First appointment season enlightening

Lesson from the Cabinet

A friend in ministry said to me recently, “You jumped into the deep end of the pool coming into your responsibilities as a district superintendent when you did.” It was a great image, the image I had been searching for to describe what it has been like to become a district superintendent at the same time that the pastoral appointment season began.
As soon as he said that, I remembered how terrified I was at my swimming lessons when I was 9 years old. I was standing on the high diving board, ready to launch myself into the deep end of the pool from that height.
To be perfectly honest, I didn’t have sense enough this time to be terrified.
Here’s what I have learned in my first appointment season:
1. God works in mysterious ways through the appointment process.
Some would say that God is not in the process at all. Some would say that only divine intervention created their particular appointment. My theology tells me that God works within the means of grace provided and through the people involved and that how that happens is mysterious. I can see that, as with other church matters, God is able to use the frailties of the Cabinet, the pastors and churches to work for good.
2. Churches and church members are a lot more flexible in this process than I expected.
This year, as in all others, churches that wanted their pastors back again were asked to give those pastors up to a change for the greater good of the annual conference. Yes, there was anger and disappointment, some expressed and some hidden, but ultimately, those churches embraced the pastoral change. That is worthy of significant celebration!
3. There are lots of surprises along the way.
Sure, the Cabinet goes to a lot of trouble through consultation with pastors and local churches in the fall to create a preliminary inventory of changes in January from which the initial work is done. But all along the way, right up to the last Cabinet meeting and beyond, there are surprises. That’s part of why the flexibility of churches is deeply appreciated.
4. Honest, open communication is crucial.
This point is no surprise, of course. I made the first mistakes of the season by not being familiar with some pastors’ personal circumstances. As a Cabinet, we’ve decided to improve our consultation form to hold pastors and ourselves accountable for legitimate personal concerns. But that is just one example of the many, many ways we all need to be talking openly and honestly to each other in this process.
5. The entire process takes more blood, sweat and tears than anyone can imagine until you are seated at the table as a Cabinet member.
My friends who have served have told me that, and frankly, I didn’t believe them. Now I do.
You have been praying for this process. Continue to do so. God uses all the resources we provide to work for good for the sake of Jesus Christ.