This library of videos come from previous IMN 90 minutes webinars and special permission video recordings. Subscriptions for 6 months to 1 year are available.
Once purchase of a subscription, you will be given unlimited access the webinars/videos for 6 months or 1 year. These videos are for your sole use and can only be accessed through a subscription. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. IMN reserves the right to revoke a subscription without refund if misuse is discovered. See below some of the titles available.
- Review and Update Governance Documents - Rev. Chris Hart
- When Full-Time Costs Too Much - Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver
- Beyond Wishful Thinking: Leading Congregations with Unsustainable Futures - Rev. Diane Kenaston
- Reflecting on Core Issues in the Transition Following a Long-Term Pastor - Pastor Janet S. Peterman
- Challenges, Problems and Conflicts in the System - Rev. Lieve Van den Ameele
- Intelligent Transition - Rev. John Throop
- Hiding in Plain Sight: The Spirituality of Martin Buber - Rabbi Dennis Ross
- Theological Worlds - Rev. Holly MillerShank
- It's Not Your Parents' Church - Norman Bendroth
- Church Amalgamations - Rev. Helen Prior
- Circles of Trust: Transitioning Ministry Outreach - Rev. Dr. Barbara Coeyman
- Agreements and Contracting - Rev. Arlen Vernava
- How Well Can You See Your Story - Rev. Dr. William Thomas
- Biblical Stories on Transition Presenter: Michael Remson
- Change Theories of Transitional Ministry -Norman Bendroth
- Understanding Your Congregational Finances – "An utterly basic view" - Rev. John Keydel
- The Dynamics of Polarization - Rev. Cynthia Vermillion-Foster
- Strategic Planning for Congregations - Rev. Fred Darbonne
- World Café – Rev. Arlen Vernava
- BONUS VIDEOS/WEBINARS/SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Review and Update Governance Documents
Rev. Chris Hart
There are lots of reasons to change your bylaws and the urgency of this work is pressing harder upon us than ever before. The most compelling reason to undertake this work is that most of the systems our bylaws were built on predate the glory days of the 1950’s. While many churches have since revised their bylaws most have only amended a preexisting definition of church. I believe these models to be ill equipped to handle the complexity of ministry in the twenty-first century. The premises our structures were built around have shifted so dramatically that we need to reimagine how to organize for ministry so we can thrive in the future. BUT HOW do we approach such a task. During our time together we will highlight why the work is critical to effective ministry and approaches to undertake the task, participant will get both an overview and practical skills for the task.
Pastor Chris is a poet, storyteller, process theologian, Professional Transition Specialist, consultant, revitalization pastor, artist and a frisky fusion of science and faith. He is committed to helping the church of today emerge into the twenty second century. Pastor Chris is dedicated to the excellent Transitional Ministry and is a faculty member with the Interim Ministry Network. He uses an empowering and adaptive leadership style to help communities of faith to grow, and change. He is passionate about worship that is fresh, creative, engaging, and participatory.
When Full-Time Costs Too Much: Creating Part-Time Pastorates for Full-Time Churches
Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver
Many congregations face the financial reality that compensating a pastor for full-time ministry is unsustainable. This could be the “beginning of the end” for a church. Or, with careful and creative discernment, it could be a moment of resurrection for the entire congregation as lay members are empowered to use their gifts alongside a part-time pastor to continue and enhance vital ministries without the anxiety provoked by unsurmountable budget challenges. In this webinar, we will discuss resources and tips for the conversations with leadership groups and the congregation as well as pros and cons, examples of part-time models, and concerns to address during the planning process.
Helpful resources for attendees are “Part-Time is Plenty: Thriving Without Full-Time Clergy” by G. Jeffrey MacDonald (2020, Westminster John Knox) and denominational guidelines for compensation and work expectations.
