Pastor/PPRC Follow Up Process for Right Start: A Process for Good Communication with Pastor and PPRC

Bishop Farr deeply desires for all new appointments to have great starts. Significant progress on the work of pastoral transitions has happened under his leadership. Even with all this effort, we are reminded every year that several appointments stumble out of the gate. Some fall and don’t ever recover their momentum. In most cases of poor starts, communication is a major factor. Small issues are not handled well or at all and can become major ones. Simple misunderstandings can become large emotionally entangled messes. The early and critical steps of trust and relationship building can be lost. These are not the things anyone desires for our pastors and churches in transition.

This process was created to help ensure that all newly appointed pastors and their PPRC are meeting monthly for at least four months and that they are checking-in on basic topics of the transition process.

Gaining Momentum in the Changeover Zone is a continuation of the Right Start event, and it is an expectation of Bishop Farr, your District Superintendent and the Office of Leadership Excellence that it be faithfully completed. Gaining Momentum in the Changeover Zone is meant to work alongside of the six months of group coaching provided to our pastors to support our desired outcome of healthy pastoral transitions.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Schedule four monthly meetings with your new PPRC chair prior to your move.
• As part of your agenda for your meetings, use the 4 monthly guides that follow. Share the entire pack with your team in advance.
• The meeting guides are formatted for note taking. Ask someone to take notes. Pastor and Chair review the notes and send a copy to your DS.