By Ken Fletcher

February 1^st2004 my retirement took an unanticipated change when I was asked to take the staff leadership of our church as Transitional Senior Pastor. It was with a significant degree of trepidation that I accepted the assignment, fearing I was stepping into a role that I was not sufficiently trained to fulfill. I discovered that God had prepared me throughout my personal and professional career for this time and situation. It has been a rewarding and growing experience. The setting is different, but the required skill set turned out to be very similar to those I learned and developed over the years in my professional career and in my family relationships.

I believe the most significant contribution I have been able to make is in the area of relational leadership. One of the observations I have tried to internalize over the years is the belief that, in all facets of life, everyone needs to feel a sense of “Significance” and “Security”. If these are missing in people or organizations, then neither the individuals nor the organization are going to function close to their potential. The very nature of the transitional situation and assignment as Transitional Pastor implies that many within the staff, elders, deacons,various ministry teams, and congregation, may be feeling insecure, uncertain and anxious. Therefore, the focus of activity and relationship needs to be around building an environment that fosters comfort, peace, and personal value. I have found my role has focused more on coordinating and facilitating others in their role of ministry. The leadership I have been able to give has been rooted in validating and encouraging individuals, and building their sense of worth as individuals and value to the church. The church needed this visible and tangible leadership more than it needed me as a preacher. It has become apparent to me that the Transitional Senior Pastor does not need to be the preacher/teacher and it may be desirable that he/she not take on that role. My suspicion is that it would be very tempting, in that role, to fall into the role of “telling and teaching the congregation what ‘we think’ they need to know”, rather than leading and facilitating their personal and congregational journey of growth and change.

One of my assignments, for the transitional period, is to provide leadership through overall preaching/teaching theme planning for Sunday worship service. Specific topics, that follow a theme and overall long-term plan, are assigned to various individuals, whether internal or external, for preaching/teaching at the Sunday service. This process of collaborative planning with associates builds security and direction for the whole church providing consistent and focused teaching yet leaves the Transitional Pastor free of the heavy study and preparation load. It is my perception that the preaching/teaching ministry over this last year has been one of the healthiest aspects of this transition period in my present situation. On Sunday, my role is best described as the “Service Coordinator”, where I lead the call to worship, introduce and pray for the speaker, and close the service with prayer and a scripture of benediction. My prominent public role provides “security”, and the assigned teaching topics and themes build “significance” for the congregation. Others of the congregation are involved through participation in planning, on worship teams, by preaching, or through special events. Such involvement builds their sense of “significance” also.

I believe the role of “Transitional Senior Pastor” can be appropriately filled by retired professionals or managers who, have spent their careers successfully providing leadership in the secular world, have a heart for God, have a heart for the church, have provided many years of strong spiritual leadership, and are respected and valued by their peers. By changing our traditional paradigm of “Transitional Senior Pastor” and removing the preaching role from the position, we open the door to a much wider range of capable, talented, caring and Godly leaders to serve our many churches going through transition.

Ken Fletcher and his wife Marylin have two sons and three grandchildren. He has spent 31 years in education as an elementary school teacher and science consultant as well as principal in the Surrey School District.  Ken has traveled to Russia and Kazakhstan where he has been involved in Teacher Education Workshops. Extensive involvement in his church as an elder have given valuable church experience.