After 17 years with this congregation, in January of 2023, Pastor Sandy announced her retirement, opening a season of change for this congregation. See her letter to the congregation, and the service on 1/29/2023: Walk with God. She shared other thoughts in numerous sermons until her departure. See Our Sermons. On June 18, 2023, we held a celebration of our Faithful Partnership. Sandy’s last day with us was our communion worship service on June 25, 2023.
We are listening anew to what God is calling us to be and have completed a Mission Action Plan as part of the process of Mission Assessment.
The congregation has elected a Pastor Nominating
Committee consisting of: Susan Addington, Mary Bolaños, John-Paul Fletcher, Brian Gano, Kendra Lamb, Jim Morris, Shelby Obershaw, Christa Wallis, and Neal Williams. (Mary Bolanos & Christa Wallis, co-chairs)
The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) has used our Mission Action Plan to complete our Ministry Discernment Profile (who we are), which has been approved by Session, and submitted to the Healthy Pastors and Congregation Commission of the Presbytery. Upon their approval it will be uploaded so that we can be matched to potential candidates which the PNC will review for consideration.
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The Process of Calling a New Pastor (From March 2023 Newsletter with updated milestones)
We will not be hasty in calling a new pastor; history has shown that is not wise. This is a time to reflect on who we are as a congregation and what we want to be going forward. For those who wish to have an outline of what is to come, here is a timeline of the process. Note that we are not putting any specific dates in this process – it evolves as we move through it.
• Healthy Pastors, Healthy Congregations Commission (HPCC) appoints a liaison from Presbytery. This has been done
– The Rev. Dr. William Roozeboom (Bill) has already visited with Session.
• HPCC also appoints a Session Moderator once Sandy leaves – Steve Smith has accepted this role.
• Session will decide if it wants to put an Interim Pastor in place and will form a search committee for that purpose if applicable.
• On June 25, 2023 we had a Congregational Meeting to dissolve Sandy’s relationship with our congregation.
• Session selects a Mission Assessment Team (MAT) to do a mission study (also called a Mission Assessment Plan or
MAP). This will involve input from all members of the congregation and may include written surveys, small group
interactions, etc. We encourage you to make sure your voice is heard in this process. (Click here for Mission Assessment Team info including survey forms) (MAP accepted by Session and the Presbytery in March 2024.)
• Once the MAP is completed, a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) is formed (and voted upon at a Congregational
Meeting). This team reviews the MAP and completes a Ministry Information Form (MIF) which is basically a resume of
the church to put out for those who may be seeking a call. (PNC Elected 4/28/2024, Ministry Discernment Profile approved by Session August 1, 2024.)
• Once the MIF is published, the PNC reviews applications, interviews and ultimately makes a recommendation for a
called pastor (with concurrence of Presbytery).
This process can take anywhere from 1-3 years. We are aware that it shouldn’t be rushed and we are thankful for the leadership of Wendy and Steve which is already in place to take us through the time immediately after Sandy leaves.
Please reach out to anyone on Session or the Pastor Nominating Committee with any questions.
More on the Process
While anxiety can be a natural response to change, in our PC(USA) denomination, the process of calling a pastor (or “teaching elder”) is well-ordered, intentional, and with space and time for discernment for everyone involved.
This is a process and it doesn’t start with who will be called as pastor, but with who we are as a congregation and what we discern to be God’s call to us. So we might consider these questions:
WHO ARE WE?
WHO IS GOD CALLING US TO BE?
WHERE IS GOD CALLING US TO GO?
We can ask these questions of ourselves as individuals, as families, and as a community of faith.
Light a candle. Take a deep breath. Pray while you walk. Relax into the certainty that God is with each and all of us, God’s beloved.
The following resources may be of interest during this transition:
Video: On Calling a Pastor
If you have concerns, please speak to a member of our Session.