The proposed change, G-14.0502 on p. 31 of the proposed amendment book, reads: “Nor is a minister serving in a temporary pastoral relationship eligible to serve the church in a permanent or designated pastoral relationship, except by a two-thirds vote of the presbytery.”
Interim pastors generally come to congregations when they are vulnerable, grieving and unsettled. If the interim pastor is good, there will be those in every congregation who will want to shortcut the pastor search process in order to call the interim as their installed pastor. Such a proposal is not a mature, reasoned decision based on a thorough study of the congregation’s mission and its leadership needs for the future. Instead it is a shortcut attractive to people who are tired of change and crave security. Allowing the interim to be a candidate for the position of next installed pastor places a heavy burden on the congregation’s PNC. If congregation members know the interim can become pastor, they are very likely to campaign for this with the PNC in a way that would be very detrimental to the search process.
This proposal also subverts the integrity of intentional interim ministry. Interims are not just filling the pulpit until the new pastor comes. In interim training, I was taught that there are specific tasks that the interim leads the congregation through in order to prepare them to receive their new pastor. I do not believe that an interim can carry out these tasks at the highest level if he or she is being considered for the installed position. The situation has the potential to degenerate into a trial marriage of sorts with the congregation trying the minister on for size. It may be argued that there are some congregations in hardship situations that might possibly benefit if this proposal were passed. However, I would argue that, as they say in the legal field: “Hard cases make bad law,” and this change to our Book of Order would be a very bad law indeed.
As is always the case, amendments coming from the General Assembly cannot be changed but must be voted up or down as they are. This means that in order to defeat this provision relating to interims, a majority of the presbyteries must vote against proposed amendment 01-H in its entirety. It grieves me to see all the otherwise good work on Ch. 14 come to naught. However, I believe that 01-H as it is being presented to us is a Trojan horse. Hidden behind its attractive facade is a proposal that I believe will do substantial damage to our denomination.
Joan S. Gray is interim pastor at Good Shepherd church, Lilburn, Ga.
