As a reminder, if you have an interest in being considered for the Search Committee, you need to express your interest by Sunday, April 26. Information was mailed to all parish members on April 1; you can also click here to read the instructions on how to put a name into consideration.
The Vestry expects that the Search Committee will have between eight to twelve members that represent a cross-section of the membership of St. Mary’s, including members young and old, recent joiners and old-timers, male and female, families and singles. Two members will likely come from the Vestry; although the Wardens cannot serve as voting members, they will be ex-officio members and can attend meetings as needed. The Diocesan guidelines for “Desired Characteristics of Search Committee Members” include “Team player; Person of prayer; Member in good standing (attends church regularly, giver of record, gives of time and talent); Willing to work for the good of the church and not partisanship; No hidden agendas; Can maintain confidentiality.”
We are asking for both volunteers and nominations for people to serve on the search committee. A box for names will be placed in the entrance to the church sometime after the service on Sunday April 5. If you wish to volunteer, or nominate someone else, please put the name of the person on a piece of paper, along with your reasons why you/the nominee would be a good member of the search committee, and place the paper in the box. We will collect names through the end of the day of Sunday, April 26.
If you are considering volunteering or nominating for the Search Committee, please keep in mind that there will be a serious time commitment – as many as one or more meetings per week once a final pool of candidates is identified – as well as obligations of strict confidentiality. Search Committee volunteers will also be expected to attend kick-off meetings for the search scheduled for Sunday, June 7 and the weekend of June 12 and 13.
Everybody whose name is entered into the box will be given strong and serious consideration by the Vestry. However, given the importance of having a balanced, representative cross-section of the congregation, volunteers and nominees may or may not be appointed to the Search Committee. The Vestry may also decide to ask someone to serve who did not volunteer or was not otherwise nominated.
All names entered in consideration will be reviewed and discussed by the entire Vestry at the Vestry meeting on Tuesday, April 28. Based on this discussion, a nominating committee consisting of the two Wardens and Search Committee Chair (and advised by Peter) will prayerfully prepare a proposed slate of candidates. This slate of candidates will be brought before the full Vestry for discussion and final approval at the Vestry meeting on Tuesday, May 19. The candidates, and those who volunteered but are not on the slate, will be informed shortly after, and an announcement to the parish made during the week of May 24.
The Search Process will formally begin with a parish-wide meeting following a special service on Sunday, June 7, that all are invited to attend.
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