Rector Search Committee Summer Update - August
The first phase of a rector search is a self-study and reflection culminating in the production of a parish profile document that introduces a parish to any prospective candidates. We are happy to report that this first phase is nearly complete as the Vestry has approved our parish profile, and we will be ready to publicly post the job right after Labor Day.
The writing of the parish profile was a big job requiring that we collect feedback from the parish in the form of our survey, collaborate with shareholders on staff and across our community, sort through hundreds of images to illustrate our work, and write (and re-write and then edit again) copy that would succinctly tell our story. But the process affirmed so many wonderful aspects of our shared church life -- the opportunities inherent in our new building, the lives impacted by our service initiatives, the joy we express in our worship and music, a rich history that ties us to our neighborhood and the city as a whole, and, most importantly, our shared faith in Jesus Christ that strengthens our friendships and fellowship. The profile will be available on our website as soon as the job is officially posted.
What comes next? The job will be posted on the diocesan website as well as on Episcopal News Service. We will use social media and our IRL contacts to help spread the word. The Episcopal Parish Network has offered to help. We'll share the job posting when it is live. You'll be able to encourage any candidates you might know to apply. There will be a separate, non-Epiphany email where we will receive applications for approximately 6 weeks. During that time, the search committee will, with input from the Vestry, work together to formulate the candidate criteria and interview questions for the first round of interviews, which will be virtual. These interviews will be done in groups of 2-3 members of the committee and recorded so all the committee members can watch them. Semi-finalists and finalists will come to New York to interview before we present one or possibly two candidates to the Vestry for election, which must be unanimous before a call is offered. This process, particularly the in person portions, will by necessity be done in secrecy to protect the candidates' privacy. The hope is that we will have a new rector in place in time to celebrate Easter 2023.
Search committee chair Heather Schaefer will be speaking and answering questions at Homecoming Sunday so stay tuned for that September date. Until then, enjoy your summer and continue to hold the committee in your prayers.
Faithfully,
The Rector Search Committee
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