PSC Update - Oct. 2009

Update from the Pastoral Search Committee:

Advertising the vacancy

Since completing Hope UCC’s Local Church Profile in September, the Pastoral Search Committee (PSC) has continued to move forward in its work to search for Hope’s new permanent pastor.  In September we listed the vacancy in UCC Employment Opportunities and several candidates have already expressed an interest by submitting a UCC Ministerial Profile through our Conference Office. We plan to continue to run the ad and receive and evaluate new Ministerial Profiles through December.

Screening applicants

After reviewing all profiles and following up with those of particular interest (e.g. telephone reference checks, telephone interviews, and requests for sermon tapes), we will select a small number of candidates for personal interviews and then make arrangements for our Search Committee members to worship with them.  Following second interviews with these candidates and seeking God’s guidance, we will decide on a candidate to recommend to the congregation.

Calling a new pastor

Pending approval from the Cabinet, members and friends of Hope will have an opportunity to meet the candidate (and family) during a “candidating weekend” in an informal setting and at a worship service where the candidate will preach. At a congregational meeting after worship there will be a chance to ask questions of the Search Committee, followed by a vote on the Call to our new pastor.  According to Kwame Osei Reed, Associate Conference Minister for the Potomac Association, who attended our meeting on October 19, it typically takes about a year from the time an ad is placed until a new pastor is called.

Need for confidentiality

While the congregation was very involved this past year with the discernment process and the work on our Church Profile, the nature of this phase of the search requires that the names of candidates be held in strict confidence within our committee; we ask you to respect the essential confidentiality of this process. At the same time, we will make every effort to keep you informed-on a regular basis-about our progress.
We are so grateful during this time for the Sid’s excellent interim leadership.  We profoundly trust that God will guide both our candidates and the members of our Search Committee, and we ask you to pray for us regularly. We are blessed with such a wonderful church community, and with hard work and God’s guidance, we know we will find a wonderful pastor to guide Hope UCC us as continue in our ministries.

If you have questions or would like a copy of the church profile, contact Kathy Doxsee, PSC Chair.

October 28, 2009