Dear Friends in Christ,

In the Metropolitan Chicago Synod we are blessed to have leaders who serve the church as "interim pastors." Some of them have received special training for the task of interim ministry and some have simply served competently in other church settings or as parish pastors.

During the vacancy period which you are about to enter, you will have the opportunity to benefit from the gifts and talents of those who serve the larger church as interim pastors.

The transition from one pastor to another is sometimes a difficult one. It can be a time of some anxiety and confusion. There can be grief at the loss of a pastor, anxiety about the unknown future or feelings of anger and betrayal if there has been misconduct.

It is into these settings, and a variety of others, that interim pastors serve. Interims bridge the gap between your former pastor and the new one you will call.

The purpose of the interim is to engage the congregation in a celebration and understanding of its history along with an assessment of its present resources. This intentional look at past and present provides clarity about future needs and missional opportunities.

It is often the case that congregations grow to love and respect their interim pastor and want to call her or him as their new pastor. When that occurs, congregations have a difficult time understanding the synod's position of not allowing interims to be called to the congregations where they are serving as interim.

Below is the rationale for that position:
 

1.	Interim pastors enable congregations to deal with interim ministry needs better, if they have no vested interest in their own long range call to that congregation.
2.	In the covenant that is signed between interim pastor and congregational leader, the interim agrees not to be a candidate for call. Trust, that persons keep their word, is essential in covenantal relationships; changing the "rules of the game" may foster distrust in the pastor and the congregational leaders who "changed the rules".
3.	Consideration of the interim pastor as a candidate will short-change the search process. When the call committee decides to find a way to "keep the interim" they can no longer be objective in their task of interviewing other candidates.
4.	It is risky to call an interim pastor when there may be underlying opposition to that individual by persons in the congregation. Even if the pastor is liked by many, there are usually some who do not. These people may not be vocal because they know the interim is only temporary.

I explain this rationale in some detail before you enter into an agreement with an interim so there is no confusion as to our purpose and partnership.

This is an exciting time in the life of your congregation and we look forward to working with you.

Yours in Christ,
Wayne N. Miller, Bishop  

1420 W. Dickens Ave. ~  Chicago, IL 60614-3004 ~ Ph: 773-248-0021