Should a pastor have contact with his former congregation in the same community?

Help me with an ethical question. Should a pastor who has moved churches in the same community continue to have dinners, coffee and camping trips with members of his former congregation?

ANSWER: If I understand you correctly, your former pastor moved only a short distance away from your church and is now pastoring another church.

When a pastor leaves a congregation, the congregation actually goes through a grieving process similar to when a person has a death in the family. If the former pastor doesn't move far away, this grieving process doesn't happen as it should.

Perhaps more importantly, if a former pastor is still spending time with people from his former church, the new pastor won't be able to pastor effectively.

No, a former pastor should not be spending time with people in his former church.