Patricia Ashley

Telephone: 305-387-0543
Email: ashleypatra1@gmail.com
Training: Week I and Week II  Interim Training
Interim experience:

• Delaware, Ohio
• Peace Covenant, Key West
• Hobe Sound
• First, Miami
• Rome, NY

Stipulations: Part-time

Statement of Fatih:
I believe in God, Three in One.  God is the source of life and sustenance for the universe, initiating and maintaining order and life.  Throughout creation history God continually unfolds fresh expressions of God's steadfastness, love, and justice.  In and through God, human beings come to know the divine purpose of mutual well-being and joy.  As we attend to God we become aware of the ways in which we sin, acting as though we are God and behaving in ways contrary to God’s nature.
God is the One Who communicates to human beings through God's Word in Scripture, God's Word made flesh, and through the work of the Spirit.  God establishes us in relationship and embodies that relationship through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is a human being, fully one with God.  He is the Lord of life and the savior of humanity from sin.  He forgives us, teaches us, models life with God, and urges us into fellowship.

God is Spirit, working through all creation and in the hearts and minds of people.   The Spirit empowers, enlightens, and renews those opened to God's presence, enabling growth in understanding and in service.  In all these aspects God is paradox to the limits of human imagination:  at once transcendent and intimate, just and merciful, unknowable and revealed.

Human beings are created to be in eternal relationship with God -- a relationship of communion and partnership, of thanksgiving and self-giving.  God has overcome the power of sin, which is human pride, limitation, and separation from God.  Through divine revelation in creation, in scripture, and in Jesus Christ, God is accomplishing God's way of reconciliation. People are called to accept and live this divine grace.  Our life in community testifies to God’s saving love and to our reception of it.

The Bible is the account of Who God is, as revealed in the way God has been with God's people.  To enter into scripture is to participate in the encounter of divine with human that it expresses.  The sacraments are a means both to open ourselves to God's presence and to express our response to God's gracious love.  As we celebrate them, we enact our release of control and presumptions, and we receive new life.  The Church is the gathering for worship of those who have become aware of the touch of God in their lives, and it is the community of faith disbursed to declare the Word of God's love through proclamation and service.

Rev. Jacob Krch

Telephone: 772-336-4094 (alternate phone) 563-529-4537 (cell)
Email: jekrch@msn.com

Training: Interim Training Week I
Interim experience:

• Port St Lucie, All Villages (2009-2010)
• Miami, Central (2009-2011)
• Davenport, Ridgeview Park (1997-2004)

Statement of Faith:
By Grace I witness to the Word of God, Jesus Christ my Lord –

• whose Incarnation reveals the Awesome Creator of the Universe to be also our Loving Heavenly Parent;
• whose Ministry embodies the Father's Will to save the world from sins' corruption, to free us from slavery to lust and passion, and to seek and save the lost;
• whose Suffering and Crucifixion unmasks the horror of wilfull human iniquity, while disclosing the depths of God's compassion, despite our unworthiness, in bearing our guilt, paying our debt, and so moving our hearts by His Cross that all might be gathered into God's Kingdom as forgiven sinners by His Love.
• whose Resurrection certifies the fact of life eternal for all who trust Him; and
• whose Ascension to govern the destiny of worlds and persons displays the Divine Providence of God to overrule sin and establish His Kingdom of everlasting peace.

Throughout the pages of Scripture I hear the Word of God, the Voice of Jesus Christ my Lord, calling me to glorify Him in my life and work.  Grateful for my salvation, I endeavor to preach the Word faithfully and creatively, to teach the Bible in an engaging way in classroom and by my personal example, to help churches fulfill the practical responsibities of  being a group of believers in this world, and to pray for and with the people of God wherever His Spirit may send me to minister.

Rev. Dr. George McIlrath

Telephone: 772-873-5263
Email: gjmcilrath@aol.com
Training: Weeks I & II (2) Interim Training
Interim experience: Temporary work with several situations in Tropical Florida, 6 yrs COM work in Blackhawk Presbytery, decades of work in highly productive church & ministry development projects.

