What to Know About Dr. Matt Brown’s Retirement and Our Next Steps

Last Updated: June 2, 2025

We know there are questions about Dr. Matt Brown’s recently announced retirement plans!  Below, we hope to answer the most frequently asked questions about our church’s next steps. If you have any other questions or concerns that aren’t addressed, please do not hesitate to contact Matt, Personnel Committee Chair Janet Morgan or Clerk of Session Gayle Ireland. We will continue to update this list as the process evolves.

Why is Dr. Matt Brown leaving SMPC? 

On Sunday, May 25, 2025, Dr. Matt Brown, pastor, announced his upcoming retirement, effective December 1, 2025. Matt will turn 65 years old in November and has been pastor at SMPC since August 2004. 

We have been incredibly blessed by Matt’s servant leadership for over 21 years. He has shared wisdom from the pulpit, led Bible studies and devotionals, and offered comfort in times of uncertainty. He has baptized our children, officiated weddings, and supported families through illness and loss. Under his leadership, we completed six capital campaigns, built a chapel and sanctuary, and will soon be debt-free. We also now have a columbarium to honor those who came before us. We’re equally grateful for his wife, Donna, a constant presence in our community, who helped start our Chrismon tradition and leads our Alternative Gift Market. We are truly thankful for the Brown family’s two decades at SMPC!

Matt’s last Sunday at SMPC will be November 23, 2025. From there, we hope he and Donna enjoy many “go-go” years of retirement!

Why did Matt announce his retirement now rather than waiting until closer to his retirement date? 

We are grateful to Matt for announcing his retirement earlier than many pastors announce their retirement! This gives our congregation ample time to plan for the future. 

Dr. Whitney Bayer, former associate pastor, was recently called to a new congregation in Rumson, NJ. Did her leaving affect Matt’s announcement? 

We were blessed to have Whitney and her family at SMPC for over seven years and are so happy for her as she begins a new calling as pastor of Rumson Presbyterian in New Jersey! Matt’s 65th birthday is in November, which meant he and his wife, Donna, had already been prayerfully planning his retirement. Matt took into account Whitney’s new calling when he decided to announce his retirement now rather than later this summer, which allows the transition team ample time to plan for our future staffing needs. 

Who will be pastor once Matt leaves in November? 

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has a process for us to follow in this transition. At the May 25 Session meeting, Session approved the formation of a Transition Committee to work in conjunction with the Session to provide leadership until a new senior pastor is called.  The Transition Committee will be chaired by Nancy Metzler, and includes Michael Choren, Terry Gaines, Frank Graham, Crystal Myers, Joel Winchip, Gayle Ireland as Clerk of Session, and Mary Katheryne Zagora as the staff liaison. This committee will identify and work to fill immediate staffing needs of the church and will work directly with the Presbytery to identify an interim pastor.  They will also begin preparation work for the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC), which will be formed after Matt’s departure in December. 

How long will it take to hire a new senior pastor? 

According to the guidelines of PC(USA) the PNC will be formed after Matt’s retirement in December. From there, it is normal for a church our size to expect an interim pastor to be in place for 12-24 months. This length of time is intentional and beneficial and is an opportunity for our church. First, it allows us a chance to grieve what we’ve lost before starting a new chapter. It also allows us ample time to consider how God has used SMPC in the past and what God is calling SMPC to be in the future. SMPC is in a unique and fortunate situation in that, with the upcoming resolution of the mortgage, we had already begun the careful process of discerning God’s path for us going forward! This thinking and process will continue and be used as we move into this time of transition and selection of a new pastor. The Presbyterian Church is not a hierarchical denomination – we are not assigned a pastor – so the interim period gives us the opportunity to carefully and thoughtfully choose a new pastor both independently and with the spirit of connection to the PC(USA).

What is the role of the Presbytery in the process of finding a new pastor? 

In the PC(USA), the Presbytery plays a crucial role in the selection and installation of a new pastor. Here’s how the process typically works:

1. Dissolution of Pastoral Relationship

When a pastor leaves (due to retirement, accepting a new call, etc.), the Session works with the Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry (COM) to dissolve the pastoral relationship. The Presbytery must approve the dissolution.

2. Appointing an Interim Pastor (Optional)

The COM sometimes helps the Session and/or Transition Committee identify and call an interim or transitional pastor to serve during the pastoral search. This helps maintain continuity and pastoral care.

3. Mission Study and Congregational Input

The Session (often with help from COM) may lead a mission study to assess the church’s identity, needs, and goals. This helps guide the search for a new pastor.

4. Forming the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC)

The congregation elects a Pastor Nominating Committee, often after receiving guidance from the COM, the Session and the SMPC Nominating Committee (an already existing year-round committee that helps to populate our existing committees). The election of the PNC is much like the election of the Session. The Session will present the congregation with a slate of nominees, and nominees can also be added from the floor during the congregational meeting. The PNC represents the congregation in the search process.

