Pastoral Transition at Peace Presbyterian Church

In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), pastoral transitions are navigated with care, prayer, and collaboration between the congregation and the Presbytery. At Peace Presbyterian Church, we are walking through this process as we seek our next Pastor/Head of Staff — a leader who will join us in serving God and our community with faith, hope, and love.

In our denomination, we don’t simply receive an assigned pastor. Instead, we follow a mutual call process — one grounded in discernment and guided by the Holy Spirit. This process allows both the church and the pastor to listen for God’s direction and to ensure that the match between the congregation’s needs and the pastor’s gifts is a healthy and Spirit-led one.

A Season of Listening and Trust

This process takes time and prayer, but it is designed to nurture faith, patience, and openness to the Spirit’s leading. We trust that God is already preparing both Peace Presbyterian and our future pastor for the ministry we will share together.

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord… to give you a future with hope.”
— Jeremiah 29:11

Flowchart titled 'Pastoral Transition at Peace' outlining seven steps in the process. Step 1: Announcement with bullet points about transition awareness, expectations, and engaging the congregation. Step 2: Interim Search with defining and selecting an interim pastor. Step 3: Interim at Work focusing on addressing needs, gathering information, and gaining permission to elect the PNC. Step 4: PNC Process to create and publicize the profile. Step 5: Candidate Process involving reviewing, interviewing, and final selection. Step 6: Final Approvals including identifying the finalist, negotiations, examinations, and a church meeting. Step 7: Final Tasks with installation and support for the new pastor. A note on the side emphasizes trusting God's Spirit in guiding the process toward the new pastor.


How the Process Works

We are currently in an important new chapter of our pastoral transition. Our Interim Pastor, Rev. Dr. Paul Kirbas, continues to lead us with care and stability, while the congregation and Transition Team have spent time reflecting on who we are, where we’ve been, and where God is calling us next.

That season of listening and discernment included the completion of our Mission Study—a shared effort to name our identity, values, and hopes for the future of Peace Presbyterian Church.

With that work now complete, the congregation has elected a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The PNC is beginning the work of shaping our Ministry Discernment Profile (MDP), which will be shared through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) system with clergy who are discerning a new call to ministry. The PNC will prayerfully review candidates, conduct interviews, and ultimately recommend a pastor to the congregation.

Throughout this entire process, we remain grounded in prayer, guided by shared leadership, and rooted in trust that God is already preparing both Peace Presbyterian Church and our future pastor for the ministry we will share together.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
— Proverbs 3:5–6.

MISSION STUDY

Meet Our Pastor Nominating Committee

In the Presbyterian Church, the work of a Pastor Nominating Committee is a prayerful and collaborative process of listening, discernment, and trust in God’s leading. This committee seeks to understand the needs of the congregation, receive and review potential candidates, and guide the church through an important season of transition. We are deeply grateful for the congregation members who have agreed to serve in this role and for their faithful commitment to this work on behalf of our whole church.

A woman with long brown hair, glasses, and a white top smiling at the camera against a light blue background.

Anna Anderson

A smiling elderly man with glasses, wearing a checkered suit jacket and a dark shirt, standing against a plain light background.

Wayne Cain

Headshot of a smiling middle-aged man with gray hair, wearing a white shirt and dark blazer, against a brown background.

Gordy Hyde

A woman with short brown hair wearing glasses, a collared shirt, and a green fleece jacket, smiling.

Tina Juillerat

Portrait of elderly man with glasses, white beard, dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and blue tie, against a light blue background.

Mickey Miller

A smiling woman with shoulder-length dark hair wearing a patterned blouse with a name tag that says 'Welcome Lila Moore'.

Lisa Moore

A smiling man with a beard and short hair, wearing a dark blazer over a blue striped shirt, standing against a light blue background.

John Park

Ministry Discernment Profile

We are currently preparing our Ministry Discernment Profile and look forward to sharing more about who we are and where God is leading us. Pastors discerning their next call are warmly invited to check back soon as we tell the story of our congregation, our ministry, and our hopes for the future

COMING SOON