Statement of Fatih:
I believe that when we accept and grow faithfully in our relationship with the God of Heaven and Earth, in whom we live and move and have our being, we are blessed and become ever greater blessings whatever the season of life we enjoy or endure.
Alternatives, which are sin, lead to decay and death. 

This is taught in Holy Scripture, and by Jesus as he came to us and comes to us, preaching, teaching, healing and asking.   (Mt. 9:335-38.)  

This is sustained by the Holy Spirit, who seeds and cultivates these blessings, especially as we receive and obey God’s Word individually and in communities. 

The Church’s mission is to promote and share Christ’s ministry as we celebrate God’s presence and purpose in our (common) lives.  

Preaching, leading vibrant worship, administering sacraments, organizing leadership, preaching, personal care and outreach, and the promotion of the Great Ends of the Church are the loving work of pastor and people alike.

So we greet each day with “Hallelujahs,” thanking God and praying, “Come, Holy Spirit.  Come, LORD Jesus.  Make us your instruments.”

Amen.

Leah B. Meador

Telephone:561-818-9191
Email:LeahLBM@comcast.net
Training: Week I  Interim Training
Interim experience: 18 months at First, Ft. Pierce
Stipulations: Prefer Region 1; Prefer part time; Willing to discuss alternatives.

Rev. Diane Shoaf

Telephone: 305-758-5350
Email:shoaf456@bellsouth.net
Training: Week 1
Interim Experience:

• 2 years, 2003-2004, 1st Presbyterian Church, Hollywood
• 18 months, 2005-2006, Alta Vista Presbyterian Church, North Miami

Stipulations: Open to a conversation

Rev. Dr. William R. (Bill) Stepp

Telephone: 561-309-3558
Email: wmrstepp@gmail.com
Training: Week 1 Interim training and Interim Executive Training
Interim Experience:

• 27 years as Senior Minister and 1 year as Co-pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida, and am now prepared to serve as an Interim minister.
• Served on Presbytery's Committee on Ministry for 3 terms, many times helping congregations who were seeking a new pastor.
• Have served as a solo pastor of a rural 5-Church field, a new Church Development, and a small town Church. For 6 ½ years
• Was an Administrator and Pastor of the Thornwell Home and School for Children in charge of a large staff and large budget.

Stipulations: Part Time - Preferably in the Presbytery of Tropical, but open to talk with others and explore God's will.

Statement of Faith: Briefly put, the Apostles' Creed states my beliefs. I believe that people desperately need God. People need God's mercy and grace, His salvation, redemption, guidance, wisdom, provisions, protection, and goodness. Christians also need the Church as a family of faith in which to "belong", receive the sacraments, and connect with other Christian friends with whom they can worship, pray, serve, and witness. As the Holy Spirit works in Christians and the Church, burdens are halved and joys are doubled in the bonds of friendship and faith shared in the Church.

People need the Bible, God's Word, revealing to us who God is and who we are, how much God loves us and how crucial it is for us to come to God, abide in Christ, and bear "fruit" for His glory. The Bible teaches us that salvation is through Jesus Christ and that the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts enables us to live the Christian life. In the study of the Bible and living out its precepts we become equipped to live the Christian life (II Timothy 3:16-17) and become a "light" to those around us (Matthew 5:1-16).

I believe that God "calls" men and women into service and "ordains" them to specific ministries. In a congregation, God calls Elders and Deacons who are then "ordained" to "shepherd" and lead the congregation alongside a "Teaching Elder" or "Minister of the Word and Sacraments". When a congregation is without a "Teaching Elder" ("Minister of the Word and Sacraments") serving as their pastor, God provides "Interim Ministers" of "The Word and Sacraments" who are "called" to be "temporary shepherds the flock" alongside the Elders and Deacons of that congregation. Together these "ordained" servants of Christ and the Church provide the leadership, nurture, and pastoral care for the congregation while the Congregation through their PNC seeks to identify whom God is calling to be their new minister. The Interim pastor has a specific focus of preparing a congregation for a new pastor

The "Interim Minister" and people are to pray together, worship together, dream and brainstorm together, grow in the scriptures, care for the sick, and take the good news to those who are hurting or lost. God calls the "Interim Minister" to be in partnership with the Session and congregation so that blessings may abound for all. For more information on my beliefs and credentials please go to my web page at BillStepp.com. I would consider it an honor and privilege to talk to you personally and pray together with you for God's guidance as you seek the Interim Pastor God has prepared for you.

