What's Next in the Transition Process
What a great congregational event this past Sunday, June 22! We gathered in Heaton Hall, remembered and celebrated the deep and rich history of MPBC. We shared concerns and began considering the promising future of this great church.
While this is a great start, there still is much work to be done. All of the work of the transition belongs to you, the congregation. The role of the Transition Team is to create space and opportunities to listen to each other as you listen for what God may want to do in your future.
All this work is part of preparing for Myers Park’s next Senior Minister. Here’s a brief outline of the remaining congregational work.
The next focus point is MISSION. This work involves articulating why MPBC exists. What is the unique calling, unique role that this church is tasked with in the community and world? It’s about clarifying and/or re-owning the church’s mission/vision.
Once that happens, then the third focus point is LEADERSHIP. How do you prepare, equip, and train leaders? Do your church governing documents facilitate living out your mission and vision? Do they need to be revised? What about both staff and lay leadership? Do you have the right people in the right roles? Getting your leadership right will enable you to better live out your mission/vision.
The fourth focus point is CONNECTIONS. With what groups in the community and beyond does MPBC need to be connected in order to be more faithful in living out her mission/vision? It’s true that we’re stronger in living out our mission when we work with others.
FUTURE is the final focus point. During this time, the congregation will complete a clear portrait of the desired personal, professional, and leadership traits and skills that you expect of your new senior minister. The Transition Team will complete a church profile to be shared with potential senior minister candidates.
The Senior Minister Search Team will be created, perhaps, when we get to the CONNECTIONS focus point. They will be put together in keeping with MPBC governing documents.
PLEASE rest assured that your Transition Team and your Interim Senior Minister are moving as rapidly as possible. The process is congregational by design and focus. It can only move forward as we can schedule all-congregational events and get you, the congregation, in the room for dialogue.
“What can I do?” you ask. Participate in the congregational gatherings, pray for each other, for your Transition Team, for your church, and for your future as God’s people. Don’t stay on the sidelines. The value of this work depends on your willingness to listen to God and to each other. As always, I’m available for one-on-one visits. Let me know. I’ll be glad to let you buy lunch for me!
There’s still time for you to respond to the three questions we discussed at our meeting on Sunday, June 22 by emailing your responses to the questions below to . There is a link below* so you can view a recording of the meeting if you wish:
- What brought you here in the past, and what keeps you here at MPBC?
- What in our past is most significant?
- Looking back at MPBC, I’m most concerned about...
