FOOTHILL FOCUS

Number 7 JULY 2009 Volume 17

Preparing for a New Era

Dear Foothill family,

By now, most of you are probably aware that our pastor of 17 years, Jim Gaderlund, has announced his intention to retire by the end of June 2010. We certainly wish Jim and Pamall the best as they transition to new ministry opportunities in this next phase of their lives.

Historically Foothill has used a single-step pastoral search process to identify replacementpastoral leadership. However, based on experience over the past several years, the Pacific Southwest Conference (PSWC) is now recommending that pastoral replacement (whether due to resignation or retirement) take place using two separate and distinct steps: 1. formation of a transition team from among members of the congregation followed by 2. formation of a pastoral search task force. The purpose of the pastoral search group is probablyself evident; probably less so for the transition team.

In order to allay any anxieties or concerns you may have about the transition team process, I want to describe for you what to expect. The purpose of the transition team (TT) is to gain discernment from the Spirit not only through prayer, but also by obtaining inputwithin and outside the congregation. These inputs will inform elected leadership in discerning God’s spiritual, strategic direction for the future of the Foothill.

The TT will typically be comprised of 7-9 demographically-diverse people some of whommay not actually be congregational members.(Is this okay?) One or two or two of these folks will be selected from elected leadership, and thus serve as a liaison to the formal Boards. Beyond that, the rest of the TT should be people who have the trust and respect ofthe congregation because of the positive attitude and sensitivity to the Spirit they will bringto the process.

Under the guidance of Alan Forsman, Leadership and Congregational Coach for the PSWC, the team will subdivide into work groups and engage in gathering internal and externaldemographic data. These data will help the TT assess opportunities and generate an updated church profile. The profile generated by the transition team is a vital tool that will beused in the follow-on pastoral search process. This is perhaps the most important information that the transition team will hand-off the pastoral search task force.(con't pg 2)

It is our hope that the activities of the TT will demonstrate to you, the congregation, that there is movement and clarity emerging in understanding who we are and what we need. The rapid kick-off of the TT will ensure that we avoid entering a time of limbo or status quo. The team will report regularly to the leadership and congregation. They will also assist theleadership in creating and implementing an effective communication strategy, which will be vital during this time of uncertainty between now and the arrival of our next pastor.

The benefits to Foothill for establishing the transition team include:

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Offloading early transition planning from elected leadership

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Creating “space” that will facilitate healing and restoration of a sense of order

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Identifying a future and making positive strides toward it, and

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Serving as a resource to “take the pulse” of the congregation.

The PSWC recommends keeping the transition team in place from their initial meeting, through the pastoral search process, and into the fresh chapter with our new pastor. Alan will make the rationale for this clear to us at our initial set of meetings.

During the upcoming transition to new pastoral leadership we need to:

1. Keep existing ministries and infrastructures functioning effectively,

1. Potentially identify a significant area or areas of ministry that can be enhanced to create an atmosphere of hope and expectancy, and
2. Determine our “state of readiness” for a new pastor by assessing history, identity, leadership, outside resources, new directions, etc.

As we move forward into this transition process it will be vital for all of us (as imperfect as we are) to attend to whole-life stewardship including our individual spiritual growth, service and giving. I ask each of you to take this transition process one day at a time. Duringthe Renaissance, Friar Giovanni Giacondo wrote ... No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.

Take heaven! No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant. Take peace!

Let us find heaven and peace in the midst of this transition and not pin our hopes on a future yet to come.