Pastor Transition

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Our Transitional Pastor, Bob Feeler, will fill the pulpit on the majority of Sundays.  He has obligations related to his job as our Associational Mission Strategist that will require him to be in other churches occasionally.  On a Sunday when Bob isn't able to preach, one of our pastors or a guest will be brought in to preach.

It's hard to define how long it will take to find God's man for the job.  The key is for us to be patient and prayerful in waiting on God to reveal our next Pastor.  While we don't know the specific time period, it isn't out of the ordinary for a pastor search to take 12-24 months.  However long it takes, the healthiest thing for our church is to find God's man for the job; not to rush a decision that we find out later won't work well.

The framework of the process, both in terms of qualifications and the process itself, is defined by our Constitution.  Unlike in some denominations, our church is autonomous so we are responsible for seeking out and hiring a new Lead Pastor.  There is no higher denominational organization that will assign us a Pastor.  There are a few steps to take to lay the groundwork for a successful search.  Now that the Pastor Search and Selection Team is in place, the team has determined to follow a 5 phase process of searching and selecting a pastor.  The 5 phases include - Setup, Study, Search, Select, Support.  When they have narrowed the candidates down to 1 candidate, the congregation will have the opportunity to hear him preach, meet him, and ultimately be involved in voting to affirm the recommendation of the Search and Selection Team.

On June 11, 2023 the congregation voted to affirm the recommendation of the 11-member team. The team is composed of 5 from the Leadership Team and 6 from the nominations of the church.  The 5 members of the Leadership Team are - Dennis Johnson, Grant Jessen, Jeremy Shirley, Jon Wies, and Luke Perstrope.  The 6 members of the flock are - Gary Mills, Greg Atchison, Gwen Doyle, Janice Waldren, Joanne Lockard, and Kurt Schultz.  If you'd like more information about those on the team, here are some PROFILES.

After seeking the Lord and potential options for a Transitional Pastor for months, on 7/16, the Leadership Team recommended Dr. Bob Feeler as our Transitional Pastor.  On August 13, Bob was voted in as our Transitional Pastor.

Any active member of the church, who is at least 18 years old, may vote on any of the recommendations provided by the Leadership Team or in the case of our Lead Pastor search, the Search and Selection Team.  To be a member, you need to have completed a membership class or met with a pastor, professed faith in Christ, been baptized, and completed the Membership Commitment form.  Responding to an invitation or growing up in the church does not make you a member of FBCW.  If you're unsure if you've completed the membership process by turning in your Membership Commitment form, please feel free to contact  and she will be glad to check our records, help you set up a meeting with a pastor, or complete the Membership Commitment form.

The Leadership Team has an email address - .  If you are not able to send an email to us, please feel free to address a letter to the attention of the Leadership Team and place it in the mail or drop it off in the church office.