Policy after Parting

The very word, Presbyterian, means that we choose to organize ourselves by electing representatives to governing bodies, most generally referred to as councils, and abiding by the decisions of those councils. The Council for the local congregation is the session, and the geographical region that holds a collection of congregations is called a Presbytery. The council for the denomination as a whole is called the General Assembly.

The documentation for how this is all set up, and certain broad, denominational decisions are in the second part of our constitution, called the Book of Order. In the book of order it states that "After the dissolution of the pastoral relationship, former pastors and associate pastors shall not provide their pastoral services to members of their former congregations without the invitation of the moderator of session." The Committee on Ministry, or COM for short, is responsible for the relationship between our presbytery, Indian Nations Presbytery, and its congregations and the various leaders in ordered ministry who serve the presbytery and the congregations including Ministers of Word and Sacrament. COM in our presbytery has a policy that the following should be published:

“When a pastor resigns from a pastorate, retires from service, or becomes Pastor Emerita/us, that minister shall no longer perform pastoral functions such as weddings, baptisms, funerals, hospital visitation, or counseling. Active or inactive church members shall not request a former pastor to perform pastoral duties. If requested, the pastor shall tactfully decline. On occasion, the pastor or moderator may, with the approval of session/council, invite the former pastor to perform such duties.”

It is important to understand that the General Assembly, the Presbytery, the Committee on Ministry are not the "bad guys" in this policy. I've said many times that the Presbytery is "WE" not "THEY." It is a false characterization to say that Presbytery won't allow me to do a funeral after I've left. More accurate is to say that "WE" have come to realize together that it is best for a congregation to move on from the relationship with their former pastor after they've gone. "WE" have found that this frees the former pastor to focus on discerning or serving the church in another specific call. "WE" have learned that it takes a little time to let go of the last pastor, and asking them to do pastoral functions makes that difficult. "WE" have seen that a congregation can be supportive of their next pastor better if they don't have the emotional relationships with the former pastor still being reinforced by these functional services of ministry. "WE" elected representatives and sent them to councils and trusted them to measure our ministry and make policies for our collective good. "WE" abide by those decisions.

All that seems kinda cold and callous, I suppose. It means that I won't be serving you by performing certain functions that you might think I would. It does not mean that, having grown to love you both as individuals and as a community, I would ever stop loving you or caring about you. For instance, if someone needed a funeral shortly after I depart, I'll try to turn down your request and encourage you to trust and love the one who follows me just as you have trusted and loved me. It doesn't mean I won't grieve alongside you. I will grieve along with those who grieve, I will pray for those who are sick, I will celebrate milestones like births, weddings, and graduations--I will do all of that just as you do it for each other even now.

I know that God has plans for good for this congregation. I am excited to see what happens here after I've gone, and I hope that you will continue doing the good works you are already doing, including participating in Presbytery and the wider denomination, supporting your pastor, and ministering to the neighbors in our community beyond First Presbyterian Church of Pauls Valley.

--Chas