TN133 Planning the next step

First published on this website in August 2021 and last updated in August 2023

Synopsis

We are not good at what is known as ‘succession planning’. The most obvious application is planning for a Minister vacancy, but these notes take a broader look at the subject and also cover what happens when:

• a church office-holder or team leader resigns;
• a paid staff member announces they are leaving;
• a church project or event comes to an end.

The notes consider ten ideas for action now covering advice such as:

• Get planning onto the church agenda.
• Maintain updated handover papers.
• Insist on limited term appointments (for volunteers).
• Overlap appointments if you can.

But there are also five listed dangers to avoid: power seekers in the vacancy, inappropriate timing, the assumption that like replaces like, when the person leaving then stays around, and the specific difficulties when a founder leaves.

These notes have been updated in August 2023 with amendments to both text and layout.