Pastor Kaspars Simanovičs suddenly decided to take this step due to professional burnout, while Pastor Indulis Paičs significantly reduced his daily ministry in Torņkalns a year and a half ago, going on a long study leave and focusing on doctoral studies.
Indulis Paičs had made the decision to terminate his ministry in July, but the actual departure, unfortunately, coincided with both pastors at the same time.
The Council of the Riga Lutheran Congregation takes full responsibility in this situation – the largest Lutheran congregation in Latvia with more than 5,000 members has been left with one pastor, which is not enough to ensure a comprehensive service. On Friday, August 7, the chairman of the parish council Žanete Drone and pastor Linards Rozentāls will meet with Archbishop Jānis Vanags to discuss the next steps in the process of finding a new pastor.
Aware of the seriousness of the situation, the parish council has also decided to urgently address other issues that may have contributed to pastoral overload and professional burnout. In the near future, the possibility of separating spiritual work from administrative-economic work, which in the case of the Riga Lutheran Congregation, neither a pastor nor a volunteer can perform for a long time, will be assessed.
The existing number of church members, the church infrastructure, the scope of ministry activities and the initiated projects require significant resources in process management. Therefore, the council will look for an opportunity to attract a paid chairman of the board, which would relieve the pastors and allow them to focus on spiritual work.
The council has also unanimously decided to provide support tools to pastors so that they can have access to supervisor advice or other professional help to reduce the risk of burnout. It must be admitted that burnout is not new or unique to the practitioners of spiritual work – not a single pastor has experienced it. However, it was in the interest of the church to notice the congestion in time and look for solutions.
The members of the parish council, the board and the audit committee, as well as individual staff, have discussed the course of action in several hours of negotiations, including the ultimate possibility of laying down the mandate entrusted to the parish and resigning from the council members.
The Council takes full moral responsibility and is committed to continuing to work and doing its utmost to stabilize the situation. The decision was made after hearing the request of Pastor Linards Rozentāls to the council to continue its work. It should also be noted that new church council elections will take place next spring.
On behalf of the Riga Lutheran Parish Council and the pastor, please understand the loss and grief of the parish about the long-term and very beloved pastors leaving Torņakalns. Such a loss inevitably causes grief, causing a wide range of emotions and guilt.
Emotions have a place and only when we allow them can we integrate this loss into our lives. Guilt is also a real and normal thing. The traces of the ministry of Kaspars Simanovičs and Indulis Paičs have been deeply ingrained in the hearts of every member of the church – this blessing has been of special significance for almost 20 years.
We are very grateful for their tremendous contribution and unique contribution. But at the same time, we must be strong in faith and trust that God’s plan is superior to our understanding. Therefore, we invite you to go through this loss humbly and with a loving heart, together finding strength for the way forward.
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