It must be flattering to leave a job for a while and know it will take three people to replace you.
That’s exactly how many people will be taking over the day-to-day operations of Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ when Pastor Karen Moeschberger leaves for a three-month sabbatical.
In Moeschberger’s absence, church members Liz Wilson, of Oxford, Barbara Theurer, of Addison, and Clarkston resident Ron VanderMeer will be handling her numerous duties.
‘I’ve turned the pulpit over to them and asked the congregation to be very understanding and patient, and do their part to support and sustain them while I’m gone,? Moeschberger said. The trio was installed as ‘sabbatical team ministers? at Sunday’s service.
‘We’ve got altogether nine jobs to do with three people,? said Wilson, who will begin preaching at the June 24 service while Moeschberger is away at a conference.
Those jobs include conducting Sunday services, holding office hours, carrying out administrative functions and visiting the ill and shut-ins. The three have divided up these duties and will take turns doing them based on a rotating schedule.
The only thing they can’t do is perform weddings.
‘I think they’re going to do a terrific job,? said Moeschberger, who will be away from the church, but not Oxford, from July 1 through September 30. ‘They’ve all preached in the past and been on call when I was gone.?
All three church members are studying to be licensed lay pastors and should complete the program next year.
‘This is student preaching as opposed to student teaching,? Wilson said.
Only six people in the entire state of Michigan are currently studying in this lay pastor program and three of them are from Immanuel Congregational UCC, according to VanderMeer.
‘I think they’ve got the gifts and the call, and that’s the most important thing,? noted Moeschberger, who’s mentoring the three students. ‘You don’t do this type of job unless you have a call from God.?
‘I do feel a call to it,? VanderMeer said.
For people who don’t have the money or time to commit three years to attending seminary school, the lay pastor program is ‘absolutely perfect,? he explained.
‘You get essentially all of the same benefits,? VanderMeer said. ‘As long as a church calls you and you are serving that church, you do all the same things a graduate from the seminary would do.?
Unlike a traditional pastor, a lay pastor must be hired by and working for a church in order to carry out duties.
Wilson, who taught school in Oxford for 36 years, is looking forward to the preaching part of the job.
‘It’s something that comes real natural to me,? she said, noting preaching style is ‘more casual? and will include a good amount of humor.
Wilson said it will be nice to teach ‘morality and values? again, like she did her classroom, but this time be able to ‘mention God.?
She’s also eager to look out at an audience again and see people understanding her message.
‘When I taught in a classroom, I loved looking out at the students when I was making a point and watching the ‘sunrise look? when they got it,? she said. ‘I’m looking forward to that with these adults, seeing that same expression.?
VanderMeer is looking forward to putting into practice everything he’s learned in the lay pastor program.
‘This is not a common thing,? he said. ‘You get to find out exactly what this is like, what it’s all about, what you really do (as a pastor) before you graduate the program. I think it’s the neatest opportunity that God could offer.?
Moeschberger’s excited about her sabbatical, which will finally give her the opportunity to work on an art project she’s been thinking about for more than 20 years.
The pastor’s planning to create a series of six-foot by four-foot oil paintings depicting various groups of women who have been oppressed, or metaphorically ‘crucified,? by society because of their gender, race, profession or body size.