Congregational Life/Transitions

Transitions

Transition ministry is not only about changes in congregational clergy – it is also about the spiritual and psychological process of working through and accepting change, as described by William Bridges. Transition ministry is about working with change.

A major part of the change in the church is simple: We are currently in a clergy shortage. There are more churches than clergy and many churches are moving from full-time to part-time priests. This is going to require more outside-the-box thinking.

One way we are addressing this is our newly-created program “Walking through Transition.” This curriculum and process helps churches without a traditional interim do the interim tasks so that they can become more healthy, faithful, and effective congregations and have good transition experiences. I am so thrilled to have the Rev. Susie Shaefer as associate for transitions. With her help we have created more opportunities for churches to hire curates and associates.

New Calls The Rev. Krista Heuett, ordained priest on October 13 – Curate at All Saints, East Lansing The Rev. Deacon Gerardo Aponte-Safe, ordained a transitional deacon on September 10th – Curate St. John’s, Royal Oak The Rev. Eric Braun, ordained priest on July 1, serving in hospital chaplaincy The Rev. Katherine Beck-Ei, ordained priest on June 29 -- Priest in Charge at St. John’s, Clinton The Rev. Tom Ferguson, ordained priest on June 18, serving as Vicar of St. Aidan’s, Ann Arbor The Rev. Amy Maffeo, ordained priest December 16 2021, serving in hospital chaplaincy The Rev. Linda Farmer-Lewis, Methodist – associate clergy at St. Paul’s, Lansing The Rev. Wayne Rollins, Interim Rector, St. Andrew’s, Ann Arbor The Rev. Beth Scriven, Interim Rector, St. Luke’s, Ypsilanti The Rev. Bradly Heuett, non-parochial clergy The Rev. James Bischoff, ELCA – Pastor at Trinity, Monroe The Rev. Alex Aivars, ELCA – Pastor at Christ United, DeWitt The Rev. Dr. Sue Carter – priest associate, St. Katherine’s, Williamston The Rev. Dean Aponte-Safe ELCA, associate at Incarnation,Ann Arbor The Rev. Brian Alberti, Priest-in-Charge at St Stephen’s, Troy The Rev. Anne Clarke, Rector at St. Clare’s, Ann Arbor The Rev. Maureen Martin, Associate at Christ Church, Grosse Pointe The Rev. Melissa Congleton, Priest-in-Charge, St. Katherine’s Williamston The Rev. Susan Anslow-Williams, Interim at St. George’s, Milford The Rev. Ronda Johnson, called as Rector at St. Paul’s, Romeo The Rev. Maryjane Peck, Interim Rector at St. Thomas, Trenton The Rev. Jeanne Hansknecht, called as Rector, St. Paul’s, Brighton The Rev. Anthony Estes, Priest for the Detroit Partnership congregations The Ven. Tim Spannaus, Deacon at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul The Rev. Susie Shaefer, Bishop’s Staff

Clergy Elected as Rector/Vicar The Rev. Paula Miller, elected Rector at St. Michael’s and All Angels, Lincoln Park The Rev. Tim Flynn, elected Rector at St. Michael’s, Lansing The Rev. Andy Guffey, elected Rector at St. Mary’s in the Hills, Lake Orion The Rev. Andrea Martin, elected Rector at Holy Faith, Saline

Clergy Retirements The Rev. Alan Gibson The Rev. Jo Ann Kennedy Slater The Rev. Henrietta Grossehoeme