| Priest Transition Update |
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Update from the Vestry - March 2008
Dear Family of St. Paul’s,
The Search Committee met with Bishop Whitmore at the end of February to share their progress on the search for a new permanent rector. It is clear from the surveys you filled out last fall, and parish meetings since then, that the grieving and discernment processes we were told to expect, weren’t just words for “the in between time.” Our grief over the loss of Father John and the loss of our stability and our dynamic growth is real. In the absence of those things, we need to learn what plans God has for St. Paul’s—how we are to serve one another and the Kingdom. Of course these natural processes are complicated by the grief and bewilderment over the uncertainty in the Anglican Communion, the larger Episcopal Church, and now the Diocese of Eau Claire.
We cannot stand still; nor can we force action prematurely, so where does that leave us and what are we to do? First, recognizing that this process is far from over, we extended Fr. Guy’s contract with us until at least January 2009.
The Search Committee:
The Servant Community:
The Vestry, however, must proceed. The Vestry’s role is to lead. Not to dictate a way or a compromise but to lead through example of commitment and the communication of what remains constant.
Initiatives underway
This is a short, quiet opportunity to gather for corporate worship and prayer. It offers a chance for reflection and calm. You don’t need to be a weekly regular to enjoy this quiet time.
This program is still under development with plans to begin after Easter. Bishop Whitmore suggested that we need to define what the discernment process is. We must pray intentionally to gain discernment, as one body, from our God. Look for more information following Easter.
Our first issue discussion forum was Feb 19, and will continue to meet on the third Tuesday of each month, after Tuesday evening prayer.
The discussion forum is open to all and cannot be effective without significant participation. Our parish cannot heal in little homogenous knots. Members with varied perspectives must speak and be heard respectfully. We can develop a true and broad lay leadership as we receive and respond to one another, submitting our fears and hopes to Christ.
In the first forum session, Fr. Guy led us in a brief Bible study, highlighting Biblical approaches to conflict and valuing diverse members of the body. We ended with a brainstorming session that produced a list of issues plaguing St. Paul’s’. These will be dealt with in future forum discussions and possibly through other avenues as well. The issues identified are listed on the next page.
We owe a debt of gratitude to Father Guy who has stepped out with thoughtful suggestions to plot a way forward. We’ll cling to traditions that nurtured our bonds at the same time we follow new trails in our pilgrimage. Fr. Guy respects our traditions; his eyes are set on our future.
Continue your life in this church prayerfully, patiently, respectfully and hopefully. Bless this parish with your continued presence. Please speak up and share what is on your heart for your church. Remember what we at St. Paul’s have always proclaimed: Jesus is Lord….ALL THE TIME!
In Christ’s Love,
The Vestry of St. Paul’s
Search Committee Update on Transistion - February 2008
The search committee met on Tuesday, January 22nd. The questionnaires have been tallied.
We are currently working on our parish profile and information packet. We are still in need of digital photos of
any St. Paul’s Parish events; Carnival, Sunday School events, Bundy Hall, Christmas Pageant, High Tea, etc. or
pictures of Hudson and surrounding area (during all seasons). If you do have photos to share, please get them to Cal Woods, via email or
disc. Next meeting is scheduled for February 25th.
Thanks everyone!
Search Committee Update on Transistion - January 2008
The search committee last met on Nov. 27th. The majority of your questionnaires have been received and tallied. If there are any of you that still want to turn one in, we will accept them until our next meeting, scheduled for Jan. 22nd.
The next steps to be taken, once the forms have all been tallied, are to compile a church
profile and to begin work on our information packet. This is a compilation of our parish
information and a description of the Hudson area. These packets will be sent to prospective
candidates. Your help is needed! We are in need of digital photos of any St. Paul’s Parish
events; Carnival, Sunday School events, Bundy Hall, Christmas Pageant, High Tea, etc. or
pictures of Hudson and surrounding area (during all seasons). If you do have photos to share,
please get them to Cal Woods, via email or disc.
Thanks everyone!
Vestry Update Update on Transistion - October 2007
Dear Family of St. Paul’s
The Vestry of St. Paul’s Church notes with sadness that Fr. Derek’s role as our associate pastor is coming to an end on September 30. The Canons of the church state that when a rector leaves the parish, staff must also resign. We are grateful that, with Bishop Whitmore’s consent, Fr. Derek accommodated our needs to cover Fr. John’s absence, and then facilitate Fr. Guy’s transition in to St. Paul’s without assurance of longer term employment.
