Dear Friends in Christ,
Your Associate Pastor Nominating Committee is already at work! At a meeting of the congregation on June 11, we were elected to find the next installed Associate Pastor for GPMC.
Since that time we have been meeting weekly. Our liaison from the presbytery’s Committee on Ministry provided an overview on the call process and an introduction to the Church Leadership Connection which is the primary way we will find candidates. We have officially completed our Ministry Discernment Profile, or MDP, which has been approved by Session and the COM and is now in the process of being uploaded to the Presbyterys Pastor Matching website, the CLC.
As with the search for Pastor Jeff, our work must be done confidentially. While we understand that many will have questions or want information, please understand that we cannot disclose the names of candidates or other pieces of information pertaining to the search. Anything we can share will be posted on the APNC tab on the church website which will be live this week with pertinent information about the pastor call process.
Some of you have asked why we are searching for an Associate Pastor when we already have Pastor Jasmine. After Pastor Sarah left, the session contracted with Pastor Jasmine to be with us during this transition. She is eligible to apply for the installed position and we hope she will want to do so! However, due to the confidential nature of this process, she may only discuss this with the members of the APNC, not with members of the congregation.
If you know of a pastor who might be interested in serving with our congregation, a link to the Church Leadership Connection will soon be posted on the church website and we would welcome their application. As we go about our work, we will be engaging in prayer and Bible study, firmly aware that God will lead us to find our next Associate Pastor. Please continue to pray for us during this time, and also for the pastor that God is leading to us.
In Christ,
Rachel Bellovich, Tamara Gilbert, Tim Butler, Dave Hofmann, Heather Klepp, Elizabeth Tengler, Jeff Verbeek
FAQs
Q: Why aren’t we just hiring Pastor Jasmine? Is Pastor Jasmine applying for the position?
A: Pastor Jasmine is eligible to apply for the position and we hope she will want to do so! However, this is a confidential process, and she is not allowed to discuss her application with anyone outside of the APNC.
Q: How long will this process take?
A: The short answer is, it takes as long as it takes! We expect to be completed and announce our new Associate Pastor in under a year, but this is a long, deliberate process where we trust God to show us the right person for the job. We do not expect to have any big news for at least 6-8 months, but we promise to keep you updated on our work regularly.
Q: I know someone who will be perfect for the job, can I give you their name?
A: Absolutely! We would love to hear your recommendations, but every person interested in the job MUST apply through the PCUSA Church Leadership Connection website. Once our profile is posted and ready for applicants, a link will be provided on this page that you are free to share with your connections. We are no longer allowed to take direct applications from pastors.
Q: How can I help?
A: While much of our work has to be done privately, we still need plenty of help and support from the congregation! You can share that we are looking and the link to the job posting, but most importantly, keep the APNC and our ongoing search in your prayers!
