Coaching For Interims

How I get started with a New Congregation: Priorities for the First Day, Week, Month - Rev. Dr. Jill Small. Episode 80

It goes without saying that those first days and weeks as an interim minister with a new congregation are critical to setting expectations and making impressions. Intentional Interim Ministers are always learning and honing their skills at entering a congregation well.
A newbie Interim Minister once asked me how soon should they wait to give feedback to the congregation about what they are seeing and sensing. Rev. Dr. Jill Small, a true interim ministry veteran, speaks directly to this question in this episode titled, “How I get started with a New Congregation: Priorities for the first day, week, month.”
"Who are the people in these pictures?"
"How soon do you want me to tell you what I see?"
For a transcript of this episode, please visit the Coachingforinterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Discerning a good fit for your next interim position - If it seems too good….- Rev. Dr. Laura Barnes. Episode 79

Discerning a good fit for an interim position can be tricky – especially if you have the luxury of being selective. When considering a particular opportunity many questions arise. There are the obvious ones around housing, finances and location. And then there are the less obvious ones: Are your values and their values enough of a match to be able to do real interim work together? And how do you discern this?
Rev. Dr. Laura Barnes, has served interims and settled positions in several denominations and locations around the country and brings a thoughtful voice to this conversation in this episode titled, “Discerning a good fit for your next interim position - If it seems too good….”
Reasons I might say No to an interim job offer (I'm so glad I did my homework)        
A head-based No
A heart-based No
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Working as an Interim Across Denominational Lines - Rev. Lynn Carman Bodden. Episode 78

Most Interim Ministers serve exclusively within one denomination. On occasion, we serve outside of our home denomination out of necessity. In this episode titled, "Working as an Interim Across Denominational Lines," seasoned Interim Minister and long-time IMN faculty member Rev. Lynn Carman Bodden, shares from her own experience how taking an interim job outside of your home denomination can not only make you a more effective interim minister, it can also expand your marketability.
Why taking an interim job outside of your home denomination can make you a more effective interim minister;
Taking a job outside your home denomination can expand your marketability;
Tips for learning the polity of a different denomination;
Tips for managing the differing expectations and cultures of other denominations.
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Walking into Staff Conflict Unawares - Rev. Lynn Carman Bodden. Episode 77

Interim ministers are often confronted with difficult staff issues. In this episode titled, "Walking into Staff Conflict Unawares," seasoned Interim Minister and long-time IMN faculty member Rev. Lynn Carman Bodden, speaks to this issue with particular attention to seeing patterns of conflict within a congregation, and the complexities of multi-staff congregations.
Managing staff conflict;
Seeing the pattern of conflict within the system;
Asking questions they might not think to ask;
Complexities of multi-staff congregations;
Getting clarity about your role vis-à-vis other staff.
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Bi-vocational Ministry: How Might It Work? - Rev. Quentin Chin. Episode 76

Bi-vocational ministry is becoming increasingly common – sometimes out of choice, other times out of necessity. Either way, it’s good to approach it as a form of specialized ministry, thereby alerting its participants to take extra care around issues of boundaries, expectations and the congregation’s obligation to the pastor for fair compensation.
In this episode titled, “Bi-vocation ministry: How might it work?” Rev. Quentin Chin, a veteran of the bivocational space, shares some of the key things needed to make bivocational ministry work well.
Thinking about what else I can do as a bi-vocational pastor;
What is the congregation’s obligation to the pastor in terms of fair pay?
Setting healthy boundaries for time worked as a bi-vocational pastor;
Get agreement on expectations ahead of time;
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Grounding Your Daily Work in Spirit - Rev. Henry Schoenfield. Episode 75

Self-care is vitally important for us pastors, including our own spiritual nurture. Rev. Henry Schoenfield who is not only a skilled interim minister, but also a trained Spiritual Director, offers some very helpful and practical counsel to us busy pastors in this episode titled, “Grounding Your Daily Work in Spirit.”
Intention silence can give structure to your day;
Putting the big "rocks" in first;
How prayer can ground busy ministry days;
The role of surprise and wonder.
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Innovative Practices to Help Engage Younger Generations - Rev. Dawn Adams. Episode 74

“Innovation” is a buzz word these days in conversations about ministry vitality. And it is true that congregations that thrive are usually good at innovating. But what does “innovation” look like? How might smaller congregations and pastors engage it fruitfully? In this episode titled, “Innovative Practices to Help Engage Younger Generations,” Rev. Dawn Adams shares some of her congregation’s innovative adaptions of governance to help engage younger generations, including ways to helps parishioners feel connected to the congregation and serve with joy.
Innovative adaptions of governance to help engage younger generations;
Ways to make it easier for people to say, Yes, to serving;
Innovative ways to helps parishioners feel connected to the congregation and serve with joy;
The Spirit can often work through, No, not just through, Yes.
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Innovating Successfully As a Small Church in a Small Town - Rev. Dawn Adams. Episode 73

“Innovation” is a buzz word these days in conversations about ministry vitality. And it is true that congregations that thrive are usually good at innovating. But what does “innovation” look like? How might smaller congregations and pastors engage it fruitfully? In this episode titled, “Innovating Successfully As a Small Church in a Small Town,” Rev. Dawn Adams shares some of her insights, successes and struggles, particularly with regard to the different needs and expectations of younger generations.
Tips for making innovation and experimentation work for a small church;
Responding innovatively to the different church participation behaviors of younger generations;
Balancing it all: engaging the congregation while also maintaining healthy boundaries;
Examples of successful collaboration with other clergy for worship, Advent, Lent, that lessen one’s work load;
Collaboration should make things easier not harder;
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Why Your Body Budget Matters to the Quality of Your Ministry (or, What Neuroscience Has to Say about Clergy Self-Care) - Rev. Arlen Vernava. Episode 72

No one denies the need for good self-care as an Interim Minister, yet some IM’s suffer in this area. Some of us would be better at it if we could get it out in front of ourselves somehow – manage it like we do the many other tasks and projects. The concept of the “Body Budget” can be the help we need to successfully manage our own self-care. Rev. Arlen Vernava, a skilled Interim Minister and IMN faculty member brings real value to this conversation in this episode titled, “Why Your Body Budget Matters to the Quality of Your Ministry” (or, What Neuroscience Has to Say about Clergy Self-Care)
The 3 components of Body Budget: adequate sleep, nutritious food, exercise;
What to do when your Body Budget is in deficit, but don’t have time to attend to it;
How to advance the work of the church when Body Budget is in deficit;
Body Budget applies at the congregational level too;
For a transcript of this podcast, please visit the CoachingforInterims.com website. In addition, subscribe to this podcast series if you want to be notified when additional podcasts are available.

Is It Ever Okay to Terminate a Staff Member During the Interim Time? - Rev. Dr. Jonathan New. Episode 71

Is it ever okay to terminate a staff member during the interim time? Some experienced interim ministers say that decision should be left to the settled pastor who follows them. Others say that if it’s clear that a staff member is no longer a fit, the interim minister should make sure that staff member does move on so as not to burden the incoming settled pastor. Either way, it requires clear thinking, compassion and some courage.
Savvy transitional minister and vitality expert, Rev. Dr. Jonathan New, brings a lot to the conversation in this episode titled, “Is it ever okay to terminate a staff member during the interim time?”
My take on the role of the interim minister in assessing, firing and hiring staff;
Asking the question: Does this staff member continue to be a fit?
Even if you have the authority, don’t make the decision to terminate by yourself;