HOW TO WELCOME A NEW PASTOR

IN PREPARATION FOR A HEALTHY BEGINNING.

This is a suggestion of an action by a congregation in welcoming their new pastor.

Consider scheduling a lunch about month after s/he arrives to begin his or her ministry. Invite to that lunch three or four pastors from the community. Depending on the community, this may be pastors of the same denomination or neighboring pastors of other denomination. Either choice has value for the incoming pastor. Try to have the lunch in a location where conversation can take place easily. The church could bring the lunch in or find a restaurant that has a small room in which the lunch can take place.

DURING THE LUNCH

When making the invitation to the other pastors, tell them that you want them to meet and share with your newly arrived pastor. Ask them to consider responding to some of the following topics during their lunch.

One, what are some of their major impressions of the community in which the church resides?

Two, what are some of the most valuable resources and contact points that they have discovered are good resources for their ministry?

THREE, What are some of the gifts and strengths that they think the churches in the community offer? Included in that, what are these pastors’ impression of the strengths and gifts of the new pastor’s congregation?

SHARED MINISTRY

What are the areas of ministry that each pastor particularly finds satisfying in their own ministry?

Have any of the churches found some common ministries in which they have cooperated or might cooperate in the future?

TO BEGIN WELL

All of this is designed to acquaint the new pastor with the support for his or her ministry and also to acquaint him with some significant clergy who might later be a source of support. By setting this up at the beginning, the congregation builds support for the incoming pastor and nurtures the possibility of some shared ministry in the community.

NOT JUST FOR NEW BEGINNINGS

With some slight adaptations, some of these ideas might encourage share ministry among those in your neighborhood. It would be a nice session gift of support for their pastor to offer to pay for the lunch.