Bill Stepp - New Beginnings Consulting and Coaching
1105 Lake Clarke Drive
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406
www.billstepp.com (Online Soon!)

Rev. John C. Vaughn, Ph.D.

Telephone:954-941-9687
Email: revjcv@aol.com
Training: Week 1, Aug 2006, Montreat
Interim experience: 

• Cypress Presbyterian, Pompano Beach 1999-2006
  Outcome: contemporary worship; multi-ethnic congregation
• Sunset Presbyterian, Ft. Lauderdale   2006 - 2008
  Outcome:  obtained GA loan for renovation of Education buildings established Charter School
• Second Presbyterian, Ft. Lauderdale     2008-2010
  Outcome:  developed Covenant relationship with Korean congregation

Stipulations: Prefer part-time work, but available full-time. A permanent resident of John Knox Village,
but can live in temporary quarters.

Statement of Faith:
I believe the God who created the heavens and the earth is the same God who created all life, including human life, and established it in mutual harmony.  Our first parents willfully violated God’s one restriction on their freedom and so disrupted their relationship with nature and their God.  

I believe God, in His mercy and love, chose Abraham and his descendants as a new stepping stone for regaining a foothold on this planet for re-establishing the relationship originally broken by Adam and Eve. God’s work climaxed when His Son, the eternal Word of God, coexistent with God the Father, from all eternity, entered our fallen world at the Father’s behest. In the coming of Jesus, the Kingdom of God came near, promising new life available to all who turned to Him in repentance and faith. Jesus, the faithful and sinless Son, suffered and died on our behalf. He bore the curse of our sin on the cross, and so set us free from the power of sin and death.  Following his resurrection and ascension to the Father, Jesus charged his followers to baptize and teach.  The Sacrament of Baptism is offered to adults and their children as a sign and seal of their membership in the family of God, the church.

By faith in Jesus we are gathered by the Holy Spirit to worship God, celebrate the holy communion of the body and blood of Christ, build up and encourage one another in the faith; becoming conformed more and more to the loving character of the Lord Jesus Himself; share, declare and demonstrate God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ, and herald to the world the name of Jesus by whom we are restored to the Triune god.

Reverend  Roger Allen Verse, DMin

Telephone: 772-287-0813
Email: verses5@aol.com
Training: August 1995 and 2007, Montreat Conference Center
Interim experience:

• First Presbyterian Church, DeLand, FL  1990 – 1992
• Faith Presbyterian Church, Pembroke Pines, FL1989-1990

Stipulations: None

Statement of faith:
I believe in the One God who is revealed as Father, Son, and Spirit.
I believe that Jesus is the personal expression of the Father God for all humanity to see and know.
I believe that through scripture, prayer, and sacrament, the Spirit invites and enables me to live in the presence of God.
I believe that those who follow Jesus and gather in his name are called to fulfill the purposes of God in the world.
I believe that upon death I will find myself in heaven through the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ.

Rev. Donna Wrzeszcz, pronounced RESH

Telephone: (815)494-1598 (cell)
Email:pastord82@msn.com
Training: Week 1 and 2 interim training
Interim experience:

• Middle Creek PC, Winnebago, Illinois (250 members)
• Stuart, Florida (250)
• Hobe Sound, Florida (130)
• West Palm Beach Lakeside (250)

Stipulations: I am open to all service possibilities.

