How to Find Interim Ministers in the CRC
Once you know what kind of interim ministry you are looking for, the next step is finding a suitable candidate.
Specialized Transitional Ministers (STM)
Contact Pastor Church Resources (PCR) to have a conversation with one of our Ministry Consultants about whether an STM might be right for your church. PCR can give your council the names and contact information for any STMs who might be available to serve your church.
Note that the demand for STMs is usually greater than the supply. Consequently, not every church that requests an STM is able to retain one. PCR is committed, however, to finding alternative ways of supporting churches attempting to navigate seasons of growth, transition or challenge.
Supply Pastors List
PCR maintains a list of ordained ministers willing to serve churches in an interim capacity. The list is not vetted, except that every year we ask each person on it whether they’d like to remain on the list.
To receive a copy of this list or to add your name to this list, contact Pastor Church Resources.
The Network
The CRCNA Network website is probably the best way to cast a wide net in your search for an interim pastor. The STM program and the Supply Pastor List contain only a fraction of pastors who could serve your church. A post under “church positions” on network.crcna.org will be accessible to candidates you never even considered asking to serve.
Below are links to an article about effective church position posts on the network and a more general article about how the denomination can help during the pastor search process.
https://network.crcna.org/church-positions/tips-effective-church-positions-post-network
Nearby Stated Clerks
Some churches have had success finding an interim pastor by contacting the Stated Clerks of classis near them. Sometimes, a Stated Clerk will be aware of a pastor within their classis who might be open to interim ministry but who is not included on the Supply Pastors List. You can find the contact information for the stated clerks near you at https://www.crcna.org/classis/stated-clerks/stated-clerks-list.
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