In Sympathy: James Wilson
Rev. James M. Wilson, a member of the Northern Illinois Conference, passed away on Monday, October 6, 2025.
Location: Schaumburg: Our Saviour's UMC, 701 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, IL
April 29, 2023
April 29, 2023
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Schaumburg: Our Saviour's UMC, 701 E. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, IL
Understand the appointment change and your role in it.
SPRC Chair and members of the committee are encouraged to attend.
Lunch is provided and there is no charge.
Led by Jim Ozier of The Difference Makers Group
Schedule:
- 9:00 - 9:15 am - Greetings and Goals for the Day - Rev. Jeffry Bross
- 9:15 - 9:30 am - A Word of Encouragement - Bishop Dan Schwerin
- 9:30 - 11:00 am - Speaker - Jim Ozier
- 11:00 -11:45 am - Cross-Cultural Awareness - Rev. Young-Mee Park
- 12:00 - 1:00 pm - Lunch
- Clergy Discussion - Rev. Jeffry Bross and Rev. Brittany Isaac
- Laity Discussion - Speaker - Jim Ozier
- 1:00 - 3:00 pm - Speaker - Jim Ozier
- 3:00 pm - Closing Prayer and Dismissal - Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer
Participating Churches will receive:
- One free one-on-one consultation following the training
- Clergy Workbook (download)
- Congregation Workbook (download)
The Changeover Zone webinar/workshop for Churches will include: (For Church SPRC Members & Clergy)
- Understanding the "Changeover Zone" and how to manage it
- The role of the church in a great "Passing of the baton"
- Why a pastoral transition done well can lead to new enthusiasm, energy, and growth
- How to say "Goodbye" to the current pastor and "Hello" to a new pastor in ways that lead to growth
- The six reasons people may leave during a transition, and the six reasons new people will surface
- Avoiding the pitfalls and landmines of a pastoral change
- How to “inboard” the incoming pastor before she/he arrives
- How to plan and conduct a "listening tour" to onboard the new pastor
The Changeover Zone webinar/workshop for clergy will include:
- Why Passing the Baton of leadership is so crucial
- Understanding the “Changeover Zone” and your role in it
- Why a Passing the Baton done well can renew a pastor’s spirit and enthusiasm
- How to say “goodbye” to your current church, and “hello” to your new church
- How to set your successor up for success
- Tips for a great “in-boarding” (after you’ve been announced as the pastor of your new church and before you actually arrive)
- Tools for “onboarding”: how to learn the church’s story, history, and culture
- Avoiding the pitfalls and landmines of a pastoral changeMoney paid to NIC Conference
JIM OZIER
Jim Ozier, Presentor and Founder of The Difference Makers Group
In 1990, Jim Ozier followed the founder of a 7-year-old church, Trietsch Memorial UMC in Flower Mound, Texas. In his role as the second pastor for this young congregation, he learned first-hand how difficult the transition of pastoral leadership can be when a church has never done it before! When he left nearly 18 years later, the church had grown to more than 4,000 members and helped birth 3 new congregations. In addition, Jim saw how critical the “passing of the baton” is for the successor pastor following a long-tenured pastorate.
In 2008, Jim felt God’s nudging to leverage his own experiences and help other pastors going through critical leadership transitions. He became a trained coach—networking closely with Jim Griffith Coaching, and with Path1 of the United Methodist Church.
Serving on the Appointive Cabinet of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church for 6 years as the Director of New Church Development and Congregational Transformation, Jim brings consultative insights and experience to Bishops and Cabinets dealing with issues of church culture, growth and vitality.
Jim has trained more than 20,000 pastors and church leaders in over thirty Annual Conferences in the areas of:
- Assessing and Changing Church Culture
- Passing the Baton in Pastoral Transitions
- Pastoral Searches for larger churches
- Churches wanting to improve hospitality
Jim has presented at the Church of the Resurrection Leadership Institute, and keynoted the Indiana Annual Conference. He has contributed articles for a variety of national publications, such as “The Circuit Rider” and “Leading Ideas,” and keynoted at United Methodist Annual Conferences sessions and spoken at numerous venues.
Jim’s wife, Suzanne, is a retired Special Education teacher. They live in Irving, Texas.