Dear Church Family,
Ordained/Installed/Certified/
In every institution there are words that are unique to that group of people, and understanding them often requires a lexicon or an advanced degree. But we dare not oversimplify certain terms because they do have significant meanings which merely require explanation.
On May 5th, I will be ordained and installed as your Certified Transitional Pastor. What does all that mean? You might be saying, “We like you the way you are now, will you change?” The short answer is, “No, I will keep doing the things I’ve been doing but with some added authority.”
To begin with, as an Ordained pastor I am affirmed by our governing body in our denomination (ECO- Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians) to pastor a local body of believers. I am accountable to them to practice sound theology and to lead our church according to the denominational constitution. I am also able to administer the two sacraments: The Lord’s Supper and Baptism, and moderate Session.
To be Installed, is to be commissioned for a time to serve a church. I am your pastor to lead, preach, moderate Session and be God’s full-time servant in your midst. (And actually I just learned that since I am your Transitional Pastor, I will not be installed.)
As your Transitional pastor it is my role to do all the above but also to help prepare you for your next minister. Any pastor inputs his/her personality on a call, but I am doing this a little more quickly. There’s a sense of urgency to deal with the past (good, bad and ugly), work in the present by equipping leaders, faithfully governing according to the Word of God and looking into the future and asking the hard questions.
I am Certified by our denomination. Again, I am held accountable to the standards of Scripture as well as best practices in leadership and church governance. I am regularly attending trainings both online and at ECO headquarters in Irving, TX. I also meet virtually with a coach who asks me challenges and encourages me to lead in a godly and biblical manner.
Last September Tracy and I attended our first training session in this area of transitional ministry. After serving churches, nonprofits and teaching overseas, we felt that this is an area that best uses my gifts. My coach, those doing the training and our denomination have all affirmed this, so we will finish out my career over the next ten years by serving churches in this way.
I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve 1st Presbyterian Monte Vista. I cannot imagine a better place to begin this ministry than here.
Tomorrow we’ll continue in Isaiah looking at Chapters 8 and 9.
God Bless,
Allen
