Transitions

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… Ecclesiastes 3:1

We each process change differently. Some of us are just wired to be more adaptable, we can go with the flow, and don’t get overly anxious about unknowns. Others of us like to know exactly what is going to happen, and how and when it is going to happen. Regardless of what type of person you are, the reality is that as a church, we are now in a season of transition.

At the same time, pastoral transitions aren’t exclusive to us at Spokane First Nazarene. There are always churches in the process of saying goodbye or saying hello to pastors. With this in mind, I believe it can be helpful to learn from how other churches process and frame these transitions. The ideas that follow are adapted from another church also going through a pastoral transition right now. They were shared with me, and I felt they were worthy of sharing with all of you. I’ve only made a few changes so that the details align with our own situation.

-Pastor Shawn

Processing Transition on Your Own

Every transition is marked by three stages: the ending, the waiting stage (or interim or the space in-between), and the new beginnings. Each of these stages is significant and it will take time to process each, so we encourage you to not rush through it but to give yourself ample space to reflect. And while group reflection is important, I’d expect that you will need some more space to process on your own. What follows is a framework to process the stage that you are in, as well as a preview of how you might feel in the days ahead. Throughout this transition, allow yourself to feel whatever comes up — sadness, excitement, anger, fear, hope, or anything else – and invite the Spirit and your church community into your processing. After reading the short description of each of the three stages of transition, I invite you to spend some time working through the following questions on your own, perhaps in a journal or with a close friend.

The Ending

It must be acknowledged that every transition involves an ending, a loss of what was. For us to truly get to the other side of this transition in a healthy way, the ending phase requires us to get in touch with what exactly we are losing and then to grieve those losses. The grief process is neither linear nor logical, and that’s okay. It may take longer than you’re comfortable with; don’t expect to be fully through it in one sitting.

• What losses are you grieving as Spokane First Nazarene goes through this transition? What makes you sad about these changes in our church?
• Think about a time when you experienced loss in the past. How did you respond? How do you tend to cope with change? How do you tend to cope with grief?
• Consider processing your responses to these questions with a close friend or even a counselor.

Take a few deep breaths in and out, and imagine Jesus sitting with you right now. As you feel his gentleness, kindness, and warmth towards you, start to bring your feelings of grief, loss, and fear into his presence. What might it look like to practice abiding in him in the midst of the ambiguity, sadness, or fear you are experiencing?

The Waiting Stage

There is a crucial stage when going through a transition that exists between an ending and a beginning. We often skip this waiting stage because we either don’t know that it exists or because we don’t understand its value. It is in this space of waiting that we begin to anticipate new beginnings while we receive God’s future hope and healing for our grief. Yet, before we can move into the new beginnings, we must recognize that our anxiety about the future can rise in this space while our energy to move through our emotions falls. It can often feel disorienting or aimless, but it’s a crucial part of the journey.

• Take a moment to reflect on your past experiences with transition. (e.g. past church stuff, divorce, job changes, moving, switching schools, etc.) What about the upcoming transition connects to, feels parallel to, or even stirs up similar emotions from those experiences? Choose one of those moments and work through the following questions:
  • What was that experience like for you?
  • What did you feel?
  • How did you respond?
• And now, reflect on how this experience feels similar to that? How might this experience be different?
• Are there any fears that come up for you regarding this transition? Any questions?
• Because this stage can be convoluted, make sure to keep coming back to some of these questions in the future.

Take a few deep breaths in and out, and imagine Jesus sitting with you right now. Imagine the heavy feelings you’re experiencing, from this transition and any past experiences this transition brings up, as rocks in your hand. (You may want to actually get some physical rocks, if you’re a body-centered person). As you feel his gentleness, kindness, and warmth towards you, begin to have a conversation with him about handing the rocks over to him. Invite him to help you carry the heaviness of ambiguity, fear, and grief of this transition and any past emotions it brings up.

New Beginnings

On the other side of the ending and the waiting phases is an opportunity for new life. Oftentimes, in fact, new beginnings can only exist because of a transition. The loss we face in a transition creates the space required for new life, growth, and opportunity. And as apprentices of Jesus, we get to practice resurrection even in things like transitions.

• As you consider this transition, what hopes do you have for Spokane First Nazarene? What are you most excited about?
• Who is also working through this transition that can you stay connected to along the way?
• What role do you feel that Jesus is personally inviting you to play in the future of Spokane First Nazarene?

Take a few deep breaths in and out, and imagine Jesus sitting with you right now. As you feel his gentleness, kindness, and warmth towards you, continue to dream about Spokane First Nazarene’s future. Ask Jesus what he has in mind. Tell him what you would like to see happen. It could be helpful to light a candle, representing the presence of God with you in this journey.

What’s Next?

Even after all that reflection, questions may remain. Where do we go from here? How do we continue to process this transition well? How can we actively participate in this transition? We would suggest the following ideas:

Pray: Please partner with us in this transition through prayer. Join us in praying for

• Bill and Danene as they settle into their new home and church in Nampa, ID.
• Wisdom and unity for our church, especially our elected church board
• Our interim pastor and eventually our new lead pastor as they transition into the Spokane First Nazarene family

Thank Bill and Danene: If you have been impacted by Pastor Bill and Pastor Danene while they were part of leading Spokane First Nazarene, (if you haven’t already) we would encourage you to take a moment to bless them and their family in this transition by writing a short encouragement or sharing your gratitude their service at Spokane First Nazarene. You can send a message through social media or can get their new mailing address by calling the church office (509)467-8986 during business hours.

Ask Questions: Our desire is to help our church as much as possible in this transition, which includes clear communication. If you have any questions about this transition, or what the interim process will look like, please reach out to Roger Long, a board member, or the pastoral staff.

(Adapted from: https://bridgetown.church)