The Search Committee Work Begins

Since the joint Vestry and Search Committee retreat on March 1st and 2nd the search committee has met regularly throughout the month of March. To date we have elected our officers, established subcommittees, written the search prayer, developed our communications plan and planned the parish self-study. We plan to meet as a full committee bi-weekly with subcommittees meeting regularly as needed.

The call of a new rector to a parish is process that takes approximately 12-18 months. It is designed to be a prayerful and discerning process as the Search Committee seeks the right person to lead our faithful community into the future. The first, and one of the most important steps in that process, is the Self-Study. During the Self-Study the search committee looks to answer important questions about the parish such as, ‘who are we as a faith community?’ ‘What kind of church have we been in the past?’ ‘What new directions might God be calling us to go?’ ‘What type of leadership will we need to live into our mission and vision?’ In essence as we begin the search for a new rector we are first searching ourselves, so that our new rector will know who we are as a parish.

To answer these important questions, we need your help! Beginning in early April we will be distributing a parish-wide survey both online and on paper. We will also be holding several parish-wide listening sessions where will explore the questions outlined above. We ask that you please take the survey once it is released and attend one of the parish sessions, because in order to have a complete and true self-study, we need to hear your voice!

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to talk to any of the search committee members, listed below, either before or after church or during coffee hour. In the coming weeks we will also be posting the pictures of the committee members in church so you know just who we are! We are deeply humbled with the responsibility that has been entrusted to us and we ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers.

Search Committee Members:

Alison Novello - Co-Chair
Jayne Miller - Co-Chair
Michael Marcinelli- Chaplain
Anne Lamontagne - Corresponding Secretary
Jackie Salvesen - Recording Secretary/Vestry Liason
Chris Wagner - Process Observer
Ben Hunt
Emily McDowell
Don DeLollis
Rosalyn Wood
Diane Huntress
Judy Johnson
Jane Roberts
Jay Donovan