We understand that this further loss is troubling and may seem abrupt to many of you. Therefore, we must make the reasons behind the decision transparent. Deciding not to further extend Fr. Derek’s part time contract was a result of thoughtful and sometimes painful discussion over the last 6 months. While neither he nor we knew the outcome of those discussions until recently, we all knew this outcome was possible. If we could list the reasons as simple bullet points, we may have communicated this in the bulletin or during service. Instead, we feel responsible to report our deliberation, not only so that more may understand our quandary, but also to practice the loving communication that will be necessary over many complex issues in the coming year.
First, we highly value the gifts and passion Fr. Derek brings. It had become clear how very effective and powerful his influence could be, especially in a few specific areas: the Band of Brothers men’s ministry, the establishment of missions as a priority ministry of St. Paul’s, his generosity with his music and his personal resonance with so many of us individually. It is also clear that while we benefit from these gifts, they are also uniquely suited to his calling with the Barnabas ministry. Thus, Fr. Derek, had been moving toward tapering his time spent pastoring St. Paul’s and building the Barnabas Ministry, which desperately needs his attention and to which it appears our God is calling Derek and Dorothy.
Second, the reality of employment in this time and in this country, is that benefits such as health and pensions have rules attached to their availability. Tapering Derek’s service here further, made that vital part of his compensation unavailable. We could not offer what he needs for his family, no matter how much we love what he offers this church.
Third, the reality of the church budget forces us to begin to make the hard choices that only get harder as we approach the 2008 budget. We approved a large deficit budget for 2007 with the hope that it would narrow by year’s end. Instead of our best hopes, our more somber expectation seems closer to reality. Keeping Fr. Derek longer would have exceeded the approved deficit. Letting the contract expire leaves the projected deficit approximately where it was approved. More information will be coming from the treasurer, regarding our financial picture shortly.
Finally, it is clear that some break in continuity would be required before a new rector comes on board. One of the priority objectives for a successful transition to a new season, with a new rector, is that we assess our ministry, our calling, and our identity as a parish so that we will recognize the pastoral leadership God has chosen for us. While Fr. Derek’s initiatives may indeed be part of that mission to be identified, we need to do it for ourselves and not out of allegiance to him or any other leadership. We need to carry out ministry and mission as the Spirit of God leads us and He will provide the shepherd to help us.
What’s next for Fr. Derek and his family?
The Washington family is still a part of our family; their “job” just happens to be pastoring a far-flung church family of mission field servants. Serving here and through Barnabas simultaneously may have looked better in the design than it worked in real life. As you know from Fr. Derek and Dorothy’s message on September 16, an innovative new missions ministry like Barnabas requires time and resources. Significant one-time needs arise to support the flock of missionaries, and the missionaries’ pastor also requires ongoing support. But the missionary flock, as visitors in foreign lands, isn’t in a position to support Fr Derek as most congregations support their pastor and church. St. Paul’s is dedicating money from our budget for evangelism to Barnabas, designated for the Washingtons. We encourage you to consider their work as you ask God to guide your stewardship.
Peace to you,
The Vestry
We continue to need your prayers in the months ahead…all of us, the vestry, Fr. Guy, and of course Fr. Derek and Dorothy. Vestry business is parish business and therefore, the business of those who love this church. Please continue to ask questions and share insights. Seek out our meeting minutes, visit our meetings. Your part in this walk is vital.
Search Committee Update Update on Transistion - September 2007
The search committee met twice during the month of August, to review and finalize the questionnaire for the congregation. This has been completed and we are now working on compiling the membership roster. We will be meeting again, on the 18th of September, to do one final review of both of these items and expect to have them to you by the end of the month.
Vestry Update on Transistion - July/August 2007
The Vestry has extended an offer of employment to Fr. Guy Usher to be full time rector of St. Paul’s during the interim period while we search for a permanent rector. We acted on the wisdom offered from several sources to hire someone on a temporary, contractual basis to care for the church while we engage in the work ahead. This gives the congregation and leadership some breathing room to carry on the mission and life of the church while we intentionally seek God’s will. Fr. Guy’s contract period is initially for one year with possible extensions up to another full year.
Fr. Guy will join us in early August. Watch the bulletin for announcements about welcoming events.
Fr. Derek will continue in his part time position through September, caring for us and easing Fr. Guy’s workload as he gets to know us and the demands of the job. Keep Fr. Derek a priority in your prayers as he seeks the leading of the Holy Spirit for his ministry.
