The Michigan Conference’s On-Boarding program helps new pastoral appointments begin on a strong, healthy note.
FAITH GREEN TIMMONS
Michigan Conference Communications
For United Methodists, On-Boarding is an intentional effort on behalf of pastors, churches, and trained consultants, rooted in prayer and God. It is a process that aids in understanding congregations for who they are, what they cherish, what is working well, and what may need to change.
Over a dozen United Methodist churches in the Michigan Conference have engaged in the process. Overall, they report great success. What On-Boarding does is introduce incoming pastors either before or shortly after new appointments begin. The aim is twofold: helping clergy learn the congregation, while giving the laity the chance to get to know the person serving them on a more personal level. The goal is to begin the pastoral relationship on a strong, healthy note.
Certified On-Boarding Consultants are trained to help clergy and church leaders gain in-depth knowledge that usually takes months or even years. The program was developed by layperson Claire Bowen of Atlanta. Bowen is a retired corporate human relations specialist and a lifelong United Methodist. Her decades of experience working for Fortune 500 companies are a boon for the church. When her large southern congregation welcomed a new senior pastor, she wondered: “Why aren’t we doing this in the church? When a CEO or key leader comes into a major business organization, we don’t let them kind of figure it out. We guide them and train them on how we do things so they can learn as much as possible before they begin.”
By applying proven principles tailored to the church’s unique needs, Bowen initiated seminars for incoming senior pastors of large membership churches, guiding them through the crucial On-Boarding process with their staff and lay leaders. In 2016, she expanded this initiative to newly elected and assigned United Methodist bishops, offering tailored On-Boarding sessions for them with their cabinets, conference staff, lay leaders, and selected pastors within their new conferences.
Fast forward a decade, and the impact is undeniable: certified On-Boarding Consultants, both laity and clergy, are now active nationwide, having been trained through the Candler Center for Clergy Excellence at the United Methodist-affiliated Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. In Michigan alone, there are four consultants, and many churches are witnessing remarkable results. These consultants empower laity to effectively convey vital information, ensuring a smooth transition and fostering a vibrant community.
The effectiveness of the consultant’s work lies in providing a deeper dive into a fuller view of who each church is, how they relate to and are understood by the surrounding community, what they value, and how they operate. There are four areas of focus:
-
- Cultural & Strategic: “How would you describe your church’s DNA?” and “Where are the ‘landmines’ or ‘sacred cows’ in the congregation?”
- Pastoral Integration: “What do you already know about your new pastor?” and “What do you wish to know about your new pastor?”
- Role Clarity: “Who does what and how? Who best understands how we operate in the key areas? How do you practice policies and procedures? Do you have them, and/or are they written down?”
- Mission & Values: “How do we embody the Wesleyan tradition of ‘Do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God’?”
On-Boarding is often a day-long process with two goals:
-
- A church gains “deep knowledge” about its new pastor.
- An incoming pastor receives “early information” about the church’s culture, hopes, and dreams.
As new clergy appointments are announced, On-Boarding Consultants help incoming pastors set up an event for the congregation’s leaders, recognizing their important role in welcoming new pastors. Highlighting the value of inclusive participation in the welcoming process helps everyone feel appreciated and motivates them to be involved. Everyone has something to offer — the observations of custodians are just as insightful as input from Christian education directors. All of this information is shared confidentially.
A similar approach has been shown to benefit congregations of all sizes, cultures, and regions. For churches with larger staffs, an extra session is scheduled to address questions and provide advice that will help inform the new pastor and prepare them to serve their congregation and community effectively.
When the consultant’s conversations with the laity and staff are complete, the consultant coaches the pastor to determine whether any issues need clarification. The pastor then returns to the group, and the consultant sits in the back, allowing the pastor to be in charge now. The give-and-take of the meeting ends with a group prayer for the new pastor’s leadership.
Farmington Hills: Nardin Park UMC, Escanaba: Central UMC, Escanaba: First UMC, Bark River UMC, Mason: First UMC, Marquette: Hope UMC, Roscommon: Good Shepherd UMC, Utica UMC, and Owosso: First UMC are among more than a dozen Michigan congregations that have participated in the program under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Jennie Browne, the Michigan Conference’s Clergy Assistant to the Bishop.
Rev. Browne discovered the On-Boarding program while meeting with other Assistants to the Bishop across the denomination. She trained under Claire Bowen in 2023 and then led two On-Boarding pilot events, with Midland: First UMC and Portage: Chapel Hill UMC, in the summer of 2024.
With those successes, Rev. Browne worked with Bishop David Bard to recruit an effective team of trained facilitators, serving across the state: Rev. Rick Blunt, Rev. Susanne Goodwin, and Rev. Faith Timmons. They have two main goals:
-
- Equip those receiving a new pastor with a deep understanding of who the pastor is as a leader and pastor.
- Ensure the pastor gains early insight into the church’s culture, future aspirations, and the challenges they are inheriting.
This year marks the second appointment season for On-Boarding in the Michigan Conference, and the program is active, steady, and well-established. As they make appointments this winter and spring, Bishop Bard and his cabinet are carefully weighing how and when to refer incoming pastors and appointed churches. It is a mistake to assume selection for On-Boarding indicates a need to avert potential problems. On the contrary, On-Boarding is benefiting all levels of The United Methodist Church, from general agencies to the episcopacy to annual conferences to local churches across the United States.
Creator Claire Bowen’s first church to go through the On-Boarding process was Peachtree Road UMC in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the largest United Methodist congregations in the country. Shortly after those successful results, Bowen served as an On-Boarding Consultant to newly elected Bishop David Graves for his introduction to the Alabama-West Florida Conference. When Bishop Bard was reassigned to the Michigan Conference in 2024, Claire Bowen traveled to Michigan to meet with conference leaders to “re-board” him.
On-Boarding is a valuable resource that churches across the United States are eager to access, and it is now available to Michigan United Methodists. Stay tuned for more information about what the program offers as it expands its reach to assist more pastors and help more churches acclimate.
United Methodists are known for the saying, “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” The On-Boarding program aims to enhance all three of these important values, starting at home. Open doors signify a welcoming environment. Open minds are primed to ask questions, listen, and learn. Open hearts represent the essential collaboration between God’s grace and our willingness to act.
Certified On-Boarding Consultants are dedicated to helping United Methodist churches throughout the nation integrate these three principles, building a solid foundation for one of the church’s key relationships: that of the shepherd leader, the pastor. Pastors are sent to serve, lead, and equip laity to fulfill the church’s central mission: “Make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Successful clergy transitions and integration into the life of local congregations enable the church to achieve this mission together from the start.
The On-Boarding program is made possible thanks to generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on March 25, 2026