FAQ #1 – Why are we doing a Mission Study?
Answer – Simply, every congregation in the PCUSA must conduct a mission study that must be approved by their Session and their Presbytery before they can start the search for their new minister. Historically, the standard procedure is that when a pastor leaves, the Session calls an Interim Minister who will serve for y two years (average term). During that time a Mission Study is conducted and must be approved by their Session and Presbytery before the congregation can seat a PNC (Pastor Nominating Committee) and begin the search for a new minister. A congregation may still follow this procedure. Recently, there have been some minor changes to the rules that allow a congregation to conduct their Mission Study, get it approved, and begin their search for a new pastor while the current pastor is still serving. FPC in Pitman is the first congregation in PCUSA to move boldly on this new path. We are both fulfilling our requirement to conduct a Mission Study and creating a new path for others to follow if they so choose.