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November 11th.
2009
WHAT'S NEXT...
Let me begin by thanking you for your kind and
encouraging words. I particularly appreciate the conversations where we
are able to acknowledge the sense of loss that comes with this type of
transition.
What’s next – Your Senior Warden, Rob Hartman and I have begun to meet
to do what he likes to call a “data dump:” This refers to the ‘What,
when, where, and how’ of all the things that I have done or do on a
regular basis. Rob is committed to not “dropping any of the balls during
this time of transition, and as such wants to be as informed as
possible.
Second, Rob has already begun a conversation with Bishop Waggoner about
the transition. My sense is that in short order the bishop and or one of
his representatives will be out to meet with the vestry to discuss the
process.
Included in this conversation will be a discussion as to who will be
serving as the priest for ECOR. Fear not, they will work with the
leadership to make sure that Sundays are covered. They will explore the
possibility of an interim.
Either way it is important to make clear – as I have been asked this
more than a few times – that I don’t leave one day and a new person
shows up the next. And beyond logistics, let me share with you why that
does not happen.
It is important that ECOR has some time to, as it were, “decompress”
from your present priest. When transitions in clergy leadership happen
too quickly they almost never turn out successful. The reason is that
the selection of the next clergy leader is too closely tied to the last
one. What generally happens is that folks who loved the previous person
want to clone them and those who did not try to get the exact opposite.
Neither response is helpful or healthy.
Quite apart from the clergy leader, the church needs to determine and
discern a couple of things: Who are we now? Who do we believe God is
calling us to be? Then after that, What kinds of gifts are we looking
for in our next clergy leader that will assist us in becoming the people
God is calling us to be?
The plan is that Christmas Eve will be our last service at ECOR. Our
family will then celebrate Christmas, and then off we go on our next
adventure. And thus begins ECOR’s next adventure as well. Fear not - God
will bless both our journeys!
Blessings,
The Rev. Brian N. Prior, Rector
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