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The regional synod’s new team approach to interim ministry brings expertise and resources together to help churches that are transitioning to a new pastor.  These churches get help managing conflict, developing leaders, assessing church health, and organizing the search for a new pastor.

Sunday worship at New Life Community Church.

Thanks to a new team approach and a vibrant new congregation, Scott Lokers says, his first assignment as a Specialized Transition Minister is “interesting, exciting, and fun.”

Since October 2014, Lokers has been serving New Life Community Church (RCA) in Norton Shores, Michigan, while it’s between pastors. “Todd Bush was planting pastor and he did a lot of good work with this church,” says Lokers. In August 2014 Bush accepted a call to pastor another RCA church in Michigan.

Lokers is serving New Life as a member of the new Great Lakes Region “Transition Services Team. “ Regional executive Rick Veenstra says the team offers greater accountability and support from the region than the traditional specialized transition minister program.

Tim Meendering, another member of the Transition Services Team, is also currently leading a church in transition (Overisel Reformed Church, also located in West Michigan).  In keeping with the team approach, Meendering and Lokers have access to the three members of the Regional Synod Core Leadership Team.

Rick Veenstra and Art Wiers, the regional synod’s church health consultant, both have transition ministry experience.  They are available to coach Lokers and Meendering on the typical needs of a church in transition: conflict management, leadership development, church health assessment, and organizing the process of searching for a new pastor.

In addition, Doug McClintic is the regional synod’s church multiplication consultant. Lokers finds his guidance especially helpful. “Doug has expertise on the issues involved in pastor-transition for a church that is specifically a new church,” says Lokers. “Doug attends some of our consistory meetings, and that is really helpful. His being there will help us do a better job in the search for a new pastor.”

“It’s really great to have access to people who have experience and resources,” says Lokers.

As interim pastor, he preaches and helps with organizational aspects of the congregation. He says he spends about 80 percent of his time investing in New Life Community’s leaders and helping them search for a new pastor. The other 20 percent of his time is spent helping the regional synod with projects such as Ridder Church Renewal.

In addition to being Lokers’ first interim experience, serving New Life Community is another kind of first for him: it’s the first time Lokers has been involved with a brand new church. “The people are so welcoming and accepting, longing to share the gospel and have an impact on their community,” he says. “People come from all walks of life to be part of the congregation, and the goal is to impact people in the community and to welcome people into the church and do that well.”

Lokers says New Life, which currently has 85 to 90 people of all ages attending worship, is looking for a pastor who will develop the leaders within the congregation and who will continue the church-plant momentum of outreach and impact in the community—“someone interested in and natural at building these relationships.”

A few of the ways the church has built relationships with its community are a Hand2Hand ministry providing food for at-risk school kids; a food truck ministry; a comedy event; a neighborhood hot chocolate, cider, and donuts tent on Halloween; and an Easter egg hunt.

 “This is a great young church with lots of potential,” says Lokers. “God’s at work in this congregation.”

To receive support from the Transition Services Team or to find a specialized transition minister for a pastoral transition in your congregation, contact Alison DeBoer: alison@greatlakesrca.org or (616) 698-7071, ext. 1841.