…a short primer on“What’s the Plan”

Excerpts from Good Shepherd Parish Forum

Held on21 June 2015

Hosted by Senior Warden: John Morris

Updated as of 15 October 2015

2

So, over the next six months…

• Pray - for guidance and direction• Stabilize personnel– Hire a new part-time Parish Administrator– Establish a relationship with a new supply clergy

• Develop a skeleton budget for 2016 considering the transition process

• Develop a stewardship message that calls us forward to meet our needs and challenges

• Work with Diocese Transition Office on candidates for Interim Rector

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3

What do we do in the interim…

• Hire an Interim Rector• Called by the Vestry – will do this fall 2015• Essential quality: Trained in Transition Ministry• Target date – Available 1 Feb 2016• Goal: Prepare the congregation for the arrival

of the next rector

• Vestry and Interim Rector agree to work closely together and to support each other by prayer, work and example

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4

During the Interim search period…

• Vestry will put out the call for vestry candidates for its next election

• Going off Vestry: Morris, Godin, Libby, Lincoln

• Vestry elections early December

• These new vestry members will carry us through the search process

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5

…what’s going on in December & January?

• Finalize hiring an Interim Rector• Completing Stewardship campaign• Vestry Elections• Final Good Goodbyes to Larry & Melissa• Christmas season• Address by The Rev. Mary Thorpe• Search Committee formation• Annual Meeting 31 January 2016• Interim Rector assumes role

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December 6th

December

November 21st

December 13th

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…did you finally say Search Committee?

• First, finalize the members of the 2016 Vestry• Then, begin the process of constituting and

commissioning a search committee• Vestry to work with Transition Office to review

“best practices” on selecting a committee• Once formed, covenants to be developed and

acknowledged among the Vestry, Committee, Parish and Diocese

• We shall respect each other’s territory

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…so, what does the Search Committee do?

• Pray!....and, pray some more!• Bond – Meet with Rev. Thorpe – Retreat -

Reflect• Period of Self-Study – Committee and Parish• Profile development– Profile provided to Bishop for review/approval– Complete Parish portfolio and publish

• Candidate evaluation– Initial interviews/visits/reference

checks/background checks/selecting finalists6/21/2015

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…and, when is it over?

• Final Candidates/Vestry Involvement– Final interviews/candidate presented to Vestry/

Vestry issues Call/ Letter of Agreement/ Announcement to congregation!

• Process is methodical – developing a covenant of marriage

• Will take many months – the timeline is God’s• Refer back to slide #4

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