Statement of faith:
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Saviour and our Lord, that he came to save all those who call upon His name, and that we will receive eternal life only through His blood sacrifice. I believe the Bible is the Word of God, expressly spoken for us today, and that all that will happen is predetermined by God's loving plan for each of us. Our free will is a gift, and our intentional receiving of His plan is an extreme step for each person. Our part in the plan is to proclaim the good news that God so loved the world, He gave His Son to die for us, and that by receiving and believing, we are part of the family of God, priviledged and set apart for His good pleasure.We have been bought with a price. We have been given gifts, to be used and developed by the Holy Spirit, living within us. The family of each church can discern that all the gifts of the Spirit are present within the gathered assembly, to be nurtured, developed and used efficiently by the body of Christ in that particular location. Now, THAT'S EXCITING!

List

Ashley, Pat
Krch, Rev. Jacob
McIlrath, Rev. Dr. George
Meador, Leah B.
Shoaf, Rev. Diane
Stepp, Rev. Dr. William R. (Bill)
Vaughn, Rev. John C., Ph.D.
Verse, Reverend  Roger Allen
Wrzeszcz, Rev. Donna

 

Interim Ministry

The Interim Pastor is a temporary pastor, often contracted for a year at a time, who is trained to lead a church through specific steps toward a healthy beginning for the arrival of the new pastor. Interim Pastor Ministry is recognized as a specialized ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA). The Interim understands and helps the congregation in transition to address the five developmental tasks: coming to terms with history; examining leadership needs and shifts in leadership; discovering a new identity; strengthening denominational links; and arriving at a commitment to new pastoral leadership and to a new future. This specialized ministry often requires skills which include reorganizing a session or congregation, problem-solving, program maintenance and conflict management. The Interim is trained to understand the dynamics of congregational life and is committed to providing prayerful and intensional leadership throughout the transitional period. The Presbytery of Tropical Florida encourages sessions to call an Interim Pastor while the congregation is in transition between installed pastors.

For your convenience, we have developed this site as a source for Interim Ministry information. You will find: 1) A listing of all clergy within the bounds of our Presbytery who have been specifically trained in the field of Interim Ministry, as well as contact information, a brief statement of faith, and information about their level of training and experience. Additional information is also included, i.e., training, experience, availability, demographic preferences, etc. 2) A sample Covenant. And 3) Links to other Interim Ministry resource web sites.

Training: Interim Ministry training is provided throughout our denomination at various conference and training sites, as well as at other non-denominational locations. Certified training meets the standards set by the Association of Presbyterian Interim Ministry Specialists. Briefly, there are three level of training: Week I provides the basic skills for Interim Ministry; Week II broadens and strengthens these skills and provides a group process of reflection and learning grounded in the participant's practice of interim ministry; and the Beyond Basic track is for interim pastors with Week I and II training as well as interim experience, and is designed to provide training in more specialized ministry, i.e., assisting churches through times of tragedy or trauma.

Covenant: The Interim Ministry Covenant is typically for one year, with options both for early conclusion and for extension. A sample suggested covenant is linked to this site. In planning for obtaining the services of an Interim Minister, it is important to consider two items. First, compensation for this position would appropriately be comparable to the remuneration of the previous pastor. Secondly, flexibility needs to be maintained in position description expectations in order to provide ample time for the Interim to do the work of an Interim as well as to lead worship, provide pastoral care and support the ministries of the church.

The Interim Ministry as Time of Transition: Presbytery of Tropical Florida staff and COM recognize that the interim period is a time of both anxiety and possibility. Your COM liaison will work closely with you during this time and will provide assistance and guidance as you progress through the process of seeking and finding an Interim Pastor and, ultimately, your next Installed Pastor. We hope that you will find the resources on this site helpful. The listing of available Interim Pastors in our own Presbytery is not an exhaustive list of all Interim Ministers available to you, but it does provide a convenient source of pastors within our area who have been trained in this specialized ministry and who might be available to minister with you. The transitional time between installed pastors can be one of the most effective periods in the life of a church. The trained Interim Pastor can help your church utilize this time to evaluate, refocus, heal, problem solve, and prepare for the calling of your next pastor.

Our prayer for you is that your time of transition will be blessed by God, filled with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and led by the Spirit.