Selection Process
St. Mark's Search UpdateAlmighty God, giver of every good gift: look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall
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April 2016
Dear St. Mark’s Parish, The Search Committee met on March 14th with Canon Nunez to talk about the seven candidates selected for Skype interviews and to be trained on questions to discuss with the candidates. They met again on March 21st and crafted general questions to ask all the candidates and specific questions for each individual. The interviews will be conducted from March 29th through April 12th. After that, the committee will meet to decide on the three candidates to be presented to the Vestry. The final three candidates will then be invited to come for personal interviews and will meet with the Search Committee and the Vestry. While the Committee has the serious task of selecting candidates for the Vestry to consider, the members have worked as a team, laughed a lot, eaten wonderful food, and been humbled by the congregation’s trust in them. The Committee has met innumerable times and is about to embark on what may be the most arduous part of their task. They fervently request your continued prayers of support and discernment as they work towards the conclusion of this process. As always, let one of us know if you have any questions. Faithfully yours, Susan Blakeslee and the STELLAR Search Committee Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Richard Davis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Melinda Meers, Billy Mims |
March 2016
Dear St. Mark’s Parish,
The Search Committee has worked extremely hard over the last few weeks, reading Office of Transition Ministry Portfolios, reading sermons, hearing recorded sermons, and watching videos of sermons! They then decided which candidates they thought would be a good match for St. Mark’s.
In addition to the information provided by The Episcopal Church and the Diocese, they looked on FaceBook with eyes wide open, LinkedIn, and other places available on the Internet. They found a wealth of information, which helped in the discernment process.
They met on Sunday, February 21st, and in a spirited and laugh-filled discussion, selected eight candidates from the list of nineteen to whom they will send questions that are specific to St. Mark's. They will meet in March with Canon Nunez to continue with the process.
Your continued prayers are requested and appreciated.
Faithfully yours,
Susan Blakeslee, Chair
Melinda Meers, Co-Chair, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Billy Mims
Dear St. Mark’s Parish,
The Search Committee has worked extremely hard over the last few weeks, reading Office of Transition Ministry Portfolios, reading sermons, hearing recorded sermons, and watching videos of sermons! They then decided which candidates they thought would be a good match for St. Mark’s.
In addition to the information provided by The Episcopal Church and the Diocese, they looked on FaceBook with eyes wide open, LinkedIn, and other places available on the Internet. They found a wealth of information, which helped in the discernment process.
They met on Sunday, February 21st, and in a spirited and laugh-filled discussion, selected eight candidates from the list of nineteen to whom they will send questions that are specific to St. Mark's. They will meet in March with Canon Nunez to continue with the process.
Your continued prayers are requested and appreciated.
Faithfully yours,
Susan Blakeslee, Chair
Melinda Meers, Co-Chair, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Billy Mims
February 2016
Dear St. Mark’s Parish,
When your Search Committee met with Canon Nunez on January 12th, he brought 14 Office of Transition Ministry portfolios, which he reviewed with the committee.
The committee will read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest these portfolios before his next visit on February 2nd, when he will bring a few more portfolios.
We thank you for your continued prayers.
Faithfully yours,
Susan Blakeslee, Chair
Melinda Meers, Co-Chair, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Billy Mims
Dear St. Mark’s Parish,
When your Search Committee met with Canon Nunez on January 12th, he brought 14 Office of Transition Ministry portfolios, which he reviewed with the committee.
The committee will read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest these portfolios before his next visit on February 2nd, when he will bring a few more portfolios.
We thank you for your continued prayers.
Faithfully yours,
Susan Blakeslee, Chair
Melinda Meers, Co-Chair, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Billy Mims
January 2016
Dear Fellow Parishioners,
Twenty-nine parishioners nominated twelve candidates, and these names were sent to Canon Nunez the first week in December.
The Search Committee met on December 8th and finalized the Narrative Questions, which will be sent to the Diocese, as well as an Evaluation Tool, which we will use when we receive applications from candidates.
The Parish Profile was presented to the Vestry for approval on December 15th. You will be notified when it is posted on the website. Canon Nunez will bring the names of candidates to be reviewed to the January meeting of the Search Committee.
Amid a lot of laughter and camaraderie, the Search Committee is working hard to prepare to prepare for the review and recommendation of candidates to the Vestry.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please talk to any member of the Search Committee.
Meanwhile, we all wish you blessed Advent and Christmas Seasons.
Faithfully yours,
Susan Blakeslee, Melinda Meers, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Richard Davis, Beverly Jones, Billy Mims
Dear Fellow Parishioners,
Twenty-nine parishioners nominated twelve candidates, and these names were sent to Canon Nunez the first week in December.
The Search Committee met on December 8th and finalized the Narrative Questions, which will be sent to the Diocese, as well as an Evaluation Tool, which we will use when we receive applications from candidates.
The Parish Profile was presented to the Vestry for approval on December 15th. You will be notified when it is posted on the website. Canon Nunez will bring the names of candidates to be reviewed to the January meeting of the Search Committee.
Amid a lot of laughter and camaraderie, the Search Committee is working hard to prepare to prepare for the review and recommendation of candidates to the Vestry.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please talk to any member of the Search Committee.
Meanwhile, we all wish you blessed Advent and Christmas Seasons.
