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A Timeline for our Search Process

May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
July 2020
August 2020
September 2020
October 2020
January 2021
February 2021
March 2021
April 2021
May 2021
June 2021
May 2020- Search Authorized and Co-Chairs Appointed

In May, Bishop-Elect Frank Logue authorizes Saint Paul’s Church to begin the search process for the next rector of Saint Paul’s Church. The vestry of Saint Paul’s appoints Brad Sandbach and Kim Butler to serve as co-chairs of the committee.

June 2020- Search Committee Appointed

The co-chairs work to put together a search committee that will represent the breadth of the Saint Paul’s community. The committee is made up of people at different stages of life with different ministry focuses, life experiences, priorities, and expectations. The committee represents different perspectives and voices in the church and is a team that works together in a way that honors and values different view points. The search committee includes the following parishioners:

Saint Paul’s Rector Search Committee

Kim Butler
Co-chair

Brad Sandbach
Co-chair

The Rev. Canon LaRue Downing
Chaplain to the Search Committee

Ramzi Assad

Julie Badger

Hava Chandler

Melissa Heckathorn

Meg Horton

Wright Montgomery

John Robertson

July 2020- Search Committee Commissioned

On Sunday, July 26, 2020, the Saint Paul’s search committee is commissioned. This commissioning liturgically signals the significant responsibility and role the search committee members are assuming in the life of the church and is marked as a time that the congregation begins prayers for the process of discernment. The Reverend George Muir leads the service.

July 26, 2020- Commissioning of the Search Committee

August 2020- Congregational Survey Completed

Saint Paul’s Church works with HolyCow! Consulting to complete a detailed congregation-wide survey. The Church Assessment Tool (CAT) survey is distributed to the congregation. The first step in the discernment process is to assess where the congregation is now and what is needed as we move forward. It is a period of self-examination as we work to understand our parish’s unique characteristics, priorities, strengths and challenges. The input from all parishioners received through the survey will directly inform the discernment process and the creation of our parish profile. The perspective, experiences, and opinions of each parishioner are highly valued and an important part of the search process.

September to December 2020- Congregational Assessment and Design of Parish Profile Completed

A parish profile is created by the search committee. The parish profile is an electronic document about the parish and the community and is used to introduce prospective candidates to our church and the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA). The profile includes information about our vision/mission, church history, demographics, worship, ministries, music, formation, outreach, special services/events/celebrations, children and youth, finances and stewardship, the CSRA community, the diocese, buildings and grounds, current clergy and staff, and online offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes information about our strengths and weaknesses, our goals and priorities, and the desired characteristics of the next rector.

The committee works with parish members involved with different areas of our church life and also uses information from parishioners gathered in the CAT survey and the Vestry Listening Sessions.

October 2020 – Survey Results Received

The Results from the Parish Survey are compiled by HolyCow! Consulting and provided to the Search Committee.   All the information in this report will be reviewed and discussed in further conversations by the Search Committee. Survey data is not the end of the conversation but the beginning.  A summary of the results is shared with the Parish and is available below.

READ SURVEY SUMMARY
January 2021- Profile submitted to Diocesan Office for Approval

A draft of the profile is reviewed and approved by the Bishop.. When completed, the electronic document is made available on the church website and a copy will be sent to the Canon to the Ordinary.

February 2021- Parish Profile sent out to prospective candidates

The search committee completes the parish search request form and forwards to the Canon to the Ordinary. While it is processed, the search committee asks for nominations from the congregation. All names are forwarded to the Canon. The opening is published online with the Office of Transition Ministries (OTM) making the list searchable by all Episcopal clergy.

March 2021- Nominations for rector are open

The opening is listed for no less than one month to allow candidates to learn of the position. Nominations are also open from members of the congregation. Each potential candidate will be screened in the Diocesan office before being considered by the search committee.

April 2021- Candidates evaluated and interviews conducted

The Canon to the Ordinary completes initial background checks on all candidates who express an interest in being considered and before presenting them to the Bishop for approval. The search committee will receive a list  from the Bishop’s office of candidates to be considered. The search committee considers each candidate and narrows the list to candidates to be interviewed. All candidates, including those nominated by members of the church, meet with the Bishop and have a formal background check completed if one is not already on file.

Initial interviews with the entire search committee are completed online. When the field of candidates has been narrowed, the Search Committee divides into teams and visits the candidate’s church if safety guidelines allow.  Maximum uniformity will be maintained among these visits. After the visit, each team writes and presents a complete report of the visit. The search committee decides on final candidates to visit Saint Paul’s.

May 2021- Finalists visit Saint Paul’s Church

Finalists are invited to the parish for personal interviews with the entire search committee if safety guidelines allow. This time includes a tour of the parish and the CSRA as well as social time.

June 2021- Final name sent to Vestry for approval. Bishop makes call of new rector

The search committee presents the selected candidate to the Saint Paul’s vestry for approval. When the vestry has made a decision, the Senior Warden telephones the Bishop to give notice of the intent to elect. The Bishop authorizes the vestry to elect and call the candidate.

VIEW THE PARISH PROFILE

A Prayer for our Search Process

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your whole Church, and so guide us in this parish during our time of self-study and search that we shall grow in our commitment to one another and to the cause of your Christ, and may come to choose a faithful pastor to join us in our ministries in our parish, community, and diocese; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

A Message from the Search Committee

For almost eight years, the Rev. George Muir has guided, nurtured, and inspired our Saint Paul’s Church parish family. As Father Muir has announced that his retirement will begin in the summer of 2021, Saint Paul’s begins the search for our next Rector. The search for a Rector is not merely a hiring process but rather a discernment process guided by faith and prayer. Our Saint Paul’s Rector search committee is approaching this work as a ministry of service to our parish community. Prayer, scripture, and reflection will all be important components of this effort.

In the coming months, and with the guidance of the Diocese of Georgia and Canon to the Ordinary, Loren Lasch, our parish will search together for our next rector. This process will be a time of self-examination and reflection and also an opportunity for tremendous growth and increased vision for how we as a parish can continue to grow into the church community God calls us to be. In teaching about the seasons of the Church year, Godly Play, our Saint Paul’s Children’s Formation program, teaches that things that feel like endings are also actually new beginnings. Transitions challenge us because they require letting go of things we have come to cherish and love and that make us comfortable. However, we also have the reassurance that God’s love and guidance are always present and never- changing so we also look forward to this new chapter with joyful expectation and excitement. This section of our website will serve as an information portal and include the details of our work as we prayerfully move through this most important process. We invite every member of the Saint Paul’s family to join us on this journey and are grateful for your prayers and support during this process.

Yours in Christ,
Saint Paul’s Rector Search Committee

Rector Search Committee

Kim Butler

Co-chair

Brad Sandbach

Co-chair

The Rev. Canon LaRue Downing

Chaplain to the Search Committee

Ramzi Assad

Julie Badger

Hava Chandler

Melissa Heckathorn

Meg Horton

Wright Montgomery

John Robertson