Helping People Grow During Transiton

     A group that I have found helpful in some of my interims is the Transition Monitoring Team. The team is to be composed of twenty people from different groups (ages, occupations, interests, proponents, critics) in the congregation: ten selected by the elders, ten volunteers.

     This group is to help the congregation make a good transition (which is growth on the inside – spiritually) while change (finding a new preacher) is happening in this church. It is important for everyone to understand the purpose of this group. It is a monitoring team–not a management team. It has no decision-making power. It's purpose is to facilitate communication to the elders, among people involved in the transition, and to demonstrate that the leaders want to know how things are going for people.

     We can review plans or communications before they are announced and provide ready access to the grapevine so that it can correct misinformation and counter rumors. This group is to function from now until a new preacher is selected. 

     It is good to encourage people to participate in this group because of the benefits: to this church in helping during this important time in its growth and to themselves. The members will develop closer relationships with good people. They will learn more about change, loss, transition, and growth during the events in our lives and they will feel satisfaction that they have contributed to the peace, harmony, and development of the congregation. 

     This group is designed to meet once a month and to give a report to the elders about what people are saying, what people are asking, what people are fearing, and what they are losing. We do not identify the people who make the statements.

     We have three items each month.

• Report from the grapevine—what people are saying.
• Read a chapter from William Bridges’ book, Transitions:  Making Sense of Life’s Changes, and share a “mustard seed” from it.
• Tell how you are doing with the transition in this church and with others transitions in your life.

     It is my observation that people grow in their understanding of themselves and what is happening in the church. From that, they are able to share their understanding with others.  I believe that health is catching as well as disease.

     The concept of a monitoring team and many details are taken from Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, by William Bridges, Copyright © 1991, 2003 by William Bridges and Associates, Inc.

     To buy these books, click on the links below:

     Transitions:  Making Sense of Life’s Changes

     Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change