When Change Comes





Last week I attended an Alban Institute seminar on “Leading Churches in Change.” The session was poignant for several reasons. One reason is that I need to learn how to effectively lead a congregation in changing times – and as we know change is the one constant in the universe. The other reason, as I’ve noted previously, is that I’m facing change personally.

At this moment, I’m in the final stages of negotiating a call to pastor a church in the metro-Detroit area. Their church council votes next Monday and we will meet the congregation at the end of the month. It’s both exciting and terrifying. The deal is not set in stone – it could fall apart or we could decide to stay put. I revealed last night to my current board the state of things. There were tears and words of thanks. I’ll be forever grateful to the Lompoc congregation, for they welcomed me as their leader when I was hurting and unsure about my own call to ministry. They nurtured that calling back to health. They don’t willing part with me, which is a wonder feeling.

But back to the issue of change: We leave Southern California for a region we’ve never lived in, have no friends or family, and a place that weather wise is very unlike our current situation. If we had moved to Lompoc, there would have been a minor change in weather compared to Santa Barbara, but nothing like this. We leave behind that which we know for something unknown. But it’s that sense of adventure that kicks in, at least for awhile. I’m excited about the possibilities and aware of the challenges. I go to pastor a congregation with a long and important history, a history that in some ways clings to the congregation and holds it back. We will have to address these concerns over time.

In the sessions with Gil Rendle, our leader, we learned about change and leadership. We learned that conflict isn’t bad; it’s a question about how we deal with it. We learned strategies and concepts. One of the conversation pieces that has been most helpful in my current situation is the idea of a “roller coaster of change.” Like a roller coaster we start out high, and then dip through emotions like anger and grief, all of which are necessary as we let go – kind of like your stomach dropping out on a roller coaster. Finally you hit bottom, and find yourself in a time of uncertainty and confusion (this is where I find myself now). I’m ready to go, but I don’t sleep well because all kinds of conflicting emotions are running through my mind. I’m solving problems in the new church without having any sense of context and collaborators. A time will come, relatively soon, when we will begin heading up the other side – the point of a new start. It will be exciting, but right now I’m caught in the middle. But, whereas I’ve hit bottom, many of my congregants are in the place of having to let go. They are behind me in the process. They too will find their way up the other side; they’re just not there yet.

Change isn’t easy, but it’s part of life. Sometimes there are no obvious solutions, we just have to go along for the ride and experience the presence of God in the midst of things.
Cross published at Faithfully Liberal.

Comments

Anonymous said…
God bless on the journey.

Did they discuss the Storm, Form, Norm, and Perform model at the Alban seminar?
Robert Cornwall said…
Drew,

Thanks for the good wishes -- but now Gil didn't talk about the Storm, Form, Norm, and Perform model. Sounds like something out of the 1st Gulf War!
Robert Cornwall said…
I must be half a sleep -- it's no not now!
roy said…
Bob, you continue to be in my prayers. The weather will be the most visible but least extreme of the changes you will experience if you move to greater Detroit. The culture shock will be huge... but as you said, change is not a bad thing and being a foreigner will give you a different perspective on things there which could be very helpful for the congregation.

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