Pastoral Transitions

Several months ago I shared with my Calvary UMC family that I would be leaving and beginning a new season as pastor of Arden UMC in Martinsburg. The time of final transition is upon us as I have my last Sunday at Calvary this Sunday and am finishing my final day in the office today.

It has been a blessed season, these five years at Calvary. I have experienced many personal and professional highs during this time, as well as some challenges.

One of the most important things on my to-do list now is to make this transition well and to help the congregation of Calvary UMC do the same. To this end, while I have been engaged in many prepartions for my arrival at Arden, I have also been working to help in the transition here at Calvary as Rev. Matt Trussell begins his tenure as Calvary’s Associate Pastor. I have met with Matt, and have also been meeting with other staff and ministry leaders to pass files, information and materials in an attempt to provide for as smooth of a transition as possible. I have also been in regular conversation with Rev. Alice Ford about this transition—indeed, our conversations began before I had even received a new appointment, when I was merely anticipating one.

I remain the appointed associate pastor at Calvary until June 30, 2014, but my active time with the Calvary congregation ends June 8, 2014. A time of transition is suggested by the conference for the congregation to have time to step away from one pastor and prepare to welcome a new one. These three weeks will hopefully allow all of us a time to prepare for the new seasons God is calling us to.

I need to share with you the conference’s official statement of transitions, and the policy I affirm and covenant to keep with my colleagues in the Order of Elders in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. This policy essentially outlines that effective July 1, I will cease any and all pastoral relationships with members of the Calvary UMC family. While the policy says that the current pastor may at their initiative invite the previous pastor to return (and Rev. Ford has been and I know will remain gracious and open through this transition), I want to let you know myself, that it is my intention to decline any inivations even should they be extended by the new pastoral team. As much as the Calvary UMC family needs to create new and lasting bonds with Rev. Matt Trussell, I need to create and nurture my new relationships at Arden UMC. I will need to use all my time and energies to do so.

Here is the official Conference policy:

As of the effective date of a new appointment, a pastor shall immediately cease all pastoral counseling and pastoral visitation with members or member families in the previous appointment. Since appointments are generally announced several weeks in advance, each pastor has adequate time in which to affect closure and make appropriate referral to another for the pastoral care of members.
 Pastors shall have a clear understanding with former congregations that they will not return to officiate at baptisms, weddings, and funerals, or to do pastoral counseling or pastoral visitation in that parish. Pastors, active or retired, shall respectfully decline to participate in such duties when invited by members of a former congregation. Declining all such invitations is the responsibilities of the previous pastor. The present pastor, at his or her discretion, may invite the previous pastor to return for pastoral functions. However, the present pastor should never be under any pressure to invite the previous pastor.

Many of you are connected to me via social media and it is a gift that modern tools like this exist! I will not change or remove any of those connections. But I do want you to know what as I begin my ministry at Arden, I will be posting regularly and energetically about my ministry there. I will be using that tool in the same way I have used it at Calvary. If you feel it will be difficult to see me do so, please know I will understand if you feel more comfortable unfriending me. It will also be my intention to not initiate contact with Calvary UMC people once my time at Calvary is completed.

Having grown up as a United Methodist clergy child, these transitions come a bit more naturally to me than to many, and for me they remain an important part of the covenant I have taken as a United Methodist pastor. The transitions are difficult for families as well, though Chris and I have shared in much conversation around our transition and that of our girls. While it is difficult to say goodbye to all of the wonderful people we have known at Calvary, we look forward to new relationships at Arden and also eagerly anticipate the new bonds which will be formed between the Calvary UMC family and the Trussell family. We know you will bless them as much as you have blessed us by your friendship, support and encouragement!

Please do not hesitate to let me or Rev. Alice Ford know if you have any questions about this transition.

Grace and Peace.

Rev. Sarah Andrews Schlieckert