Rebuilding after pastor retirement

What should a church do when a pastor steps down suddenly?

Answer: The first thing to do is celebrate the ministry of your pastor. Honor him with a farewell celebration. Have different people tell how much they appreciate your pastor and his family. Make and run a video presentation of pictures of his ministry with you. Then have a few individuals pray for him in his future adventures.

Then, take a deep breath. Realize that it will be months before you get a new pastor. Prepare yourself for a time of grief over the loss of your pastor.

Then, it is probably best to choose an Interim Pastor.

Once he is chosen and in place, it will be time to move through the process of finding a new pastor. I recommend you use the book, "Confirming the Pastoral Call" by Joseph Umidi as a resource for your search.

Then, start building excitement for the new phase of your church ministry.