Progress in Transition

I wanted to update you on the transition process that has been started despite Pastor David still being with us for most of May. Below are the details of what is happening behind the scenes:

Deacon Katie Kline, Interim Director for Congregation Transition for the RMS, has reached out to me (Dave Warren) to discuss the steps in the transition and point me to resources on the RMS and ELCA websites regarding transition. I can make those available to anyone interested.

The first meeting between Deacon Kline and me (held on 16 April 2024) was to introduce ourselves to each other and go over the next steps. A large part of the discussion was about pastoral support during the transition. We have two options available: (1) an interim pastor (hired as a full-time employee) and a bridge pastor (hired for Sundays and either one or two days of the week). If we select the bridge pastor method, it is assumed that we will hire a consultant to help us with our self-discovery period for $7,500 plus travel expenses. The RMS will recommend a consultant for us. Rev. Christine Higueria-Street was proposed as a bridge pastor, and she was very welcoming to the possibility. The council voted to hire Pastor Christine as a bridge pastor with the expectation of one day a week of support outside of Sundays. The council was very willing to change the level of support if we see a need for such. Pastor Christine has agreed in principle to be our bridge pastor, but we have not formally discussed compensation.

Furthermore, I was recently informed (on 18 April 2024) that Pastor Barb Martens has been identified as our coach. We have yet to meet either via e-mail or a virtual meeting.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards, Dave Warren