About the Presenter:
Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver is a United Church of Christ (UCC) pastor who has made transitional ministry her specialty after discovering that much of her life has been about transitions and problem solving for businesses and congregations. She is currently the ¾ time Interim Pastor and Teacher at The Congregational Church of Mansfield, UCC, in Mansfield, Massachusetts, where she worked with the transition/profile team to create a part-time profile for the new settled pastor search, which is ongoing. Previously, she served as Interim Pastor and Teacher at First Church of Christ, Congregational, UCC, in North Conway, New Hampshire; and as pastor in Schellsburg, Pennsylvania and as associate in Attleboro, Massachusetts, in both cases doing work similar to that of an interim at the beginning of the calls. Between seminary and ordination, she was known as the “system fix-it woman” in two different temporary placement agencies for her ability to assess and correct office operational systems and dynamics that led to rapid turnover in administrative personnel. Rev. Shaver earner her M.Div. at Boston University School of Theology and her D.Min. at Lancaster Theological Seminary. She resides in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and fills the other quarter of her work time with course writing and course facilitation for PATHWAYS Theological Education, Inc., a non-seminary program for lay education, ministry preparation, and clergy continuing education.
Beyond Wishful Thinking: Leading Congregations with Unsustainable Futures
Presenter: Rev. Diane Kenaston
Interim ministers can find themselves leading congregations with a reality gap: the congregation is not facing reality for the present and/or the future. Congregations in denial about the current state of their congregation can have identity issues. What they see in themselves fails to match today’s reality. This occurs, for example, when a clergyperson enters a congregation and realizes they can’t afford to be staffed at their current level. When congregations do face their current reality, they can still have a reality gap as they think about their future. Struggling congregations can suffer from “wishful thinking” where they pin their hopes on a magical “turn-around” future. These congregations in numerical decline create unrealistic expectations for their next pastor. Others approach the future more realistically but they feel hopeless and don’t know what to do next. The congregation waffles between “positive thinking” (wishfulness) and “negative thinking” (hopelessness) – and in either case, they don’t feel they have any agency over their future. This webinar will make the case that perpetuating wishful thinking is a betrayal of the theological claim of hope.
Ministers who suspect that closure, merger, or other major changes could be in their congregation’s future must hold up a mirror to the congregation, help them to face reality, and move from wishful thinking to the hope grounded in their sacred stories. They will need to equip congregations with the spiritual practices that will sustain them through massive upheaval. Some interim ministers will be laying the groundwork for the next settled pastor to lead changes like closing, merging, restarting, or relocating. Other interim ministers, however, may need to lead an intentional discernment process and guide the congregation through dissolution. There is a continuum of possible responses. Regardless of where they find themselves on this continuum, interim ministers who enter these conversations must expand the concept of “healthy farewell” from the exit of one clergyperson to facilitating healthy farewells for an entire congregation and its institutional identity.
Rev. Diane Kenaston (she/her) is a United Methodist elder with ten years of experience pastoring churches in West Virginia and Missouri in the United States. She is now a clergy coach based out of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and a founding member of the Good Friday Collaborative, a ministry supporting congregational leaders whose churches are faithfully concluding existing ministry.
REFLECTING ON CORE ISSUES IN THE TRANSITION FOLLOWING A LONG-TERM PASTOR
A workshop led by Interim Pastor Janet S. Peterman
Our training in systems dynamics as intentional interim pastors helps us to understand the interrelatedness of pastoral changes and other shifts in a congregation. Before beginning transitional ministry, ELCA Pastor Janet Peterman served one inner city congregation for 24 years. Four of seven of the interim placements she served after have followed long-term settled pastors. Through these combined experiences, Pastor Peterman has perceived a pattern in the core issues facing congregations and their leaders in transitions following long term pastorates. Focusing on these core issues makes transitional work more effective.
In this webinar, we will consider the typical dynamics that occur in the role of the Pastor as pastoral tenures stretch beyond 12-15 years; how that pastoral shift causes a shift in others’ roles around them; and the cluster of issues facing a congregation and its leaders as the Pastor leaves. These include grief, though not simply understood as sadness; difficulty with understanding congregational identity, apart from the departing leader; leadership struggles; boundary issues; special care needed in defining the role of the new pastoral leader sought; and difficulties often experienced when teams choose a new pastor.
The session will be interactive. Tools, best practices, and resources will be shared by the instructor. Participants are also invited to bring resources to share.
Janet S. Peterman is an inner-city ELCA (Lutheran) pastor living with her family in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the eastern US. She has served the last 16 years of her ministry in seven (7) intentional ministry settings in 3 synods. She has reached the Professional Transition Specialist (PTS) level of accreditation through the Interim Ministry Network (IMN). When not in active ministry, she gardens, bikes, hikes and takes joy in friends, family and photography.