Faithfully yours,
Susan Blakeslee, Melinda Meers, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Richard Davis, Beverly Jones, Billy Mims
December 2015
Dear St. Mark’s Congregation:
Melinda Meers is hard at work developing the Parish Profile, which will be sent to the Diocese and posted on our website. She graciously accepted suggestions from the committee concerning “what we want St. Mark’s to be.”
The Office of Transition Ministry Profile is almost complete and will be sent to the Diocese soon, and a sub-committee is working on an evaluation grid to use when we receive names of candidates for rector.
We are anticipating that Canon Nunez will meet with us in January…and we’ll keep you posted as we move along in the search process.
In the meantime, we appreciate your prayers, and we want to remind you that if you have any suggestions to contact one of the committee.
Faithfully yours,
Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Susan Blakeslee, Janise Brenneis,
Richard Davis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Melinda Meers, Billy Mims
Dear St. Mark’s Congregation:
Melinda Meers is hard at work developing the Parish Profile, which will be sent to the Diocese and posted on our website. She graciously accepted suggestions from the committee concerning “what we want St. Mark’s to be.”
The Office of Transition Ministry Profile is almost complete and will be sent to the Diocese soon, and a sub-committee is working on an evaluation grid to use when we receive names of candidates for rector.
We are anticipating that Canon Nunez will meet with us in January…and we’ll keep you posted as we move along in the search process.
In the meantime, we appreciate your prayers, and we want to remind you that if you have any suggestions to contact one of the committee.
Faithfully yours,
Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Susan Blakeslee, Janise Brenneis,
Richard Davis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Melinda Meers, Billy Mims
November 2015
Now that we have the results of the Survey and the Discussion Groups, it will be an easy task to select a new Rector . . . we will be looking for THE PERFECT HUMAN!
We do appreciate the information that you provided through the Survey, and through the Discussion Groups. Both of these methods have given the Search Committee a window into your hopes and dreams, not only for the new Rector, but for St. Mark's.
Funnily, from the Survey Results, the number one characteristic you want in the new rector is a sense of humor! You would also like someone who is warm and friendly, intellectual, energetic and can relate to all age groups. You agreed with the statement that is posted at the front door; you want both adult and youth Christian education, more hospital and home visits by clergy and laity; more programs to welcome visitors and newcomers; in short, you would like St. Mark's to be all it can be. (The Survey is available so you can see all of the results.)
The Discussion Groups were all lively and interesting, and individuals spoke passionately about their love of this parish and their hopes and dreams for the future. All groups agreed that we must reach out to the youth -- small children through teens -- and involve them and nurture them. They also agreed that more interaction with the academy would be beneficial.
The groups like the fact that St. Mark's is an inclusive parish, and they also discussed the positive aspects of intentional greeting and welcoming of newcomers, as well as the importance of having groups for people to join. However, the consensus is that St. Mark's has a critical space problem as there is no place for church groups to meet during the day, and few evenings are available. (Discussion Group results are available.)
Perhaps the overall theme was that the parishioners would like the clergy and the parish to be open, warm, caring, nurturing, and filled with the light of Christ.
All in all, while there were no "surprises" in either the Survey or the Discussion Groups, the Search Committee has gained valuable information from these two methods. More importantly, however, the Committee enjoyed talking with you, and they hope that when you have ideas, suggestions, and thoughts about this process that you will talk with one of them.
- Susan Blakeslee, Melinda Meers, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Rich Davis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Billy Mims
Now that we have the results of the Survey and the Discussion Groups, it will be an easy task to select a new Rector . . . we will be looking for THE PERFECT HUMAN!
We do appreciate the information that you provided through the Survey, and through the Discussion Groups. Both of these methods have given the Search Committee a window into your hopes and dreams, not only for the new Rector, but for St. Mark's.
Funnily, from the Survey Results, the number one characteristic you want in the new rector is a sense of humor! You would also like someone who is warm and friendly, intellectual, energetic and can relate to all age groups. You agreed with the statement that is posted at the front door; you want both adult and youth Christian education, more hospital and home visits by clergy and laity; more programs to welcome visitors and newcomers; in short, you would like St. Mark's to be all it can be. (The Survey is available so you can see all of the results.)
The Discussion Groups were all lively and interesting, and individuals spoke passionately about their love of this parish and their hopes and dreams for the future. All groups agreed that we must reach out to the youth -- small children through teens -- and involve them and nurture them. They also agreed that more interaction with the academy would be beneficial.
The groups like the fact that St. Mark's is an inclusive parish, and they also discussed the positive aspects of intentional greeting and welcoming of newcomers, as well as the importance of having groups for people to join. However, the consensus is that St. Mark's has a critical space problem as there is no place for church groups to meet during the day, and few evenings are available. (Discussion Group results are available.)
Perhaps the overall theme was that the parishioners would like the clergy and the parish to be open, warm, caring, nurturing, and filled with the light of Christ.
All in all, while there were no "surprises" in either the Survey or the Discussion Groups, the Search Committee has gained valuable information from these two methods. More importantly, however, the Committee enjoyed talking with you, and they hope that when you have ideas, suggestions, and thoughts about this process that you will talk with one of them.
- Susan Blakeslee, Melinda Meers, Steve Anstey, Vicki Baughan, Dori Bisbey, Janise Brenneis, Rich Davis, Beverly Jones, Bonni McClure, Billy Mims
