Interim Pastor…

A message from Session, written by Ruling Elder, Julie Bohman

There are many accounts in the New Testament of early church leaders being moved around to other areas of the mission field. No doubt, throughout history as esteemed leaders followed the Holy Spirit from one church to another, the Church experienced the same feelings Whitworth Church now feels: sadness, grief and, confusion.

As we take our turn with a pastor being led to move on, please know that although Pastor Daniel’s decision came during a time of discernment over the budget, losing a pastor was not part of any Session discussion. This news was as much of a surprise to Session as it has been to you! Change has been and always will be difficult. Saying good-bye to Daniel is painful and the accompanying uncertainty is uncomfortable. As I find myself craving the continuation of the familiar, I am reminded that Jesus never promised His followers a pain-free life, but He did promise to be with us through it all. Praise be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit for steadfast faithfulness!

As you join us in prayer for guidance, let us remember to thank God for the many blessings we are experiencing: our growing children’s ministry, Teams working and learning together, the many opportunities for connections and study, our hard-working deacons and elders, a successful Bridge Campaign, and our spirit-filled worship on Sundays. Praise Him for the fabulous staff we have and pray for their continued flourishing as they serve us and the Spokane community. Let us remain beautifully diverse and yet united in the spirit as we seek to follow Jesus faithfully.

In addition to the wonderful things happening within our church, we can be thankful for the long-standing process we will follow during this transition. Being Presbyterian means we do things “decently and in order”. We trust this process and the leaders of our Presbytery to walk beside us (as they have with other churches in our Presbytery.) Though this may feel like a crisis, our wise leaders in the Presbytery assure us this is a normal pastoral transition.

During the transition we will maintain a two-pastor system. Pastor Jamie will continue to be our Associate Pastor of Connections and Care, and over the summer we will have a slate of guest preachers on Sunday mornings. As we look to what comes next, our main goals are: creating a smooth transition; searching for a pastor; and then calling that person to be our solo pastor. There are many steps along the way and both Session and the congregation will have various roles throughout the process, which will not happen quickly, but rather, deliberately and faithfully.

We know you all have a lot of questions—my fellow elders and I want provide answers—please be patient with us as we openly share where we can and maintain confidence when necessary. Please continue to send your questions to the Clerk of Session—either by email (clerk@whitworthchurch.org) or mail into the church (c/o Clerk of Session)—and we will update the FAQ as necessary. We are always happy to take questions!

The elders and I are committed to being transparent in communicating information, when it is available. There is an information kiosk set up near Tiffany Hall to explain the process: FAQs, transition guidelines from Presbytery, visual timeline, and other information you may find helpful along the way. We will post as many updates as we can in the Thursday email, the monthly newsletter, and during the Sunday service. Additionally, Sheryl Kinder-Pyle, the executive presbyter of the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest, will be preaching on Sunday July 20th and ordaining/installing new officers. Following worship, she will be hosting a congregational conversation to give more information about the transition process and answer your questions.

As we wait for the next steps, please pray for Session as we follow the Spirit into the mission we are called to. Pray for Daniel and his family in their time of transition as well. And pray for the congregation to embrace these words, which have been pivotal to session over the years: Stay Calm, Stay Connected and Stay the Course.

On Behalf of Session, Julie Bohman