Frequently Asked Questions:
How was the next lead pastor chosen?
Once the Schenks announced their intention to step out of the pastoral role, the process of discerning the next pastor began. The board agreed to include the voices of the pastoral team and the congregation as much as possible in the discernment process, with the desire to make a decision that was supported by everyone.
The process began with reflection on the past, present, and desired future of our congregation, as well as considering what would qualify someone for the lead pastoral role. This reflection process included the whole board and pastoral team, and any members of the congregation who expressed interest. Next, an open call for applications was put forward to the congregation, to our network of ministry partners in Western New York, and to the network of Vineyard congregations throughout the USA.
We received a number of applications, including several from within the congregation, several from Western New York, and several from around the nation. After checking references and reviewing the applications, the board selected the candidates that we believed were appropriate for consideration, and invited them into an interview process.
After multiple interviews with the pastoral team and the board, we reached a clear and united decision to invite Emily Defnet to step into the lead pastor role - an invitation that she accepted!
Why was this the decision-making process that was used?
There are many different models of church polity (governance) throughout history and throughout the world, each with strengths and weaknesses. All of them can be healthy as long as the individuals involved are committed to integrity, wisdom, compassion, and the will of God. The BVC is led by a group of people (the board) who are a representative sample of the congregation, as well as by a team of pastors. The pastoral team is responsible for the daily leadership needs of the community, and the board ultimately makes larger strategic decisions, in this case, the decision to select the next pastor.
While this process may be different from the decision making process of other congregations or denominations, it is quite common within the Vineyard movement. Vineyard USA doesn’t dictate a specific model of church polity, so there is some diversity within the movement, but this model is by far the most common.
Can you tell us a little bit about Emily?
Emily was raised Catholic but came into the Vineyard in 2014, while pursuing a graduate degree in Food Science. The first time she stepped foot in a Vineyard church, she had a significant encounter with God - an experience that catalyzed a desire to know God more deeply and to help others grow in their personal relationships with Him.
Emily has been a part of BVC since moving to Buffalo in early 2021, a move that was prompted by a desire to be closer to her grandparents in North Tonawanda. She has been on staff at BVC, overseeing Communal Life, for the last year and a half. Before moving to Buffalo, Emily was in leadership at the Chester Springs Vineyard Church outside Philadelphia, PA, where she oversaw prayer ministry and Sunday morning Serve Teams. In the last 5 years, Emily has pursued various leadership and theological training opportunities through the Vineyard, including an intensive Bible course, a church planting cohort, and spiritual direction training, among others.
Feel free to reach out to her if you want to know more!
What will be the timeline for the pastoral transition?
The transition process has already begun. As of the public announcement in October, Pastor Emily and Pastor Steve have both been working together to lead the congregation, and to implement a responsible plan for transferring leadership from Steve to Emily. On January 6th, there will be a public ceremony celebrating Emily as our new pastor; from that point forward, Emily will be fully responsible for the lead pastoral role of the community, and Steve will no longer be involved in any of the leadership decisions or pastoral responsibilities for our fellowship.
How many hours per week will Emily be working for the church?
Emily will be working about 40 hours a week for BVC, while also working 5-10 hours per week for a food science consulting job.
Emily, what is your vision for the future of our congregation?
First, I just want to say that I am committed, alongside our pastoral leadership team, to pray, listen, and seek God’s guidance and direction for where He is leading Buffalo Vineyard in this next season. As Trish beautifully reminded us in her recent sermon, BVC is Jesus’ church. It is very important to me that we remain surrendered to Him and are constantly seeking His vision.
That being said, as I have begun to prayerfully dream about the future of BVC, I am looking forward to further pressing into each component of our mission statement: to teach people the ways of King Jesus by regularly encountering God, training each other in the faith, and effectively serving our neighbors. We already have a solid foundation built in each of these areas, and I am excited to expand upon the work that is already being done, and to continue to partner with what God is already doing here.
How will pastoral care be addressed with a female lead pastor instead of a male one?
There are many situations in the leadership and pastoral care of a congregation where it is irrelevant whether the lead pastor is a man or a woman. However, there are also situations where it does matter. A male pastor can offer pastoral care to women in many circumstances, but not all. A female pastor can offer pastoral care to men in many circumstances, but not all.
During Steve’s tenure as the lead pastor, the leadership team of the church has worked to ensure that other female leaders helped to provide leadership and pastoral care to the women of the congregation wherever it was appropriate to do so. As we transition to Emily’s tenure, the leadership team will engage in this same intentionality to ensure that the men of the church have that same opportunity.
Who will be responsible for Communal Life?
Emily will continue to oversee Communal Life (kids, small groups, discipleship) for now, with the goal of certain responsibilities being eventually handed off to others.
How will things be different now that Steve is no longer the lead pastor?
As we are all designed uniquely, Pastor Steve and Pastor Emily each offer different giftings, skill sets, and leadership styles. If ministry gaps do arise in Pastor Steve’s absence, the pastoral leadership team is committed to filling those gaps as needed.
As is natural with any leadership transition, some things may start to look a little different over time; but our core DNA of who we are as the Buffalo Vineyard Church and what we value will remain consistent.
What will the Schenks’ involvement at BVC look like moving forward?
The Schenk family plans to remain involved in the Buffalo Vineyard Church as members of the congregation. They will take a short time away, perhaps a few months, to create space for the church and the leadership team to adjust. They love this community and desire to remain a part of it for the foreseeable future.