CHALLENGES, PROBLEMS AND CONFLICTS IN THE SYSTEM
REV. LIEVE VAN den AMEELE
When do we need Adjustment thru Conversation and when is Mediation appropriate?
As a matter of fact, we tend to see problems all around: Major problems – minor problems, and what to do? The narratives of our day and age tend to thrive on problems, whereas oftentimes a serious conversation could lead to workable adjustments. And thus add to more happiness and satisfaction down the road.
My primary goal as a Congregational Consultant is to slow down the process, look more carefully and facilitate deep listening. As a trained Transition Minister, my focus (regarding potential problems) is on: what can we handle within the system and what needs an all sided view from the outside (= facilitator)?
On the other hand, a lack of resources or different opinions about how to deal with occurring issues, is not necessarily a reason to call on Mediation or any other big problem solving. In fact the simple idea of having a problem, may send the anxiety beyond measuring. More so in belief an conscience based systems.
In this webinar/workshop we will look at the difference between normal outcomes, tasks, challenges and problems. We will also look at the flow that brings us down the scale and eventually up again.
In the second part we will look at Mediation. How does it work in different steps and when is it applicable and promising enough to give it a try?
Rev. Lieve Van den Ameele is an ordained minister in the Protestant Church in Hesse and Nassau, Germany – partner church to the UCC (New York Conference). She is a trained Interim Minister and Professional Transitional Specialist with IMN. Lieve has served as a local pastor in Belgium and Germany. And has been a settled pastor as well as an Interim Minister. She is a trained Congregational Consultant and has facilitated in many congregational settings. She is a co-host to an VSG and also to the International VSG with IMN. She lives in Bad Ems – in the Koblenz area.
Intellegent Transistion
Rev. John Throop
We know from interim ministry training—especially through IMN—that there’s a defined process for congregational transition hidden within the process are dynamics of change requiring attention by the interim minister and judicatory supervisors. There’s a transitional quotient. We’re familiar with IQ (intelligence quotient) that measures how a person deals with “hard data.” More recently, we have learned how to gauge EQ (emotional quotient), known as “emotional intelligence.” One more practice: SQ (spiritual quotient)—the spiritual readiness of a congregation. This webinar explores how these three approaches can bring about effective and lasting transition—and, perhaps, transformation.
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Spirituality of Martin Buber
Rabbi Dennis Ross
Rabbi Dennis Ross, author of the newly published, A Year with Martin Buber: Wisdom from the Weekly Torah Portion, will describe how the teachings of the great twentieth-century Jewish thinker Martin Buber bring us to spirituality in the daily routine.
Presenter:
Rabbi Dennis Ross is the author of the newly published A Year with Martin Buber: Wisdom on the Weekly Torah Portion for the Jewish Publication Society’s Daily Inspiration Series. He has also written God in Our Relationships: Spirituality between People from the Teachings of Martin Buber, When a Lie Is Not a Sin: The Hebrew Bible’s Framework for Deciding (Jewish Lights), All Politics Is Religious: Speaking Faith to the Media, Policy Makers and Community (SkyLight Paths), and The Ten Commandments: From the Shadow of Eden to the Promise of Canaan (Bibal). Rabbi Ross has written for the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Forward and other publications.
Rabbi Ross. MSW, LCSW, is an Intentional Interim Rabbi in the greater New York City area with specialized training and experience supporting congregations in transition. He is now at Temple Am Echad, Lynbrook, N.Y. and has served synagogues in Manhattan, Chappaqua, Neponsit, Monroe and Albany, N. Y., Summit, N. J., Washington, D. C., and Pittsfield and Worcester, Mass. He is Acting Interim Program Specialist at the Central Conference of American Rabbis where he develops, trains and supports interim rabbis. He is a member of the interfaith Board of the Interim Ministry Network devoted to advancing best practices for clergy in interim pulpits.
Rabbi Ross also directs Concerned Clergy for Choice at Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts. He travels from the Northeast to speak with Jewish groups and many other faith communities about Jewish spirituality, reproductive rights and other topics.
His web site is www.DennisRoss.net.
