The following note was sent to the congregation in First Light on September 6, 2024.

Forming the Transition Team

The Transition Team is one of the key components of the transitional process. Its ultimate goal, alongside supporting the Interim Minister, is to discover the congregation’s vision of its future and a path to get there. Members of this team must be ready to embrace appreciative enquiry and be inspired by both uncertainty and change as it works to build congregational alignment.

The Transition Team (5-9 members) will advise and consult with the Interim Minister on a regular basis, communicate and bear witness to the fact that transition is ultimately work of the congregation, organize specific activities to support the congregation in preparing for the future, and facilitate two-way communication with members of the congregation.

Transition Teams generally meet a couple times per month for the first 4 to 6 months of the interim time. After that, the meetings may get stretched out to about once a month or longer. The make-up of the Team needs to be a good cross section of the congregation; all members of the congregation should feel they have someone to trust on the Transition Team and someone with whom they can share perspectives and issues.

Transition Team Responsibilities

The initial meeting agenda will include team building, discussion of responsibilities, and discussion of the theory, processes and activities of the transitional time. (brief reading material will be provided in advance.) The team will select a chairperson or co-chairs (who will arrange the meetings, notetaking and action item follow-up).

Once established, the work of the transition team will include:

• Meet regularly with the Interim Minister to assess needs, evaluate resources, set goals, determine priorities, and follow through on basic questions and areas of focus for the congregation at this interim time.
• With guidance from the Interim Minister, develop an overall plan of actions to be taken during the transitional time; begin setting up activities, meetings, and reporting dates.
• Provide advice and guidance re the entire intentional interim process.

The team will organize a plan with the following considerations:

• Consider joining meetings of major decision-making groups to listen, answer questions, and perhaps report on relevance to the interim process.
• Determine appropriate processes to facilitate congregational reflection regarding present and past happenings (as a means of planning for the future).
• Identify any areas of concern that need to be addressed during the interim time; ensure these are advised and agreed to with the Board and Executive Committee.
• Seek congregational input regarding areas of concern, and potential actions.
• Identify individuals or groups needing special attention or carrying a special concern, and the best person or group to help address their needs or concerns.
• Share data gathered and potential agendas developed with key leadership, decision- making groups, committees and congregation as needed.
• Work with committees and internal ministries to develop appropriate goals, and strategies (short and longer term) for the congregation’s health and its mission.

The team will focus the congregation on five areas during the Interim Period:

In order to successfully navigate the transition period, a congregation pays attention to these Five Focus Points developed by the Center for Congregational Health.

Knowing that each situation is unique, the Interim strives to discern the tools that are most appropriate for the specific situation. Reflecting upon the five Focus Points below helps a congregation to answer the questions,

• “Who are we?”
• “Who are our neighbors?”
• “What are we being called to do?”

The Five Focus Points

1. Heritage: reviewing how the congregation has been shaped and formed
   The congregation’s heritage, both corporate and individual, is the foundation upon which the present rests. Paying attention to heritage means encouraging and hearing all the stories of the congregation’s past and embracing the rich variety that makes up this particular congregation.
2. Leadership: reviewing the membership needs and its ways of organizing and developing new and effective leadership
   Transition time provides opportunity for individuals and the congregational organizations to examine the types of leadership needed. New leaders will emerge, while some seasoned leaders may re-commit or may decide to refocus their gifts.
3. Mission: defining and redefining sense of purpose and direction
   The primary work in this area involves clarifying the faith community’s identity and core values, working to develop mission and vision statements, and perhaps even working out short-term tactical plans.
4. Connections: discovering all the relationships a faith community builds outside of itself
   Sometimes congregational life is so busy that congregations and their leadership forget to attend to their connections both to their denomination and to the network of communities around them. Transition is an appropriate time to re-assess old links and to consider new ones.
5. Future: developing congregational and pastoral profiles
   Focusing on the future requires a healthy and honest assessment of the other focus points so that the congregation can turn its energy toward proactive decision-making for the future. The Intentional Interim Leader offers the congregation a variety of possibilities to engage the Five Focus Points.

If you are interested or wish to nominate someone to this committee, please contact chair@nullfirstunitariantoronto.org.