March 2023 Senior Minister Search Committee Update

March 28, 2023

Your Search Committee has been in deep discernment over the past month – listening and re-listening to recorded interviews with candidates, listening and re-listening to recorded sermons, reading and re-reading written material.  In our March 8th meeting, after centering ourselves in prayer and conversation about the work of hearing and responding to God’s voice, we entered into conversation and emerged with clarity about the small group of candidates we will advance into the next stage of discernment.  It felt to all of us like a momentous milestone in our journey together.

We have extended written invitations to the small group of candidates who have accepted the opportunity for deeper engagement with us.  Each will join us for a day and a half of exercises including small and larger group meals, Bible study, a hands on experience with our unhoused neighbors, an exercise that engages our church staff in planning worship, reflection with church staff on our budget and use of our building, an extended interview with the Search Committee, and an opportunity to close the experience with us in a small informal vespers service.

We anticipate that we will have had the opportunity to meet all of our candidates by mid May and anticipate a continued process of discernment following these in-person experiences.

Please keep us in your prayers as we enter into this important next phase of discernment!   Know that we are still keeping our hearts and minds open to one another, to the individual candidates with whom we are in relationship, and to God’s ever-present Spirit. We continue to hope that we will be ready to introduce a final candidate to the congregation by the summer.  Trust, though, that we will not rush and will take the time we need to make this vitally important decision.

Thank you, as always, for entrusting us with this sacred responsibility.