Preparing for Our Next Chapter
Mission Hill Church is in an important season of transition. Our former Lead Pastor moved away in the spring of 2026, and Pastor Dennis is currently serving as our Interim Pastor, providing leadership and support while we prepare to call our next Lead Pastor. To help guide this process, Mission Hill formed a Transition Team, a group of church member volunteers from a variety of backgrounds who meet weekly to pray, discuss, learn, and help prepare our church for this next chapter.
Finding a new pastor is about much more than filling an open position. Before beginning the search, we believe it is important to prayerfully understand who we are as a church today, where we believe God is calling us, and what kind of pastor will be the right fit to lead Mission Hill into the future.
What is the Transition Team doing?
The Transition Team is gathering information and assessing the health, priorities, and future direction of Mission Hill. This work will not only help us prepare for and find the right new pastor but also identify opportunities for improvement to share with the Church Council. Our work has included:
- NCD (Natural Church Development) Survey: An assessment designed to identify strengths and areas of church life that may need greater attention.
- Congregational SWOT Analysis: Feedback from the congregation about Mission Hill's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
- Church Lifecycle Assessment: A look at where Mission Hill is today and opportunities for growth and revitalization.
- Mission, Vision, & Core Values Review: Evaluating how our mission, vision, and values connect with our ministries and the future of the church.
- Church Profile: Developing a clear picture of who Mission Hill is, including our congregation, ministries, community, beliefs, strengths, and opportunities, to share with pastoral candidates.
- Pastor Profile: Using what we learn to define the experience, qualifications, leadership characteristics, and ministry priorities we should seek in our next Lead Pastor.
- Hosting “New Pastor Prayer” sessions each Sunday at 9:30am in the Chapel for all called to join.
When will we have a new permanent pastor?
Finding the right pastor takes time, and the search itself is only one part of a healthy transition. Before we ask, "Who should our next pastor be?" we first need to understand, "Who are we as a church, where are we headed, and what kind of leader do we need to help us get there?"
Pastoral transitions commonly take a year or more. Taking time now to listen to our congregation, understand our church, and establish clear priorities will help us enter the search process with a better understanding of the pastor who will be the right long-term fit for Mission Hill.
Transition Team Members are: Pastor Dennis, Al Jordan, Alex Wood, Bob Simpson, Henry Holland, Jaema Stilley, Joni Griner Licht, Kara Eskeli, Peg Jonkhoff, Rene Jacobson
We appreciate your continued prayers for the Transition Team, our church leadership, our congregation, and the pastor God is preparing to lead Mission Hill into its next chapter.