There's $42,000 Hiding in Your Church Budget. I Know Where It Is.
Guiding congregations through leadership transition with clarity, skill, and theological grounding.
I have been doing intentional interim ministry full-time since 2019. Not as a stopgap. Not as something to stay busy between other things. This is the work I have trained for, the work I am credentialed to do, and the work I believe matters most to the long-term health of congregations navigating transition.
If you are looking for someone to fill the pulpit and be a friendly face on Sunday mornings until the next pastor arrives, I am not the right fit. But if your congregation is ready to take an honest look at how it is organized, how it carries out its mission, and what changes are needed to remain healthy and vital for the long term — I can guide that process.
What makes interim ministry differentA pastoral transition is not a pause. It is a kairos moment — a rare and sacred opportunity that most congregations only experience once or twice in a generation. Once a new pastor is called, the window for deep structural and cultural work narrows dramatically. The congregation that enters transition well-led emerges from it stronger, clearer, and genuinely better prepared for the future.
My work during an interim is focused on five areas:
My backgroundI completed Phases 1 and 2 of the Intentional Interim Pastor training through the Lutheran Transitional Ministry Association in 2021, and I hold a credential through the Society for Church Consulting (2021). My D.Min. from Houston Graduate School of Theology is in Spiritual Direction and Formation, and I hold an M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. I have nearly 30 years of ordained ministry in the Lutheran tradition — LCMS and ELCA — serving congregations in both small-town and urban contexts.
From 2014 to 2020 I served as a church consultant and clergy coach with the Texas Annual Conference of the UMC, working with approximately 30 congregations on leadership development, strategic planning, and facilitating critical conversations. I bring that systems-level perspective into every interim engagement.
Congregations I have served
You are welcome to contact the synod office or any of these congregations directly. My record is transparent and one I am glad to stand behind.
A note on compensation: I carry my own health insurance through my wife’s employer and maintain a private IRA. This means your congregation will not be sending benefits contributions to Portico — which represents a significant reduction in what you would normally budget for a pastor.
Approximate Annual Portico Savings
Amount
Health and dental
$28,000
Pension
$11,000
Retirement health and disability
$3,500
Total annual savings
$42,500
That is approximately $3,500 per month back into your operating budget — immediately improving cash flow and relieving pressure on your second-largest budget line.
How the process worksInterim ministry is a contracted position, not a called one. The approval process rests with your leadership team. Once compensation, start date, and terms are agreed upon, the contract moves forward. I am glad to meet with your council or vestry — in person or via Zoom — to discuss your situation before any commitment is made.
I do not audition. If you want to hear my preaching or teaching, I have a substantial digital presence — sermons and presentations are readily available on YouTube. A preliminary conversation is the appropriate next step, not a Sunday morning chemistry check in front of the whole congregation.
Interim ministry, done well, is one of the most valuable investments a congregation can make in its future. Don’t waste this window.
Reach out through the contact page and let’s talk about what your congregation needs.
I have been doing intentional interim ministry full-time since 2019. Not as a stopgap. Not as something to stay busy between other things. This is the work I have trained for, the work I am credentialed to do, and the work I believe matters most to the long-term health of congregations navigating transition.
If you are looking for someone to fill the pulpit and be a friendly face on Sunday mornings until the next pastor arrives, I am not the right fit. But if your congregation is ready to take an honest look at how it is organized, how it carries out its mission, and what changes are needed to remain healthy and vital for the long term — I can guide that process.
What makes interim ministry differentA pastoral transition is not a pause. It is a kairos moment — a rare and sacred opportunity that most congregations only experience once or twice in a generation. Once a new pastor is called, the window for deep structural and cultural work narrows dramatically. The congregation that enters transition well-led emerges from it stronger, clearer, and genuinely better prepared for the future.
My work during an interim is focused on five areas:
- Clarifying vision and mission
- Strengthening the leadership team
- Establishing healthy governance structures
- Addressing unresolved congregational history
- Preparing the community to call the right next pastor for who they actually are — not who they used to be
My backgroundI completed Phases 1 and 2 of the Intentional Interim Pastor training through the Lutheran Transitional Ministry Association in 2021, and I hold a credential through the Society for Church Consulting (2021). My D.Min. from Houston Graduate School of Theology is in Spiritual Direction and Formation, and I hold an M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. I have nearly 30 years of ordained ministry in the Lutheran tradition — LCMS and ELCA — serving congregations in both small-town and urban contexts.
From 2014 to 2020 I served as a church consultant and clergy coach with the Texas Annual Conference of the UMC, working with approximately 30 congregations on leadership development, strategic planning, and facilitating critical conversations. I bring that systems-level perspective into every interim engagement.
Congregations I have served
- St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Baytown — April 2024 – October 2025
- Kinsmen Lutheran Church, Houston — June 2023 – January 2024
- Redeemer Lutheran Church, Houston — September 2020 – April 2023
- Memorial First Lutheran, Texas City — September 2019 – September 2020
You are welcome to contact the synod office or any of these congregations directly. My record is transparent and one I am glad to stand behind.
A note on compensation: I carry my own health insurance through my wife’s employer and maintain a private IRA. This means your congregation will not be sending benefits contributions to Portico — which represents a significant reduction in what you would normally budget for a pastor.
Approximate Annual Portico Savings
Amount
Health and dental
$28,000
Pension
$11,000
Retirement health and disability
$3,500
Total annual savings
$42,500
That is approximately $3,500 per month back into your operating budget — immediately improving cash flow and relieving pressure on your second-largest budget line.
How the process worksInterim ministry is a contracted position, not a called one. The approval process rests with your leadership team. Once compensation, start date, and terms are agreed upon, the contract moves forward. I am glad to meet with your council or vestry — in person or via Zoom — to discuss your situation before any commitment is made.
I do not audition. If you want to hear my preaching or teaching, I have a substantial digital presence — sermons and presentations are readily available on YouTube. A preliminary conversation is the appropriate next step, not a Sunday morning chemistry check in front of the whole congregation.
Interim ministry, done well, is one of the most valuable investments a congregation can make in its future. Don’t waste this window.
Reach out through the contact page and let’s talk about what your congregation needs.
Rev. Dr. Steve Stutz Ordained Lutheran Pastor · Intentional Interim Minister · Certified Spiritual Director La Porte, Texas · Houston Area
[Contact] · [LinkedIn] · [The Marginal Note on Substack]
[Contact] · [LinkedIn] · [The Marginal Note on Substack]