Theological Worlds
Rev. Holly MillerShank
It’s Not Your Parents’ Church
Norman Bendroth
In 1988 General Motors tried to market its Oldsmobile brand to a younger generation to boost their lagging sales and overcome the perception that an Olds was and old man’s car. After showing a sporty new model, the background voice pronounced, “It’s not your father’s Oldsmobile.” Unfortunately, the strategy didn’t work, and the stolid Oldsmobile was dropped from GM’s line. Many of our congregations find themselves in a similar situation. The church and synagogue today is not the one they grew up in. This webinar will explore how the culture has changed, the church has changed, and the mission has changed in the past half-century and how it impacts ministry today. It is designed not only to inform transitional leaders, but to also help local congregations understand our current context.
Church Amalgamations
Rev. Helen Prior
Can We Talk Closing, Merging, and Right-Sizing. In an age when demographics are challenging congregations to thrive, we will explore how to help navigate conversations that lead to faithful discernment. This time will be an opportunity to share experiences, questions, and potential challenges. Our exploration will include grief, culture, legacy, different options regarding merging, and the use of the 5 c’s (curiosity, creativity, co-operation, collaboration, and courage) to help shift congregations from palliative numbness into a life-giving and viable ministry.
Helen Prior is an Ordained Interim Minister in the United Church of Canada. Over her 30 years in ministry she has served four pastoral charges as a settled minister, and completed seven intentional interim ministries in Saskatchewan, and southern Ontario. She has served as faculty since for the Interim Ministry Network since 2017. Helen has a reputation for using her pastoral skills and sense of humour to invite congregations into dialogue, and helping polarized groups come closer together. Helen has helped churches discern to amalgamate, disband or close. Most recently she completed a three way amalgamation where formerly floundering congregations are now thriving. When away from work Helen enjoys being walked by her pups, being staff to her cats, travel, good music and spending time with friends and family.
CIRCLES OF TRUST:
TRANSITIONING MINISTRY OUTREACH, PERSONAL SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
Rev. Dr. Barbara Coeyman
“Circles of Trust” is a small group ministry which explores the inner teacher in each of us and builds compassionate relationships with others. Through personal reflection, deep listening, open and honest questions, and clearness committees, we build trust in our authentic selves and in one another. “Circles of Trust” draws from the spiritual writing of Quaker Parker Palmer.
This webinar will be an introduction to some of the practices in the “Circle of Trust” method, to include explanation of the Touchstones, the covenant on which this program is built; habits of deep listening; and discernment of a reading or poetry which invites exploration of the theme of “transitioning.” This practice which expands habit of compassionate communication offers helpful resources for the toolbox of interim ministry and also builds interpersonal connections among participants in the Circle. For more about the “Circles of Trust” practice, see Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward An Undivided Life.
Rev. Dr. Barbara Coeyman is an Accredited Interim Minister in the Unitarian Universalist Association. She is also a credentialed Facilitator with the Center for Courage and Renewal (CCR), the sponsoring institution of “Circles of Trust.” A member of IMN for the past decades, she has led several workshops during annual IMN conferences. She is completing a two-year interim at the UU Church of Muncie Indiana, her eighth transitioning ministry position. For more on CCR, see www.couragerenewal.org.
Agreements and Contracting
Rev. Arlen Vernava
Agreement-making – what many names “contracting” – invites Practitioner and Faith Community into relationship. More than fiduciary due diligence, Agreement-making joins you to one another, the first moves in establishing mutual trust and respect. Here the Practitioner discerns if they can help and the Faith Community expresses the help they need. Here the transition-time journey takes shape.
Agreement-making Webinar will explore this process and provide one framework for discernment and decision.
How Well Can You See Your Story is a ninety minute ZOOM based practical application that builds a reflective skill set that, with practice, puts the participant both on the dance floor and in the balcony. Bill Thomas teaches holding a short written narrative in conversation with a visual expression of the stimulus and response found within that story. The dance floor is the experience of the story and the visual expression (found in Thomas’ Anxiety Response Chart) interprets the story as if observing from the balcony with a wider perspective. The webinar participant will develop a competence in self-reflective practice that delivers a visual balcony perspective while engaged in the action of the dance floor.
Thomas will demonstrate a basic visual practice that interprets stimulus and response from the narrative using the tripartite brain (Automatic Pilot, House of Emotion, Thinking Cap). Using Core Values / Guiding Principles as well as Systems Theory, the Capacity Challenge is identified and a Learning Statement developed.
An eleven minute video from the movie Adventure in Baltimore serves as a case study and recaps the fictional story set in 1905 of Dr. Andrew Shelton, an Episcopal Priest. How well participants can see Dr. Shelton’s story will help them see their own story.
