My WHY for Serving as an Interim Minister and Guidance for Those Considering It – Transcript

Jim Latimer
Welcome to Coaching for Interims. We are about empowerment for interim ministers: best practices and quick help from interims for interims – wisdom from the field. My name is Reverend Jim Latimer and today I have the pleasure of speaking with Reverend Philomena Hare. I asked her to speak to her WHY for serving as an interim minister, and to add any guidance or counsel for those thinking of entering this niche of ministry called interim ministry. Philomena, good to have you.

Philomena
Thank you, Jim. My sincere pleasure. Interim ministry – it’s exciting. But I still say it’s not everyone’s call. There are some drawbacks. Sometimes an interim has to live and work far from home. So if your family life situation isn’t atuned to that, that would be a consideration – something to think about. The temporary nature of it may not be suited to everyone. Sometimes, I have found that doing interim work, when people ask, and you say, “Oh, I’m the interim pastor,” sometimes there’s a hint of pity. They think, “Oh, you couldn’t find anything else, and so you’re doing interim.” And when I detect that I go out of my way to talk about the joy of interim work, and that it is indeed a specialized ministry with its own unique calling. It’s not, “Oh, let me do this while I’m looking for my real ministry.” That’s not it. If so, then you’re not doing interim work.

And so for me, it is most important for the interim pastor to be clear about their calling. Because if you are not, you will confuse the congregation. And you will not be helpful in educating, in teaching the congregation to accept and embrace the interim experience. Because otherwise, how does the work get done? Because part of being an interim is constantly helping and teaching the congregation about how this (interim time) is a unique – and for some congregations – a once in a lifetime experience. You are special right now. You have this opportunity to look at your whole life and say, “Where is God leading us?” Congregations with a settled pastor, they’re piecing it together as they’re going along, but this is all you’re focused on right now. How special is that! And to be the one to help and lead and guide a congregation in that way is a special ministry. It’s a unique calling.

Jim Latimer
As you’re speaking, I can tell clearly that it’s a passion of yours and a calling of yours. You’ve thought through carefully your own skill set, as well as your temperament and your personal life, right? All those are important considerations in terms of someone’s WHY for an interim minister – to serve as an interim minister, an intentional interim minister, right? Intentional – not just because they can’t find something else to do. So let me ask you this, Philomena: is your WHY for serving as an interim the same now as it was a few years ago, or maybe when you began? Has it changed?

Philomena
I would say it has changed. It has changed because of more education and building my knowledge base, and interacting with other interims. And of course, with each interim position you’re adding more to your skill set – to your toolbox. I can’t imagine a situation where one would serve and didn’t come away with something new, or maybe you were challenged in some way. But yes, there are lots of growth opportunities. And so that’s why the WHY is not set in stone. I don’t see it that way. You have more experiences and you’re changing along with those experiences. Sometimes in an interim situation you say, “Oh, boy! I learned one thing: this kind of church doesn’t challenge me enough!” I’ve learned that about myself. Or, “This was too difficult for me!” – for a variety of reasons. But each job, each situation, helps you to know yourself a little better.

Jim Latimer
And to be intentional about that, because there’s a real rhythm to this work. As one interim closes you get the chance to consider again: “Am I up for another one?” Or, “What kind of one am I up for?” Or, “Where’s the Holy Spirit in this?” – your own personal discernment each time. That’s good. So thank you, Philomena, very much for sharing your WHY with us, as well as some guidance to those who might be considering it.

Philomena
Thank you, Jim. This has been wonderful! It’s been fun! Thank you.

More Bits Of Wisdom from Rev. Philomena Hare
< < < Back to Rev. Philomena Hare’s Biography