As always, we have several prayer requests:
For Fr. Derek, as mentioned above and also in thanks for his energetic vision of Christ’s love which nourishes us in what might otherwise be a vacuum.
For the search committee as they begin their work in earnest.
For the vestry and other leadership of this church as they rise to the challenges of this time.
For Fr. Guy entering a new calling and ministry. For eyes to see and for ears to hear Jesus in this body of believers.
For Fr. John and Rose to feel loved and cared for by the same God who was attending them in in this place.
For our next “permanent” rector, who is being prepared even now for a new life with us.
Vestry Update on Transistion - July 2007
We continue to work through the process of preparing for a process of search and discernment:
The April vote to address joining the Anglican Communion Network has not been forgotten but set aside for later this summer. When our currently urgent issues such as search for an interim rector and farewell to Fr. John are accomplished, we will devote the time that issue requires. Continue to pray for wisdom. Continue to pray that the external battles forcing this question on us will resolve in such a way that our path becomes clear.
Bishop Whitmore’s visit at the beginning of June accomplished several things besides confirmation. The search committee met with him and heard his vision of how they should proceed and what their charge is in relation to the vestry and the congregation. He also met with the vestry to clarify the temporary supply priest position and to answer questions on our search for an interim rector.
Bishop Whitmore has assured both the search committee and the vestry that God has already chosen St. Paul’s next rector, it is our work to discern who that is.
The vestry has interviewed 2 candidates for interim rector. When both of those candidates have finished interviewing with all of the vestry members, we will decide on our next step. Concurrently, we have attempted to identify other candidates, preferably, though not necessarily in our geographic area. This search has not proved fruitful thus far. We hope to meet specifically to assess the status of this search before the end of this month.
This continues to be a time of uncertainty and trial. Please pray for Fr. John in his transition, Fr. Derek in his time and discernment and service, the vestry and the search committee as we listen to our Father’s guidance and a service will. Pray for and practice grace toward one another. Speak truth and love to one another. Remember that this is not our church, but that it and we belong to Jesus, Lord…. All the time.
Vestry Update on Transistion - June 2007
St. Paul’s Vestry continues to work on addressing the needs of our church in the transition period upon us. There have been extra meetings beyond our regular monthly meetings because there seem to be so many questions to frame and get answered. Currently we are seeking an interim rector. Advice from others outside St. Paul’s has cautioned against seeking to replace our rector without an intentional interim period. There are clergy trained to lead the parish for a limited and defined interim period while the church is engaged in a search process. This person would:
The alternative to installing an interim rector is to contract with a “supply priest” who would lead us in worship. In the absence of a rector, the Senior Warden of the Vestry is charged with the care of the church.
You should also know that the canons of our church require our associate priest to resign with the rector. The Vestry and Fr. Derek are also working on what his future employment at St. Paul’s may be. This is a time of discernment for Fr. Derek and all of us.
Please pray specifically for:
As always if you have questions or comments, please share them with members of the vestry!
Vestry Update on Transistion - May 2007
The immediate task before the Vestry is to make sure that there's a way to take care of "stuff" and "things" during the process of transition, interim and seeking. While we examine our mission and tend to our hearts and to one another, we have to keep St. Paul's Church functioning. So the first step taken is to draft a list of those "things to do" once Fr John no longer does them. Second, is to contract with the person or team who will do those things. If it seems like stating the obvious, that may be because we must be very conscious of where we are and where we are not, so that we can be mindful of God's leading instead of drifting.
So to recap, we will define a relationship and description of duties to maintain our function as a church body and then fill those roles as best we can. Once basic functions are taken care of, then we'll be more free to contemplate and plan the process of interim discernment and search.
As always if you have questions, (or flashes of brilliance) please share them with members of the vestry!
Vestry Update on Transistion - April 2007
St. Paul's has entered into a season that is unfamilar to most of us. Father John is moving on from his ministry to us here and our church will continue its life with new leadership. There is no switch to throw, no gear lever to shift; we will find our way, and the only reliable light to our path is the Holy Spirt, revealed through prayer and fellowship, and the written Word of God.
The search for a new rector entails a formal procedure, including the already formed search committee. But the transistion will also entail informal processes to work through to prepare us for the inevitable changes. The denomination has some norms and standards to be worked through. Other organizations, and specifically other churches have the wisdom of their experiences to share. We are currently trying to gather as much of that information as possible so that we can anticipate what is needed to sustain, heal and again grow this church family.
So far, we know these things:
Finally we ask these things of each of you:
Vestry Members: