On January 19th, the General Church Board voted to approve a Search Committee of Tony Gill, Joanna Hahn, Winnie Muhiga, Jason Ratts, Jairen Rees, and Ann Wolfe to immediately begin the process of finding a replacement for Rev. Jason Jones. His last Sunday with us will be on Easter, April 4th. So far, this group has met with Carolyn Reed, Associate Regional Minister, to learn protocol about the process, met another time to discuss a potential Interim Minister candidate, and then worked out an interview format. A candidate for Interim Minister has been scheduled for the Search Committee to interview via Zoom on January 29th. The intent of this committee is to keep the congregation informed of the steps being followed to secure an Interim Minister and, ultimately, a Senior Minister. Please refer to the “Overview of Search and Call Process” below to see the standard procedure set forth by our Regional Office in Indianapolis.
~Ann Wolfe, Committee Facilitator
OVERVIEW OF SEARCH AND CALL PROCESS
Month 1:
- Christian Church in Indiana Regional Staff Minister meets with board of congregation
- Regional Staff Minister meets with congregation’s search committee
- Discuss interim needs and process
- Consider names for interim minister
Month 2/3:
- Search committee calls an interim minister
Month 3/4:
- Regional Staff Minister meets with congregation’s search committee
- Discuss overview of process with Search & Call Manual
- Identify any issues that may need resolving before search moves forward
Month 4-5:
- Search committee, other leaders, interim minister and regional staff plan process for resolving any issues in the life of the congregation
Month 5-7:
- Search committee gathers information to create congregational profile
- Demographic information about congregation
- Clarity around mission/ministry of the congregation
- Identify needed gifts/qualities in a new pastor
- Gather information about the community
Month 7:
- Search committee sends completed congregational profile to Regional Staff Minister
Month 7:
- Regional Staff Minister sends group of ministerial profiles to search committee for consideration
Month 7-?:
- Search committee considers candidates
- Phone/video interviews with 3-4 persons
- Listen to sermons
- Contact references
- Narrow to 2 persons
- Do on-site interviews
- Narrow to 1 person and extend call
- Search committee presents candidate to church board
- Upon approval, search committee presents candidate to congregation for final vote
Note: Total time for completed process is about 12-18 months, depending on issues to be resolved or how soon the committee is able to identify a candidate to present.
