At the beginning of the transition process, Pastor Glenn and the transition team (Tim Scheid, Gail Bergsven, Beth Erickson, Denise LaMirande Clark and Donna Steinwand) met to pray, research, and ponder the transition process of Pastor Glenn transitioning from full-time to part-time pastor. It was agreed that the transition should be gentle but intentional. In this model, Pastor Glenn would decrease his responsibilities slowly, evolving from senior lead pastor to co-pastor in a shared leadership model to eventually part-time pastoral care, with very flexible hours.
The initial leadership transfer would transition over 2-3 years. This time frame would allow the community to adjust. Pastor Glenn Seefeldt has served Nativity since 1981 in various roles, serving as Senior Pastor since January 2000. His long tenure is unusual, but it has served Nativity well with trusted leadership, dependable pastoral care, and a strong staff of twenty. Long tenure can also be a challenge. Nativity’s Transition Team has addressed this challenge, reviewing transitions in other churches with long tenures as well as nonprofits and for-profits with long tenures. The team has reviewed and supports the Elijah-Elisha model.
The Elijah-Elisha Model has worked in business and in other large churches with long pastorates. Like Elijah choosing Elisha to succeed him in the biblical narrative, this model uses the trust and credibility of a long tenured, spiritually strong, loved leader to pass the mantle of leadership onto the next leader/pastor.
The team received input from Pastor Craig Pederson, Assistant to the Bishop for the Minneapolis Area Synod, as well as Pastor John Hulden, Assistant to the Bishop for the Minneapolis Area Synod, and Bishop Jen Nagel, Bishop of the Minneapolis Area Synod, about the Elijah-Elisha Model. They were impressed with its thoughtfulness. Pastor John Hulden commented that Nativity is unique because long-term pastorates such as this are very rare. Nativity will be building a bike while riding it. Congregations using a similar model of transition were consulted.
The goal of the call team (Donna Steinwand, Chair, Keith Setterholm, Laura Oksnevad, Michelle Gustafson DeLaune, Mark Blaede, Gail Bergsven, and Pastor Glenn Seefeldt) would be to identify a clergy person with the essential competencies who is very comfortable with the Elijah-Elisha model. This model requires a future pastor who is willing to be curious about developing the working model with Pastor Glenn, council, and other staff.