5. Seeking and Evaluating Candidates

The PNC, along with the Session, and using the information gained during our mission study, will create a Ministry Information Form (MIF), which will be posted in the PCUSA’s Church Leadership Connection (CLC) system. The MIF is similar to a position description but much more detailed. Our MIF will be viewable to candidates who are looking for new positions. The CLC will also “match” Personal Information Forms (PIFs) from candidates to our MIF, and it will allow our PNC to view all PIFs in the system and reach out to candidates directly, even if they didn’t “match” with us.

The COM supports the PNC during this process, offering guidance and ensuring that procedures are followed.

6. Selecting a Final Candidate

Once the PNC chooses a final candidate, the COM must examine and approve the candidate’s credentials, theology, and fitness for ministry. The candidate is usually interviewed by the COM or a subcommittee.

7. Congregational Vote

If the COM approves the candidate, the PNC presents the candidate as well as the terms of call to the Session and then to the congregation. The congregation votes to extend the call.

8. Presbytery Approval and Installation

Finally, the Presbytery approves the candidate and the terms of call, and appoints an administrative commission to install the new pastor in a worship service.

Why are there so many committees and so much involvement from so many different groups?

Presbyterians believe that we make better decisions when we work as a team. We’ve always been wary of giving too much power to any one person, since all of us are human, and therefore flawed. This does make the process take a little longer, but we also believe that the Spirit works through us communally and that all voices are important.

How involved will Matt be in the process?

Because he has given us ample time to plan for the future, Matt will serve in an advisory role for the transition team while he is still serving as our Senior Pastor. This is a blessing for us! Once Matt officially dissolves his relationship with SMPC, he will not be involved at all in the process, and we cannot form the PNC until after his last day, so he will not be a part of the search. Matt can (and will) serve as a reference for SMPC for candidates who are interviewing with us.

What is Associate Pastor of Youth and Mission/Outreach Lindsey Odom’s role in this transition? 

Lindsey will continue to serve in her current capacity as associate pastor of youth and missions/outreach.

What should I do if I have a pastoral concern over the next few months?

If you have a pastoral care concern, please contact Matt or Lindsey. 

Can Matt still perform pastoral duties like weddings, funerals, and pastoral counseling with SMPC members after his retirement?

In order that the congregation may experience a healthy transition to interim and permanent pastorates, retiring pastors covenant to step away from all pastoral duties in the congregation, including funerals, baptisms, weddings, and pastoral care. This difficult, but necessary component of retirement allows a congregation the space needed to form new relationships and dream new dreams. Please note: Matt CAN perform pastoral duties like weddings, funerals, etc. until his retirement is effective (December 1, 2025). 

Where are we with finding a replacement for Associate Pastor Whitney Bayer?

We are now looking at a temporary part-time parish associate to oversee congregational care needs and the deacons for the foreseeable future, until a new senior pastor is hired. A couple of things to note:

• With Matt’s retirement on December 1, it is more sensible to wait on hiring a new associate pastor until the new senior pastor is in place and can be a part of that selection process.
• However, Whitey’s duties/role are vital to the congregation, and we must ensure we have someone to perform them  While the staff has been covering Whitney’s duties during her sabbatical (this is customary – for ANY sabbatical, a plan is crafted months in advance for staff and volunteers to cover the sabbatical-taker’s duties temporarily), this is not a long term solution.
• Because this is a temporary position, the role may look a little different from Whitney’s, and we need to define exactly what that will be for this interim period.

This is the first order of business for the Transition Committee.  The committee will have its first meeting in early June and will begin working on the steps required to define, and then fill, this temporary position, including:

• Work with the Presbytery on the steps and guidelines for the hiring process (for a temporary, part-time position).

• • NOTE:  We may not be able to do anything until Whitney’s contract ends in July, but we want to be prepared!

• Develop a position description for the duties of this temporary, interim role, to cover the vital pieces of Whitney’s job until our new senior pastor is in place (possible 12 – 24 months).
• Interview and fill the position.

We don’t know how long this process will take before someone is in place, but we can assure you that the committee will work as quickly as possible to define the role and fill it with the best person for the job!  We will communicate details on projected timelines as the committee has them. We know this feels like a lot of change (and even “loss”) in a short amount of time; however, we have an amazing team of experienced staff and lay leaders in this congregation that will help guide us through the coming months and the hiring processes!

What can I do to help?

We invite your prayerful support and patience as we walk through this season of transition together. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Matt or a member of Session directly. Let’s continue to lean on one another in faith, avoid speculation, and stay grounded in trust—knowing that God is guiding us every step of the way.

How will you keep us informed about what’s happening? 

We will be giving regular updates via our weekly email, which is delivered to inboxes on Thursday mornings. If you are not already subscribed, please email Cheryl Perry, director of communications, [email protected]. We will also give updates via our website, smpchome.org, and occasionally on social media (Facebook: @southmecklenburgpresbyterian and Instagram @southmeckpres).

We are blessed with a vibrant faith community and strong lay and clergy leadership at SMPC! We trust God’s guidance and look forward with hope to what lies ahead!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:

Dr. Matt Brown, Pastor, [email protected], 980-265-2834

Janet Morgan, Personnel Committee Chair, [email protected], 704-577-3202 

Gayle Ireland, Clerk of Session, [email protected], 704-451-4706