Walking Together: Our Process for Calling a New Co-Pastor

Phase one is the Preparation Phase. We have completed this by forming our Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). The PNC kicked off its important work with an orientation meeting on Sunday, January 11th.

Phase two is a Self-Study and Profile Writing Phase. The Self-Study phase took place last year by Session discerning faithful responses to the four questions COM posed to us in the Spring of 2025. Many of you joined in this work by sharing your feedback through our congregational survey and in the “Session Dialogue” small group conversations. Session also gathered feedback from our staff. Session then analyzed all the feedback and created a report answering each of the four questions. COM received that report at their October 2025 meeting and agreed that MPC had done its due diligence in discerning the needs for the ministry to which God is calling us now and in the future. In early 2026, the PNC crafted a Ministry Discernment Profile (MDP) to guide our evaluation of applicants. This MDP was reviewed and approved by both our Session and by the presbytery COM. The MDP has now been posted on the Church Leadership Connection (CLC) – an online matching and referral system that serves as a tool for the Call Process of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Phase three is the Search Phase. The Search Phase involves the PNC reviewing Personal Discernment Profiles (PDPs) of candidates, conducting interviews, and prayerfully considering candidates. While pastoral searches can often take a year or more, we are optimistic that our previous work with COM will help us move more efficiently. Our goal is to call our new Co-Pastor by late 2026, though we remain open to God’s timing.

Phase four is the Call Phase when the PNC presents their recommended candidate for approval to the congregation and Presbytery.

Phase five is the New Season phase when the elected co-pastor begins their new ministry at MPC alongside Pastor Keith.

At the Stated Meeting of the MPC Session, Pastor Ann Pettit shares that she has accepted a new call as a chaplain at Sunnyside Retirement Community. Later that day the congregation is informed by email.

At a Called Meeting of the MPC Session, Rev. Bronwen Boswell, General Presbyter/Stated Clerk of Shenandoah Presbytery, walks the Session through questions the Session needs to consider at the beginning of the transition process. She affirms the full support of the presbytery during this season of transition. A small group of elders are tasked with requesting reflections on the co-pastor model from Pastor Ann and Pastor Keith.

MPC celebrates and gives thanks for the ministry of Pastor Ann Pettit on her last day as pastor. At a called congregational meeting between worship and a reception, the congregation votes to dissolve the pastoral relationship between Pastor Ann and MPC.

Shenandoah Presbytery General Presbyter/Stated Clerk Rev. Bronwen Boswell attended the stated meeting of Session on Jan. 26th. She shared that the presbytery’s Committee on Ministry does not believe MPC needs an interim pastor since Pastor Keith Phillips remains at MPC. She also shared that while MPC is a healthy congregation, it would benefit from engaging a consultant to coach Session through answering questions about the transition. Session agreed by consensus.

The Session, along with elders-elect for the Class of 2028, held an initial coaching meeting with Becky D’Angelo-Veitch of BDV Coaching by Zoom. This, and subsequent meetings, helped Session to determine how best to engage the congregation in this season of discernment.

Session sent a letter to the congregation outlining the expectations that the presbytery had for MPC prior to being able to form a Pastor Nominating Committee. This involved four specific questions that Session would seek feedback about from the congregation.

After meeting with our coach to form a survey, Session sent a letter with a survey to the congregation. The survey could be completed electronically or by paper form.

Members of Session held an open Q&A event after worship on June 8, 2025. Many in the congregation desired a greater amount of communication regarding the transition process.

Session members hosted small group conversations called “Session Dialogues” where congregants could share questions, input, and concerns about the co-pastor transition process.

At the stated meeting of Session on August 17, 2025, Session created two new task forces. The first was to prepare reports to go to the presbytery’s Committee on Ministry to seek permission to form a Pastor Nominating Committee. The second was to take that report and craft communications to the congregation about the Session’s findings from the survey, small group conversations, and talking to staff.

