Interim Pastor’s Annual Report for 2024
First Presbyterian Church, Independence, Kansas
Now that I have passed the (hopefully) one complete calendar year that I shall spend here, I am particularly struck by the peculiarities of interim ministry work. A year ago I was seeking to push the church forward into the process of preparation and search; now, with that search in full swing, my job is to fade into the background as far as that process goes. I’m certainly available for questions and general guidance, but I am bound to stay far away from anything involving potential candidates for the position.
The “pastor” part of the position continues, of course. I have been called upon to preside at Services of Witness to the Resurrection for Donna Stigall, Dick King, and Paul Fairbank. I have tried to work with the committees of the church as much as possible according to the rules of how such things go. Working with the appropriate committees we have continued to refine the church’s order of worship, and continued to moderate session meetings and to preach and teach.
Book study this year included two special summer books, for which the study was conducted slightly differently. The study did not proceed according to the usual weekly schedule but all in one sitting; after several weeks to read the book all interested parties gathered at Dickey’s for lunch and discussion (food and books go together well, right?). Those two books were both related to the church’s impending search process, so opening the doors to as many as could attend made the most sense.
I participated in Presbytery meetings this year, including three times in person. One of those was to the far west in Kingsdown, an event at which the Presbytery welcomed its new Executive Presbyter (and probably marks the farthest west I will go in my time here). I was also able to help get the ball rolling for an elder training event here for those in churches in this far eastern corner of the Presbytery.
Continuing education for the year included the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada in July, and an earth-care training event at the Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center near Little Rock, very conveniently timed to coincide with a total solar eclipse. I don’t know if I’ve ever been a bucket-list type, but if I were that would certainly have checked off an item on that list.
With all love and friendship, I sincerely hope for the sake of the church that this is the last annual report I submit here at First Presbyterian Church of Independence.
Respectfully submitted,
Rev. Charles S. Freeman, interim pastor