their past service but are seen as important resources for ministry within the life of this church. To enter this new phase of one's life is always a significant milestone. It is a transition into another important stage of life for every retired person. It is true also for the retired pastor (and spouse if the pastor is so blessed). The following statement is a guideline for retired pastors, the congregations they served, and synodical bishops in understanding the new status of a retired pastor. It is intended to affirm the past ministry of retired pastors, to give directions which seek to avoid some pitfalls that can present themselves to the retired pastor, and to point to new areas of service and support. I. Roster of Ordained Ministers A retired pastor is on the roster of the synod in which last under call or in which the pastor resides. The retired pastor remains accountable to the synodical bishop where rostered. A retired pastor must be a member of an ELCA congregation in order to remain on the roster of ordained ministers and remains subject to the standards for ordained ministers of this church. II. Congregational Membership A retired pastor should not remain a member of the congregation served at the time of retirement. Transferring one's membership to another congregation allows the successor pastor to assume pastoral leadership more readily. It also provides an opportunity for the retired pastor to enter fully into the life of a different congregation with clarity about the pastor's retired role. III. Pastoral Service At the time of retirement a pastor is no longer pastor of a congregation and therefore must discontinue the functions of the pastoral office in the congregation unless specifically authorized to do so. The service of retired pastors in governed by the Constitution for Synods [S14.14.], which describes the role of ordained ministers in congregations in which they do not serve: "Ordained ministers shall respect the integrity of the ministry of congregations which they do not serve and shall not exercise ministerial functions therein unless invited to do so by the pastor, or if there is no duly called pastor, then by the interim pastor in consultation with the Congregation Council" (S14.14. in the Constitution for Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). MANUAL OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE ROSTERS (1998) Part One - page 16-A
"PASTORAL ETHICS ... A SENSITIVE MATTER" The "sensitive matter" is that of pastors being asked for pastoral acts by people who are their former parishioners. With our synod being as geographically compact as it is, we may face this issue more frequently than other parts of the church. We start with the acknowledgment that there is no painless way out of an awkward situation. A good pastoral relationship is not coldly functional but is personal, as well, so it's not at all uncommon for people facing a wedding/funeral/baptism/whatever to desire the presence of a pastor who has been personally important in their lives. So you who have been good pastors, and you lay folks who have had good pastors, can expect that those times come when you'd like the pastoral relationship to continue for a social occasion. That's where we run into troubled water. The professional ethic we need to be clear on is this: When a pastor leaves a parish, he/she is no longer those people's pastor; he/she may continue to be a friend, but the pastoral relationship is ended. The implications are clear: it is often (though not always) appropriate to do what other friends do - attend a wedding or funeral, for instance - but the pastoral act of presiding in those moments belongs to the current pastor. At times the interim pastor or the new pastor may call the former pastor to let that pastor know of something happening, or, an a rare occasion, ask the former pastor to say a few words at a funeral. But remember, that person is no longer the pastor. The responsibility belongs to those of us who have left (moved, resigned, retired) to make clear that the pastoral relationship is ended. We want to do what we're trained to do, especially when special people value our doing it; but as clergy who are accountable to each other, and to the whole church for the effective ministry in each place, it is of paramount importance that we do all we can to support the pastoral relationship that is in place. Former Pastor: Respond automatically by saying, "It's simply not appropriate for me to do that. I'm not your pastor anymore, but I'm glad you consider me a friend. I'd love to come if invited, as your other friends do. " But don't say, "You'll have to talk to your pastor about that." That's often said, perhaps thinking that such a response respects the current pastor's role. It doesn't. It puts the current pastor in the no-win situation of acceding to the parishioner's request and relinquishing the pastoral role to you, or saying no and being regarded by the parishioner as cold, jealous, unresponsive and uncaring. Simply say that it's not your role anymore. Current Pastor: Speak as affirmingly as possible of the relationship your predecessor has had with parishioners, but don't relinquish your pastoral role. Where you feel it's appropriate and healthy, you may invite the previous pastor to participate in a secondary way, but the pastoral role and its responsibilities are yours. Parishioners: Don't even ask. It immediately puts both the current and former pastor in very awkward positions. Affirm your former pastor by inviting him/her to come as a friend and respect your new pastor by permitting him/her to fulfill his/her pastoral responsibilities. This may sound arbitrary and legalistic. We don't mean it to be; we mean it to be pastoral, in the best sense of the word. We all encounter situations we think are "exceptions." We think there are a few of those, and probably a lot fewer than we think at the time. And then them are more "grey area" kinds of contact with former pastors over personal life struggles, complaints about the life of the parish, etc. But the same principle applies: We are no longer our former parishioners' pastors, and we serve our friends, our former parish, and the whole church best by making that clear and by being highly supportive of our successors. We best honor both their ministry and our own by doing so. We think most pastors are very clear about these matters most of the time, but we're all human enough that an occasional reminder is probably good for all of us. (A reprint from The Call Process" distributed by SC Synod ELCA and written by Bishop Rogness of the Greater Milwaukee Synod)
Sample Letter [ Return to Main Document ] Dear Members & Friends of St. Paul's: After a long ministry here at St. Paul's, Midy and I will be leaving for my retirement. At one point in my life, retirement was so far in the future that it never even entered my thoughts. But as it looms in the immediate future, we are getting more and more excited about it. My pastorate at St. Paul's has not only been long - it has also been healthy and good. With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit many wonderful things have happened here in these last 23 years. And to keep it all in perspective - we've been able to build on the work of the pastors and people who have gone before us. Leaving is difficult, probably more difficult than anything I've been called on to do in my ministry. The love and affection that you have shown us over the years have made a deep impression an our whole family. One of the happiest decisions in my ministry was the one that brought us to Mt. Holly. Now that it is time to say good-bye, there are several things I must ask of you. It is important that you begin the process of preparation for a new Pastor. This will be made easier if Midy and I are no longer part of St. Paul's. Some congregations have had severe difficulties in making the transition to a new Pastor. Because of this the Bishop, rightly, insists that a retiring Pastor resign from his present Church and become part of a new congregation. When a new Pastor is called, his or her style of ministry may be very different from mine. Change can be very healthy and can lead to a period of growth and deepening faith. Let the Spirit work among you - and He will, for the blessing of all concerned. With all this in mind, I will never be critical of your new Pastor, or of the decisions and style of ministry that will be his or hers. One of the most difficult things I must ask you to do, has to do with those moments in our lives when the Church touches us most deeply. These include Funerals, Weddings, and the Sacrament of Baptism. After September 30, I will no longer be able to be the officiant at these high points in our lives. The only change from this will be the wedding of Jarred and Julie on November 6. This wedding was first scheduled to take place an a date prior to my retirement but then had to be rescheduled. I will also be at St. Paul's on Reformation Sunday, October 31, as Guest Preacher. This permits me to confirm those young people in the 9th grade who were in Catechism Classes with me for their 7th and 8th grade years. On this weekend, Baptism will also be part of the Service. Apart from these dates, I will no longer be able to be an official part of Services at St. Paul's after September 30. The past 23 years have been happy and fruitful. My prayer is that the same will be said after another 23 years have gone by, with someone else being your Pastor. Midy and I leave St. Paul's with deep feelings of thanksgiving for a wonderful congregation that has tried always to live up to the motto we hold dear - "Blessed to be a Blessing." May the Lord always be with you, David D. Mangiante |
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