Ending Well and Starting Well

Saying good-bye to your current pastor/congregation and preparing to begin ministry with a new pastor/congregation is part and parcel of the itinerant ministry of United Methodist Church.  Whether this is the first pastoral transition you have experienced or the tenth, the season of transition is one of much work, many emotions and great opportunity.  The change of pastoral leadership is an important time in the life of the congregation and a pastor’s ministry; and we want to help you handle it well.  We are praying for you, your congregation, your pastor and for the pastor whom God is preparing to serve in your congregation next.

As Regional Missional Specialists for the West Ohio Conference, we have gathered resources and weaved in our experiences and learning to create these Ending Well and Starting Well resources for you.  They include:

• Ending Well Transition Packets, one customized for the local church and one customized for the pastor.  They include individual pages on topics such as Communicating Well, Recognizing the “Lasts,” Welcoming Your New Pastor, and helps for navigating the first weeks of an appointment.  There is also a Transition Checklist to assist in transitioning ministry and an Introduction Checklist to assist with the administrative tasks.  These are available for download below.
• Starting Well Equipping Sessions will be offered throughout the conference and designed for the pastor and SPRC/Lead Team members to attend together.  While scheduled per district, you can register for the session when your team is available. 

Please take advantage of these resources and share them with the leadership in the local church.  We are available to support you in developing your plan and navigating your particular transition.

Prayers for the journey,
Wendy Lybarger (Great Miami River District and Scioto River District, wlybarger@wocumc.org)

Mary Sullivan (Maumee River District and Western Lakes District, msullivan@wocumc.org)

Sara Thomas (Hocking River District and Olentangy River District, sthomas@wocumc.org)

Regional Missional Specialists

All documents below are for the church's use, with the exception of those labeled with Pastor in the title.

All documents below are for the pastor's use, with the exception of those labeled with Church in the title.