What is a Transitional Pastor? How is it different from an Interim Pastor? - These two terms are interchangeable. There has been a shift from the term “interim” toward “transitional” because it carries a more active intentional meaning. For some, the term “Interim pastor” conveys a sense that the church is not in motion or active during the interim period. As a church, we don’t want to be stagnant or immobile as we wait for a new Senior Pastor. We trust that God will use this season to shape us and grow us and mature us. We are looking to Joel to help guide us and lead us in this transition. We will not just bide our time and wait for a new pastor. We will keep on following Jesus boldly and continue to move forward during this transition period.

What does a Transitional Pastor do? - Transitional Pastors have special training and skills to lead churches during periods of turnover. They work to reduce the anxiety in the church, increase the health of the church, and prepare the ground for the new Senior Pastor to succeed.

Why do we need a Transitional Pastor when we have Associate Pastors? - MPC is blessed with an excellent team of Associate Pastors that contribute so much to the life of the church. We cherish their contributions through preaching and worship leading. We will definitely be relying on them to step up in many ways during this transition process. We also recognize that they are currently engaged in a number of areas of ministry they oversee such as youth and children’s ministry, missions and pastoral care, small groups, discipleship, and reaching out to newcomers. We want to see all those areas of ministry at MPC thrive during this transition period.

What is the process and timeline for the permanent Senior Pastor? - A Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) to search for a new Senior Pastor was appointed and approved by the congregation on Sunday, June 6th.  The position and our Church Information Form (CIF) are being posted on employment sites across the country, and we are receiving interest.  The CIF is posted on MPC’s website.