Pastoral Transition Plan

A note from the Leadership Team:

As we embark on the search for our new pastor, our foremost guiding principle is to glorify God in all that we do. We hold deep respect and honor for Pastor Bob and his wife, Bev, whose dedication has significantly shaped our congregation. We do not want to be a distraction in any way from their final months with us. We love them and want to take advantage of our time together.

In our effort to find a new pastor, we are committed to taking the necessary time and ensuring that our process is thorough but efficient. We strive to maintain unity and continuity within our congregation, recognizing the importance of a seamless transition. Throughout this process, we believe in the value of transparency and open communication. It is crucial that everyone in our congregation feels informed and engaged, and we welcome honest feedback offered in a spirit of love.

While not all activities related to this search will be visible to the congregation, we are diligently working according to this plan. Our actions and decisions are rooted in the above principles, aiming to uphold the spirit of First Church and to ensure that Bob’s legacy of leadership continues with grace and wisdom. We are committed to keeping you updated and involved, ensuring that our journey together toward welcoming a new pastor is in accordance with our shared values and goals.

 

Transition Plan:

April 2024:

·      Begin planning a First Church retirement celebration for Bob and Bev.

·      The Leadership Team will develop a transition plan to recruit, evaluate, and propose a pastoral candidate.

·      Plan a series of town hall meetings to discuss the transition plan and answer any questions.

May 2024:

·      Send out a “Save the Date” announcement for Bob and Bev Mosely Retirement Celebration and begin accepting donations for the Mosely Retirement Gift.

·      Update the congregation via the First Church newsletter on the activities to date.

·      Conduct town hall meetings.  Dates:  Friday, May 10th at 7 PM; Saturday, May 11th at 9 AM; and Monday, May 13th at 6 PM.

June 2024:

·      The Leadership Team will begin accepting resumes and letters of interest from those interested in the pastor role. 

·      Conduct a series of focus groups to learn more about the congregation’s wishes and needs for a new pastor and the overall direction of the ministry.

·      Announce the plan to fill the interim pastor role until a new pastor is hired.

·      Update the congregation via the First Church newsletter on activities to date.

July 2024:

·      Bob and Bev’s Retirement Celebration

·      Based on the input from the town hall and focus group meetings, and Evaluation Team will be formed to provide feedback on candidates at the appropriate time.

August 2024 and beyond:

·      Based on the above, invite qualified candidates to interview with the Leadership Team and staff.  If the Leadership Team and staff agree, invite the candidate to speak on one or more Sunday mornings. The Evaluation Team will provide feedback.

·      When the right candidate is found, a congregational meeting will be held to vote to hire and support the new pastor. 

·      The new pastor will begin on a date that meets the needs of his personal and family situation. 

Mosely Retirement Gift

If you would like to contribute to the Mosely Retirement Gift, you can:

  • Scan the QR code.

  • If you would like to give online, head over to fcministries.com/give and select “Mosely Retirement Gift” in the dropdown menu next to the amount being given.

  • If you prefer to donate by check, make the check payable to First Church and add a note “Retirement”in the memo.

All funds received will go directly to the retirement gift.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. We encourage all members and regular attendees to vote on a pastoral candidate.

  • We will utilize various ways to advertise for the pastor position at First Church including and not limited to - word of mouth, pastoral search websites, recommendations from the congregation, etc.

  • In short, those who have not pastored a church or does not have prior ministry experience will be excluded as a pastoral candidate.

  • A pastoral candidate must align with a conservative, evangelical doctrine similar to what is in place as our statement of faith and constitution.

  • The leadership team of First Church is deliberating on this and will send out an announcement on the decision made sometime in the month of June.

  • The leadership team is currently working on finalizing a job description.

  • This transition period has opened discussions surrounding leadership positions which will add depth and structure to our existing day to day operation as a church.

  • Our vision is to have a healthy mixture of both. We understand the culture at First Church is unique and valuable as a church. We also know that growth as a church comes with change and we are open to those things that will positively add to the environment and culture here at First Church.

  • A healthy church consists of every demographic - young and old. We desire to continue our reach to the college students around us, encouraging them to make FIrst Church their church home where they can worship and serve alongside us.

  • We desire not to place someone in the interim position who is applying for the pastoral role. Should an interim be interested in being a candidate for the pastoral role, we will re-evaluate and proceed accordingly.

  • As we receive applications and resumes for the pastoral role, the leadership team will begin to schedule times in which the candidate can come preach at First Church, and meet the staff and leadership team. Ideally, we do not want to overlap the times in which candidates are here at First Church.

  • The leadership team has several leads on individuals to invite as an interim. If anyone has a recommendaton, please contact Jason Kilgore at jkilgore@fcministries.com.

  • First and foremost, we are not in a rush to fill the pastoral position at First Church. It is a vital position of our church and we do not want to expedite the process simply to have someone in that position. We encourage everyone to be in prayer and regular fasting as we search for a new pastor, that God will give clear direction and guidance in this process. We are expecting the process to take anywhere between six months to a year, maybe longer.