Biblical Stories on Transition
Rabbi Michael Remson
The Israelites left Egypt as a group of tribes with a “mixed multitude.” At Sinai they became a nation united under a set of laws. Under Joshua that nation became landed, and under Saul and David they transitioned into a kingdom.
In this webinar we will look at aspects of these transitions and discuss what was done well and what mistakes were made. We will use this discussion to reflect on our own transitional leadership.
Participants should have a Bible at hand.
Change Theories of Transitional Ministry
Norman Bendroth
William Bridges has said that the hardest part of change for people and institutions is not change per se, but transition. Change is inevitable, but transition is unsettling and scary. The Bible is rich with stories of change and transition and how God worked in the midst of them. This webinar will supplement those stories by looking at four theories of understanding and helping congregations move through transition. It will also equip the pastoral leader to initiate and navigate the change process.
Understanding Your Congregational Finances – “An utterly basic view”
Rev. John Keydel
This webinar is designed to revisit the most basic and foundational aspects of congregational finances: the interlocking elements of the balance sheet and income statement, the role of the planning tool popularly known as the Budget, and some conversation about endowments (vs savings) and designated funds….
THE DYNAMICS OF POLARIZATION
Rev. Cynthia Vermillion-Foster
Coming Soon
Our culture is experiencing more and more polarization, deepening our sense of isolation and causing rifts in our society and our spiritual communities. In this 1.5-hour workshop, we will explore the dynamics of polarization, and how it forms and discuss methods of staying present and engaged when we find ourselves in polarizing conversations.
Rev. Cynthia Vermillion-Foster creates spaces for individuals and communities to discover, and unleash their full potential. An ordained Unity minister of 25 years, Cynthia served as the Director of Member Services for Unity Worldwide Ministries for 5 years. Prior to this, she served as the Regional Consultant and Regional Representative for Canada for 10 years. In these roles, Cynthia had the privilege of supporting, coaching and consulting with ministries throughout the US and Canada. Cynthia also served on the UWM’s Ethics Review Team for 10 years including 2 years as Chair of the team. With her husband, Rev. Don Foster, Cynthia served ministries in Chantilly, VA and Hamilton, ON. She is the 2016 recipient of Unity Worldwide Ministries’ Myrtle Fillmore Award and Unity Canada’s 2017 Northern Lights Award.
Strategic Planning for Congregations
Rev. Fred Darbonne
Strategic planning is just as critical for congregations as other organizations, even more so for those in transition. The congregational plan includes the basics of standard strategy practice, adding the work of prayerful discernment of what God is calling the congregation to be and to do right now. Strategic ministry planning addresses the three questions of “Who are we?” “Who is our neighbor?” and “What is God calling us to do?” posed by Alice Mann and Gil Rendle in their work, Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations. Strategic planning can be an umbrella methodology for working through the interim ministry focus points and creating a fruitful ministry future.
We will look at the basics of strategic planning and review a sample facilitation process that you can use in your ministry setting. We will discuss the formatting of a strategic plan and a monitoring and implementation process. You will gain a starting foundation for developing your skills in this vital tool.
WORLD CAFÉ
Rev.Arlen Vernava
Are you a Leader managing transition? Are you part of a Team preparing for change? Are you providing help to an organization/congregation and their leaders in their season of change and transition? And are you one who has little or no familiarity with World Café? Welcome! Your use of this discovery tool:
- designs and leads meaningful and creative conversation for groups and organizations
- congregations of all sizes
- creates collaborative consensus outcomes
- engages equitably across age cohort, life and education experience, gender, race and culture
A World Café in practice: offers a template for addressing big picture questions like: “what is our organization’s purpose?” and granular decisions: “of these three, what do we choose to do?” Essentially World Café advances discovery, clarity, and or implementation by and with the “whole” community.
This webinar will best serve practitioners with no World Café leadership experience who are confident facilitators. We will use our time to explore this tool, understand its process and design, and consider implementation for in-person and virtual gatherings.
BONUS VIDEOS/WEBINARS/SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
These webinars are pulled from IMN Conferences or Special Support of the Network.
Current Videos:
- Roy Oswald’s “Why you Should Develop a Pastor-Parish Relations Committee?”
- Roy Oswald’s “Why Should YOu Give your Pastor a Sabbatical?
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