Comments on: All’s Well that Ends Well

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:27:27 +0000

I made my first appointment transition last year (2007). I didn’t realize it until after my first full year that it took me that whole first year to really grieve leaving my last appointment, especially since it was my first appointment. Also, watch for spiritual attacks during this time. I was beginning to think something was seriously wrong with me until I realized that I was having a normal response to the situation.

By: Lesly

Lesly — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:29:40 +0000

There is a book entitled “Making A Good Move.” (what a creative title.) It’s by Bishop Michael Coyner and it has lots of good advice about making a good move, including chapters on Leaving Well and Letting Go, Leadership Style Makes a Difference, Your First Conflict, and many other very practical topics.
Throughout my 10+ years in the intineracy I have noticed how UM Pastors often blame the “system,” while almost always it was either the Pastor’s decision to move or the Pastor’s decision to not decline the offer to move. I think we as Pastor’s should fess up to our churches. I know we want them to have good thoughts about us after we leave, but I would rather them be mad at me, their former Pastor, than at the denomination. The “system” gets blamed more than it needs to be blamed.
A meeting with the incoming Pastor lasting much longer than 30 minutes is also necessary. Take him/her out to eat. Spend a day with them. Let the congregation see you together around town or even at meetings so they know there is no competition. A good move can by made, but it takes diligence and wisdom.

By: The Thief

The Thief — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:57:10 +0000

I just moved this summer, and for me, leaving well meant preparing the new pastor for success. I put together lists of the way things were done, especially the unspoken rules (so he didn’t get the surprises that I got). I included every list I had, including e-mails and meeting notes.

By: Questing Parson

Questing Parson — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:12:17 +0000

“Leaving well,” what an important concept.

By: Remembering that I have a Reader « deeply committed

Remembering that I have a Reader « deeply committed — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:06:07 +0000

[...] Matt reflects on changing appointments. [...]

By: Delana

Delana — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:32:24 +0000

This is excellent, Matt. I need to pass this one on to our conference at some point…might be a good workshop for our pastors! Thanks for posting it…

By: John B.

John B. — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:51:34 +0000

Somewhere in Edwin Friedman’s Generation to Generation, he says that the way we handle leaving affects the impact of our entire ministry in a place. Part of the idea is that the impression we leave on the congregation affects how they remember our whole time there.

Thanks for the excerpts you gave in this post.