Transition Process Updates
Wellspring has experienced significant change in this past season and we are continuing to move through the transition to a new Senior Pastor. In order to help with ongoing communication with the congregation this Blog Post will be a place that you can visit for ongoing updates and the current status of the transition process. Please check here often and encourage your friends to do the same. Every effort will be made to highlight when there is updated news being shared and specific items to pray for. Please keep the Elders and the Search Committee in your prayers.
Current Transition Status - updated Dec 23:
The interim Pastor, Steve Treash, will be preaching on Sunday, January 4th. There will be a short Q&A period led by elder board chair, Matthew McMahon followed by an opportunity to meet and greet Pastor Steve and his wife, Jen. Please plan to be here for this important day!
Previous Status Updates:
November 30:
Elder Board Chair, Matthew McMahon shared the following news at our service on Sunday, November 30: On behalf of the Elders, I am thrilled to be able to announce our selection for the intentional interim pastor. Over the course of the fall, we interviewed three candidates and had a whole series of conversations, and spent significant time praying together and separately, as I know many of you were also doing. We want you to know that Pastor Rick was very respectful of the boundaries of this process. We kept him informed of the progress we were making in the process, but he did not know who the candidates were, and he had no role in either the interviews or the selection. When it came time to make the selection, the Elders arrived at a unanimous decision very quickly, as it was clearly evident to all of us that this is the Lord’s provision for Wellspring in this next season. Beginning January 1, 2026, our interim pastor will be Pastor Steve Treash.
Reverend Steve Treash, Ph.D., is Pastor Emeritus of Black Rock Church in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he served for over 40 years. Many of you will recognize Black Rock as the church where Kevin Butterfield is now on the pastoral staff; what you may not know is that it is also the church where Kevin spent his formative years in high school. Pastor Steve received his Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen where he studied the preaching of Jonathan Edwards during the Great Awakening. Currently, Steve coaches pastors throughout New England and enjoys trail-walks with Jen, his wife of 33 years. Pastor Steve and Jen now live in the Litchfield area, which is a blessing for both them and us since Steve will be able to be on-site the great majority of the time.
To bring Steve on board, we as a church have contracted with an interim pastor group called Vital Church Ministries which brings decades of experience in intentional interim pastoral ministry. For legal and financial purposes Steve will be an employee of Vital Church, but he will operate in our Senior Pastor role and will work very closely with the Elders. We are eager to introduce you all to Pastor Steve and the leadership of Vital Church. Steve wasn’t able to be here this morning, but we are planning to arrange a time for a meet and greet, Lord willing, in December, as well as a time for Q&A with the Elders. So on behalf of all the Elders, I want to thank you all again for your support, your encouragements and exhortations, and above all for your prayers. Praise the Lord! And God bless you all.
November 26:
There will be an important announcement this Sunday, November 30th about the interim pastor who will begin in January. Please plan to be at the service to hear this exciting news!
November 13:
Thank you all for your continued prayers for the board through this transition process! We are delighted to report that after interviewing the candidates and spending time in prayerful consideration, the Elders have unanimously agreed on the choice for the intentional interim pastor. The board is currently negotiating the terms of the agreement, and we will share more information with you when that agreement has been finalized. We believe that the Lord has provided for Wellspring in a marvelous way, and we’re looking forward to sharing the full news with you all soon.
October 29:
With Pastor Rick retiring at the end of this year, the Elders are actively evaluating and interviewing candidates for an intentional interim pastor. We have received several leads from NL Moore and Associates, with additional support from the regional leadership of Converge (Wellspring’s denominational affiliation) and hope to have the interim in place by January 1, 2026. The Elders have interviewed two excellent interim candidates so far, and will be interviewing a third before coming to a final decision. Please continue to pray for our discernment and stamina throughout this process, which requires frequent meetings and discussions, and that the Lord will guide us to the right candidate!