Dear Riverside:
Over the past couple months the Leadership Team has been working hard to ensure that our work together continues to thrive as we discern who God has prepared to be our next Senior Pastor.
The Pastoral Search Team that you elected is looking forward to receiving your feedback about the qualities and characteristics that we need in our next pastor and will continue to guide the search process.
Meanwhile, the Leadership Team has been working with Riverside’s Staff to determine what our staffing needs will be during the interim period until a new Senior Pastor begins. The length of this interim period is uncertain, but we are preparing for 9-15 months before a new Senior Pastor begins.
During this interim period, Riverside’s current Staff will share staff responsibilities and our Associate Pastor, Ralph Moller, will serve as our Interim Pastor. Pastor Ralph is a member of the Pastoral Search Team and is not a candidate for our Senior Pastor position, but has decades of lead pastoral experience and will be able to provide valuable pastoral guidance in this interim period. Pastor Ralph will attend Leadership Team meetings and provide general pastoral leadership and care as needed. He will be supported in these efforts by Riverside’s other Staff, Leadership Team, and ministry leaders.
Additionally, our plan is for Pastor Ralph to give 2-3 Sunday sermons a month, Katrina Elliott to give 1-2 sermons a month, and then to have others give 1-2 sermons a month. This should provide Sunday worship consistency and help us to stay on mission.
This interim period is a wonderful opportunity for us to remember that every one of us is the church and is responsible for the work of the church. If you are not already serving in a Riverside ministry, please look for ways to help on the white card in the bulletin each week. Please also remember to regularly pray for our Leadership Team, Search Team, Staff and congregation as we transition into our next chapter together.
In Christ,
Riverside Leadership Team
lt@rcovenant.org