[Magdalen] Retired clergy (was Re: Epiphany)

[Jim Guthrie]

From: Scott Knitter

>Gary+, our previous rector, came back only to attend an assisting
>priest's funeral (a priest he had hired), and then for his own. RIP.

I've seen several new Rectors tenure destroyed by having former Rectors nearby. 
starting with the replacement for Mr. Mills at St James St James on Long Island, 
who moved up the road and was always "available." The new Rector, Peter McLean 
(who was a PK, father a bishop and served a couple of tours as a Marine Chaplain 
in the Jungles of Viet Nam) didn’t stand a chance.

I think it should be a firm rule that former Rectors must stay away for 3-5 
years under all circumstances, safe perhaps showing up in mufti for a wedding or 
funeral, maybe.

But then, one of the jobs of a good Interim is to persuade the congregation that 
the former Rector was, essentially (and in a gentle, charitable fashion <g>) 
that the former Rector was a bum and a heretic and an incompetent, so as to pave 
the way for them to embrace the new Rector as the best cleric to come along 
since John the Baptist.  That gives the new Rector the chance to make the 
changes he or she feels called to do without much complaint.

Or to put it more gently, a good interim (among other tasks) makes sure that the 
congregation won’t ever greet the new Rector with pining for his/her 
predecessor.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie