Pastoral Transition
Our Shared Path Forward
Westmoreland Adopts a Staff Plan for the Transition
(A notice from Pierre Toureille, Westmoreland’s Moderator Elect, about the staff arrangement for Interim Ministry. From the “Westmorelander,” September 2010.)
I am delighted to announce the Executive Committee’s adoption of a comprehensive plan for our church’s transition to a new minister.
After weeks of intensive exploration and multiple conversations with people in and beyond the congregation to discern the best path forward for the time of interim, on July 22 the Executive Committee adopted a plan for the transition. Designed to fit Westmoreland’s unique situation, the model embraces a concept that includes a two-minister-plus-church covenant.
The first part of the plan involves Rev. Robert Maddox, Minister of Discipleship at Westmoreland since 2006, assuming the role of Acting Senior Pastor retroactive to July 1. As such he will oversee many of the day-by-day functions of the church including worship planning, staff supervision, pastoral care and working with various teams and committees to ensure that the church moves ahead.
The plan also calls for retaining an Interim Senior Minister who will participate fully in the life of the congregation but whose major responsibility will be to help the church prepare specifically for the search and call of a new pastor. This person will work with the staff, the pastor search committee and other groups in the church to implement the several suggestions proposed by the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ for a successful interimcy. He/she will also be significantly involved in the worship and other aspects of ministry. A three-person team made up of Elizabeth Fritsch, Mary Grossnick and Doug Hallward-Driemeier will begin work immediately to find and enlist the services of this person. The hope is to have this other minister in place by early September. Both ministers will work on the basis of three-fourths time.
The church staff will remain essentially the same. Rev. Jessica Petersen will continue to serve as Minister for Children, Youth and Families though she will preach on a regular basis. Dr. Alejandro Hernandez Valdez will remain Director of Music/Master Pianist and Organist. Janet Moyer will continue as Membership Coordinator and Sanelma Sutton will remain Church Administrator.
In our recent congregation-wide Church Council Meeting to explain the plan, I said “The interim time for our congregation is a holy opportunity for renewal and a prayerful discernment of God’s hope for our future. Everything the church undertakes in these months ahead has the aim of preparing Westmoreland fully for the arrival of a new minister.” Your elected leaders ask for your prayerful support and faithful participation in the life of the church during the months ahead. We have every reason to believe the time will be productive in every way.
If you have questions about this arrangement please feel free to call David Batson, Moderator or me.
Pierre Toureille,
Moderator-elect
Last updated Saturday, December 04, 2010.
1 Westmoreland Circle
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-229-7766
Email the church office: churchinfo@westmorelanducc.org
www.westmorelanducc.org
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