Senior Minister Seach Committee
Update January 2007
The Senior Pastor Search Committee appointed by Church Council has been meeting since early December. We are still gathering information and defining how we will proceed, but we want to communicate with the Congregation regarding the general process we will follow and regarding one specific issue which we recognize is of importance to the Congregation.
We are currently preparing a Church Profile which will describe the life of our congregation, its vision for the future, and the specific leadership needs it expects the Senior Pastor to meet. We will use the results of the survey and the cottage meetings as inputs as we prepare the Profile. When it is complete, we expect to share it with the Congregation.
Once the Church Profile is complete, the basic process we will follow will be to seek candidates, review their applications, interview selected candidates, visit their current churches, check their references, and carefully and prayerfully consider the gifts and skills of each candidate. When we have reached a decision that all Search Committee members are comfortable with, we will determine terms of employment in consultation with the Trustees, Church Council and the Personnel Committee, make an announcement to the congregation recommending the candidate, and schedule a candidating Sunday.
The Church Council has voted to adopt specific ground rules governing the consideration of an application for the Senior Pastor position by the Associate Pastor. It is important that all members of the Congregation be aware of these ground rules and of the process the Search Committee will be following.
When the Church Profile is complete, the Associate Pastor will have an opportunity, if he wishes, to submit his application for the position before any other candidates are sought.
The Church Council's vote establishes two commitments the Associate Pastor must make in applying. First, if the Search Committee does not recommend that the congregation call the Associate Pastor to be the Senior Pastor, or if the congregation does not call him, the Associate Pastor will be expected to leave his position within 60-90 days of the 'no' decision. Second, while the Search Committee welcomes comments and recommendations from the congregation, the Associate Pastor must continue to minister impartially and is expected to discourage all attempts to petition or persuade the Search Committee with respect to his candidacy for the Senior Pastor position.
The first commitment grows out of experiences of other churches and is designed to ensure that the search process and the life of the congregation are not compromised by ongoing conflict over an Associate Pastor's candidacy. The second commitment is required by ethical guidelines to which Pastors adhere.
If the Associate Pastor, understanding these commitments, decides to apply for the Senior Pastor position, the Search Committee will interview him, review his application and carefully and prayerfully consider whether to recommend him to the congregation. If it does, the congregation will follow the process prescribed by the bylaws in deciding whether to call the Associate Pastor to be the Senior Pastor of the Church.
If the Search Committee determines not to recommend that the congregation call the Associate Pastor, it will then communicate its decision to the congregation and open the search to other candidates. The Associate Pastor will be expected to leave his position within 60-90 days.
We are committed to do our best, with the help of God and the members of this congregation, to discern the needs and vision of this congregation and to find a candidate whose skills and gifts will enable him or her to minister to our needs. We invite you to share your thoughts with any of us and ask for your prayers as we go about this task.
Yours in Christ,
The Senior Pastor Search Committee
Holly Bergeron - Co-Chairs
Tom Corry - Co-Chairs
Chris Bennett
Tiffany Carlson
Sheri Lussier
Darrin McGuire
Tina Phillips
Paul Schmidt
Yvonne Smith
David Wood