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in Communion with God and the Holy Spirit

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You are here: Home / Archive / From the Pastor

September 5, 2022

From the Pastor

Ministering in Transition

Rev. Teresa Franklin, Interim Pastor

This past week I attended the second week of The Art of Transitional Ministry, otherwise known as Interim Training, at Montreat Conference Center in the mountains of North Carolina. There I met and studied with about forty other ministers training to become, or to become better, transitional ministers. As the name suggests, transitional ministers are challenged to lead congregations during periods of transition. It could be because the congregation is between pastors. Or the transition may be more general, like the trying times through which we’ve been traveling since March 2020 when the COVID pandemic shut down in-person worship all over the world. Or the transition may be from the familiar functioning of a vital in-town church to the unfamiliar and unwelcome realities of a struggling, small and aging congregation just trying to stay afloat.

The forty of us hailed from all over the eastern United States, from Arkansas to Wisconsin, from Michigan to Pittsburgh, from High Point to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. We came from large multi-staff congregations and from tiny 20-person congregations. We were full-time called and installed, full-time contracted, and part-time contracted pastors. We were women and men, black and white. Yet we had one thing in common: we were serving Christ by serving the Church in challenging times.

Our instructional team consisted of nine ministers with extensive experience leading both congregations and presbyteries through transitions. They taught us theory – family systems, genograms, trauma healing, appreciative inquiry, asset mapping – and allowed us to benefit from their very practical experience. We also learned from one another. One colleague told us about her church’s rummage sale, which had somehow become the most important event on the annual church calendar because it was just so doggone much FUN – for those who ran it – while being a (pain in the rear) point of contention for the rest of the congregation.

It seems there are endless possibilities for ways to mess up being the Church.

As we enter this next stage of preparation for calling the next installed pastor of Nacoochee Presbyterian Church, probably the most important thing for us to remember is to listen to one another. We don’t all have to agree. (As a matter of fact, I think it’s best if we go ahead and plan on uncovering differing opinions about what is most important and why.) But we all do need to listen. The vision that will lead Nacoochee into the next chapter of its life will reveal itself (will arise organically) from our discussions over the next several months about who we are, who we have been, and who we want to be. In Interim Training, I did not learn how to cast a vision for a church in transition. Rather, I learned how to lead conversations as I walk alongside a people on a journey to a future you will discover together, as you listen and remember, listen and imagine, listen and prepare, together.

Blessings,

Teresa

Filed Under: Archive

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Events Calendar

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  • November 2023

Calendar of Events

S Sun

M Mon

T Tue

W Wed

T Thu

F Fri

S Sat

1 event, 29

10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

October 29 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

1 event, 30

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

October 30 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

1 event, 31

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

October 31 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

6 events, 1

7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 1 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

8:30 am - 10:00 am Event Series

Men’s Breakfast at Crossroads Café

November 1 @ 8:30 am - 10:00 am Event Series

Men’s Breakfast at Crossroads Café

10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 1 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

+ 3 More

0 events, 2

0 events, 3

0 events, 4

1 event, 5

10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 5 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

1 event, 6

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 6 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

1 event, 7

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 7 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

5 events, 8

7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 8 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 8 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

11:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Centering Prayer

November 8 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Centering Prayer

+ 2 More

0 events, 9

0 events, 10

0 events, 11

1 event, 12

10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 12 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

1 event, 13

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 13 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

1 event, 14

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 14 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

6 events, 15

7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 15 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

Taizé Service

November 15 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

Taizé Service

We will resume our services in the style of the Taizé community on Wednesday, October 18th. Please note that we are moving the services to 5 pm this year. Our […]

10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 15 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

+ 3 More

0 events, 16

0 events, 17

0 events, 18

1 event, 19

10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 19 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

1 event, 20

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 20 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

1 event, 21

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 21 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

5 events, 22

7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 22 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 22 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

11:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Centering Prayer

November 22 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Centering Prayer

+ 2 More

0 events, 23

0 events, 24

0 events, 25

1 event, 26

10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 26 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

1 event, 27

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 27 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

1 event, 28

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 28 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

4 events, 29

7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 29 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 29 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 29 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

+ 1 More

0 events, 30

0 events, 1

0 events, 2

October 29
October 29 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

October 30
October 30 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

October 31
October 31 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 1
November 1 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 1 @ 8:30 am - 10:00 am Event Series

Men’s Breakfast at Crossroads Café

November 1 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

+ 3 More
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
November 5
November 5 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 6
November 6 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 7
November 7 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 8
November 8 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 8 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 8 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Centering Prayer

+ 2 More
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
November 12
November 12 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 13
November 13 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 14
November 14 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 15
November 15 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 15 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

Taizé Service

November 15 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

+ 3 More
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
November 19
November 19 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 20
November 20 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 21
November 21 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 22
November 22 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 22 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 22 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Centering Prayer

+ 2 More
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
November 26
November 26 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Sunday Service

November 27
November 27 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 28
November 28 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 29
November 29 @ 7:30 am - 8:30 am Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

November 29 @ 10:15 am - 11:00 am Event Series

Tai Chi Chih with Teresa

November 29 @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Event Series

Outside Group Meeting Downstairs Room

+ 1 More
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
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LOCATION

260 GA Highway 255 North
Send mail to PO Box 87
Sautee Nacoochee, GA 30571
(706) 878-2226

SERVICE TIMES

Worship services are held Sundays at 10 am.

Church Office Hours:
Monday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am - Noon

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