I'm a member of the 7th Episcopal District (South Carolina). In December 2001, my pastor was assigned to pastor another church within the local district. It is now May 2002, and our church still does not have a pastor. We have been told that an appointment will be made soon, but nothing happens. Our presiding elder has done an excellent job filling in as our interim pastor, but now the congregation is getting anxious.

My question is, How long should a church be without a pastor? Is there a certain time period that a pastorship be filled? Now we have been told that we won't reecieve a pastor until the annual conference in August 2002!!!! Is this really fair?

Someone please advise.

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2002

Answers

Bro. Wiggins,

All things work together for good especially to those who love the Lord. Your Presiding Elder is to be commended for caring for that congregation and for using a watchful eye and Godly judgement. It is not unreasonable for an appointment not to takeplace until the Annual Conference.

An old preacher, the late Rev A Lewis Williams, once made the statemnt, "GOD is with the AME CHurch, for we would have destroyed it a long time ago."

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2002

Brother James hold on for God is watching over your church. Union Bethel Church in Great Falls, Montana went TWELVE YEARS without a pastor the presiding elders would occasionally come and preach. But the small church kept showing up on Sunday waiting on the lord. God has blessed this church and two years ago they got a pastor. It is a perfect match for all of them. They are very happy with the work they are doing. Keep posting on the board and let us encourage you and the congregation to hold on to Jesus. God has not forgotten you. By the way one of the things that happened in that church while they were waiting 12 years for a pastor, the laity developed strong leadership skills and their faith got stronger.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2002

Bro James the bible says be anxious for nothing but by prayer and supplication let your request be made known unto God. Call the church to pray and allow your prayers at this time to put God and his heavenly archangels to work on your behalf so that when the pastor comes you will know that God has sent him and not the bishop.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2002

Brother James, Encourage the church to use this time of anxious energy to pray, fast and seek God for the leader He wants to lead your church. Pray that God prepare a pastor for your church and prepare your chruch for the coming pastor. New leader is always difficult for both church and pastor and this time can be a great oppotunity to pave the way for Godly and empowered transition.

Be blessed in your journey!

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

Brother Wiggins I just want to encourage you and the congregation to have confidence in knowing that God works all these concerns out. He does get the glory in all of this. I came to a church that had been without a pastor for five months and it was being covered by the Presiding Elder. But it was a glorious time for the congregation and it provided the presiding elder an ample opportunity to get to really know the congregation and be able to adequately evaluate the needs of the church. This I believed helped both the bishop, the presiding elder and congregation in having the person who God wants to be the pastor. So just continue to pray and ask God to guide the hearts and minds of the bishop and presiding elder as He will give them the name of the person who He wants to pastor the church.

-- Anonymous, June 06, 2002