The Committee on Ministry (COM) of the Presbytery of Shenandoah received the report of MPC’s Session with answers to the four questions they had posed earlier in 2025. After reviewing the report and speaking to MPC representatives, COM unanimously approved MPC to move forward and form a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). This news was announced in worship on October 26th by Clerk of Session Ron Matthews, who invited folks to consider whether they were called to be on the PNC. This invitation was also issued in the congregational email/letter that went out on Oct. 26th, as well.

The Congregational Nominating Committee (CNC) responded to the charge of Session to form a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) throughout late Fall of 2025. This work involved discernment on the part of the CNC for the attributes desired of individuals and of the group as a whole, and discernment on the part of individuals contacted to consider the role on the PNC. On December 12th, after prayerful discernment on everyone’s part, the CNC informed Session that they had a full slate ready for election by the congregation. That election took place during a congregational meeting after worship on December 28th, with the congregation unanimously approving the slate of PNC nominees presented by the CNC.

The Pastor Nominating Committee met with its COM liaison to begin its training.

At the stated meeting of Session on February 15th, Jean Kilby (chair of the PNC and Session liaison) walked the Session through a draft of the Ministry Discernment Profile (MDP) the PNC had been working on. Session provided some feedback, which Jean took back to the PNC.

After making revisions to the MDP, the PNC submitted a revised MDP to Session. Session approved the MDP by electronic vote (which was ratified at the stated meeting on March 15, 2026).

Shenandoah Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry received Massanutten’s Ministry Discernment Profile. They approved the MDP and asked some questions of the PNC for future clarification.

The Co-Pastor Candidate and Pastor Keith met for an informal conversation.

The Co-Pastor Candidate came to our area to interview with the PNC, Pastor Keith, and Clerk of Session Ron Matthews. They toured the church and the greater Harrisonburg/Rockingham County area.

After negotiations, the PNC, Co-Pastor Candidate, and Pastor Keith came to agreement on amended terms of call. As these terms were different than the ones originally approved by Session, a meeting of Session was called for the purpose of considering whether the PNC could offer the amended terms of call to the Co-Pastor Candidate. Since terms of call for both Co-Pastors must be equal, Pastor Keith was involved in the conversations that led to the amended terms of call. However, he was not present at the Session meeting to approve them. Instead, Rev. Patrick Pettit moderated the meeting. Session agreed to the PNC’s requests.

The Co-Pastor Candidate and Pastor Keith met for continued conversation.

The PNC, Pastor Keith, and the Co-Pastor Candidate met with Shenandoah Presbytery’s Examination Committee at Massanetta Springs. The exam was in four parts: (1) a conversation with the PNC and Pastor Keith about the discernment process, (2) a conversation with Pastor Keith about what has been learned about the Co-Pastor model in the past and steps being planned to ensure a healthy beginning to the new Co-Pastor relationship, (3) a conversation with the Co-Pastor Candidate about their discernment process, and (4) a conversation with the Co-Pastor Candidate and Pastor Keith where they were asked to hypothetically plan an Advent season together. The committee also reviewed the proposed terms of call. After the conversations, the examination committee recommended affirming the existence of a call between the Co-Pastor Candidate and Massanutten Presbyterian Church.

Shenandoah Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry received the report and recommendation of the Examination Committee and voted to sustain the examination of the Co-Pastor Candidate and the proposed Terms of Call. They notified the PNC that Session would be able to call a congregational meeting to vote on the Co-Pastor’s candidacy.

On Sept. 10th, Jean Kilby moved, on behalf of the PNC, that Session call a congregational meeting for Sunday, September 27, 2026 immediately following worship for the purpose of receiving the report and recommendations of the PNC. Session approved the motion by electronic vote (it will be affirmed at the stated Session meeting on Sept. 20th).

The notice of the called congregational meeting was first made in worship on Sept. 13th by Pastor Keith, with email notice and a post on the website going out shortly thereafter. In accordance with our congregational bylaws, notice will also be made in church bulletins and during worship again on Sept. 20th and 27th.

At a called meeting of the congregation, the Pastor Nominating Committee presented its report and recommendations. The congregation voted to call Rev. Lynne Taylor Clements as Co-Pastor, and voted to approve the equal Terms of Call for both Co-Pastors.