Search Committee Update

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SEARCH COMMITTEE NOTES

March 9, 2008

The search committee met on Monday, March 3, 2008. We discussed the Parish Profile, reviewed the process, and discussed the Church Assessment Tool (CAT) Survey which will be used to measure each candidate’s qualifications against what we as a parish determined we would like in a rector. We will refer back to that CAT Survey regularly through this process. We realize that this is an awesome task, yet we truly believe that God will arrange for the right person to show up and take command of the rector’s office here at Christ Church. “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

We also discussed addressing some: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Exactly what is the search process?

The Diocese of Louisiana uses a time-tested process. This process is recommended by the Church Deployment Office, and used by most Episcopal Dioceses. These “Best Practices” use the following steps:

a. Rector leaves
b. Vestry meets with the Bishop and Deployment Officer (in Louisiana, the Canon to the Ordinary)
c. Questionnaires completed by parishioners are used to develop the Church Assessment Tool (CAT) Survey. The CAT Survey recap, among other things, defines the rector qualities important to the parish, and will be used as a guide when assessing candidates. (In our case, this was completed in March 2007)
d. Establish a search committee
e. Develop a Parish Profile (In our case the one developed back in 1997 was updated June 2007 and a copy will be placed on our website, and can also be requested from the church office.)
f. Parish Profile is used to match the profiles of prospective candidates in CDO data bank, handled by the Diocesan Deployment Officer
g. Names gathered
h. Review CDO profiles and request additional information
i. Round one of interviews
j. Narrow the list and conduct visits to the candidates
k. Narrow the list and bring finalist(s) in for a visit
l. Recommend a candidate to the Vestry. Every search is different, though, and each parish must approach at least in some ways on its own.

2. Okay, what happened over the last several months?

The search committee followed the process outlined above. Candidates presented themselves for consideration, and this time, the Vestry determined that God had not yet arranged for the right person to show up and take command of the rector’s office here at Christ Church.

3. Where does that put us now?

We are truly in great shape. We are still engaged in the same process, but much of the work has already been completed. At this point we are in the seventh step (step g.) of the process as outlined above.

4. All of the sudden, the search committee has nine interested candidates. Where did they come from?

The nine names came to us from the hard work of Canon Stevenson. As the Canon to the Ordinary, and as you may have heard him say, he is the Diocesan Deployment Officer. As a result he felt obligated to take a more active role than normal in this process. He conducted several searches on the CDO web sites each time changing the parameters to develop a list of candidates that matched our profile. He then contacted the Deployment Officer from each of the Diocese where the candidates currently reside. He then contacted each candidate and discussed Christ Church Covington with them. It is from this diligent effort that we are now blessed with a list of nine candidates expressing interest in joining with us in this discernment process.

5. What is the Bishop’s involvement?

Bishop Jenkins has several roles in this process. First, as chief pastor for the all Episcopalians in this diocese, he serves as a consultant and sounding board to help the leadership of our parish determine the best way to continue forward during this interim time in the ministry to which we have been called as a community of Christians. Second, he communicates our needs to other bishops around the country who may know of priests with the right gifts to fill our needs in a rector. Third, he exercises a canonical responsibility by (if he so chooses) granting permission for clergy to enter into discernment with us and, eventually, to accept a call to be our next rector. And fourth - - which is perhaps the most important role for our bishop - - he serves as a prayerful leader in the discernment process itself. Our bishop, as with all other bishops, is consecrated by God and charged by his Church to guard the faith, provide for the spiritual needs of those entrusted to his care, and to be one with the apostles in proclaiming Christ’s resurrection. As a successor to the apostles our bishop has been given, by the grace of God, a charism (spiritual gift) to help discern a godly priest who will love and care for the members of Christ Church. We are fortunate that Bishop Jenkins takes this role seriously, and is committed to fulfilling his charge.

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