The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old but building the new. – Socrates
Congregations that find themselves in a period of pastoral transition are often faced with the extremely daunting task of trying to determine where the congregation is, where they need to be, and who can help them get there.
For more than 25 years, Holy Cow! Consulting has been offering the Congregation Assessment Tool (CAT) which provides an in-depth look at the experiences, perceptions and aspirations of a church’s congregation. Once those things are determined, the congregation’s leadership and search committees use the information from the CAT to create a transition plan and pastor/parish profile.
In an effort to help congregations apply what they have learned from the CAT, we offer the Transition Summary and Vital Leader Profile*. This report is built from the CAT results (the Vital Signs Report) and the Transition module that is added to the CAT when the congregation places its order.
The Transition Summary gives the congregation a report on what steps should be taken during the time of transition including:
- Identity and Direction
- Remedial Issues that need addressed
- Administrative Issues
- Opportunities and Vulnerabilities of the Congregation
This report also creates a Vital Leader profile from the congregation’s data in the CAT to help begin the work of constructing the pastor or parish profile. This profile includes:
- Professional Interests that would be a good fit for your congregation
- Context the next pastor/rector should feel comfortable working in
- What abilities would be needed from the next pastor/rector to help the congregation become a more vital congregation
- The best fit in terms of Leadership style
In our experience, this report is a much needed tool for a congregation’s leadership during times of transition, helping them make these important decisions in less time with more confidence.
*For more on this report and to see a sample here: Transition and Vital Leader Report Sample.
*To read more on pastoral transitions please order a copy of Transitions Apparitions here.