Dear Friends at St. Michael’s,

Just a note to update things from the viewpoint of your Consultant/Transition Officer.

First let me assure you that you have a truly outstanding Nominating Committee who have been a joy to work with.  They are dedicated, hardworking and keep me on my toes!  I cannot tell you how their love of St. Michael’s shines through as they work together to prepare for each stage of this process.

We have now completed the first four important stages:

• The Formation-including the Vestry’s appointment of the Committee and mandate to it, and the Formation of the committee spiritually and functionally;
• The data gathering through Holy Conversations;
• The analysis of the data to write the goals YOU created through your participation, and the Vestry approved.
• Completed translating that data into two forms:  the packet for potential candidates, and the data to be sent to the New York office to declare the position “Open”.  The Vestry and the Bishop have signed off on them and the position is officially OPEN!

The next few weeks following may seem very quiet to the observer — as it is a time of waiting and reading for the Committee.  Church Deployment Office profiles (CDO’s) and nominations for the position will all be directed to the Bishop’s office for checking (for any known problems that could bring problems to a parish), and then returned with the Bishop’s approval signature for the Committee to consider.  Consider it a “fallow time”; — a time of prayerful, thoughtful discernment — a time they need your ongoing prayers and support as they read through mounds of paper, with the single goal of looking and listening for evidence on each piece of paper that a person has the qualities to assist St. Michael’s in reaching their goals as stated.  Pray.  Pray.  And pray some more.  For your committee — and for each and every candidate whose life and gifts for ministry will be represented on those pieces of paper.

Faithfully,

Kay Collier McLaughlin, PhD
Deputy for Leadership Development/Transition Officer and Consultant