Pastor Nominating Committee 2017

Elected by the congregation April 9, 2017

Monty Brekke
Amanda Briggs
Pat Chappell
Paul Harrell
Lynne Hoerter
Marcia Ladd 

Click here to read the Mission Study

General Time Line for the Transitional Process

• Pastor departs 
• Interim Pastor Search Committee is established and begins search
• Interim Pastor, Lynn Stall, begins 7/17/16
• Interim Pastor joins the community and focuses on the programs, stewardship, budgeting, growing church, Advent and Christmas season, etc.
• Transition Team is approved by the Session and begins meeting to plan various steps and events
• Steps and events include interviews with active elders, deacons, and staff members; gatherings with younger adults and young families to hear about their needs and wishes; a congregational lunch and table discussion; and a congregational survey
• Transition Team will gather all information and prepare a printed Mission Study, including a demographic study of the area
• CITP’s Mission Study is presented to the session for approval before it is sent to  Salem Presbytery’s Commission on Ministry
• Commission on Ministry approves Mission Study and gives permission to elect a Pastor Nominating Committee (or PNC)
• CITP’s Nominating Committee receives nominations and puts together a representative slate for the congregation to elect the Pastor Nominating Committee
• PNC is elected by the congregation
• PNC is trained by a vacancy counselor of Salem Presbytery
• PNC prepares the Church Information Form (or CIM) and the Church Leadership Connection (CLC) of the PC(USA) puts it online
• PNC begins receiving Personal Information Forms (PIFs) from clergy candidates
• PNC narrows the list of potential candidates and begins interviews (phone, Skype, visits), checking references, and listening to sermons
• PNC sets up personal visits with a short list of candidates    
• PNC selects one candidate and negotiates the Terms of Call
• The candidate is presented to Salem Presbytery’s Commission on Ministry for examination and approval
• Approved candidate is presented to the congregation at a called congregational meeting by the PNC
• Pastor is elected
• Interim Pastor plans her departure for a time to be determined
• Pastor-elect moves, begins work, and is installed 

We welcome the Reverend B. Lynn Stall as Interim Pastor!  During the coming year, with Lynn’s leadership, Chapel in the Pines will seek a new pastor.  It is hoped the new pastor will be selected and installed in mid- to late-2017.

Transition Team Members – Interim Pastor Selection:

Lynne Hoerter, Chair
Mitzi Lesher-Thomas, staff liaison
Marcia Ladd, recording secretary
Mary Donna Pond
Chuck Rickard
Peggy Wilkerson
Sandy William 

Transition Team 2 – Wrote the Mission Study

Lynn Stall
Heather Bogan
Barbara Strange
Garrett Southerland
Haley Terry
Lee Werley 

June 14, 2016

On Sunday June 12 th the Transition Team met with session to discuss the process the team used to work toward the selection of the interim pastor, and present a motion to call Lynn Stall to serve in that role. Session unanimously approved the motion. Mitzi then told the congregation at the outset of worship that morning.

Lynn will start on July 17 on which day she will preach and lead worship. Lynn was Associate Pastor at University Presbyterian Church, leaving UPC to serve several other churches and has experience as a transitional pastor. She feels called at this time in her life to work in transitional ministry. More information will be more forthcoming on Lynn.

The Transition Team has been tasked with organizing the party to celebrate Mindy, to conduct the search for an interim pastor and when we have a new called, installed pastor to organize the party celebrating the interim. Hence, most of the team’s work has been accomplished. So this serves as our final weekly update.

The next steps are as follows:

• Lynn Stall starts on July 17
• The church conducts a Mission Study that looks back at who we have been and ahead to what we want to become. The Mission Study will be guided by the interim.
• Once the study is complete a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) will be elected by the congregation. They will complete a Ministry Information Form (MIF) that describes our identity and mission as a congregation as well as describing our ideal candidate.
• The PNC then goes through a process similar to what the Transition Team undertook, but their goal will be to select a called, installed pastor who will ultimately be voted on by the congregation.

The process is deliberate and intentional so that when the church does call a new head of staff, we will have had time to grieve Mindy’s loss, study where we have been and decide where we want to go. 

May 3, 2016

The Transition Team met several times last week to interview, in person, our two final candidates and give them a tour of the church. We had lunch with each one, then brought them to see our beautiful space. We are blessed to have such experienced, talented individuals interested in our Interim Pastor position. We are now arranging to hear them preach at a neutral pulpit and expect to complete that part of the process by the end of the month.

April 26, 2016

The Transition Team met last Thursday night to conduct a Skype interview with our third candidate for interim pastor. After the meeting, the decision was made to call two of the three finalists and ask them to meet with us this coming week. We have arranged those meetings, will be having lunch with each one, and showing them the church. It is our feeling that afterwards, we will be in a position to identify the individual we believe is called to be our interim pastor. Once we have decided on our top candidate an interview will be conducted with that person by Salem Presbytery’s Eastern Neighborhood Commission on Ministry. If they concur with the Transition Team’s decision that the individual is a qualified and suitable match for Chapel in the Pines, then formal negotiations with the candidate will begin and a recommendation from the Transition Team will be sent to the session of Chapel in the Pines for final approval. We feel very blessed, we have a difficult job of choosing between talented, interesting pastors.

April 19, 2016

The Transition Team met Sunday night to conduct Skype interviews with two of the candidates for Interim Pastor who we believe will best serve the needs of Chapel in the Pines during this interim period. We will conduct another Skype interview on Thursday night. We have also asked for, and are listening to, sermons from the candidates we are interviewing. At the conclusion of Thursday night’s interview, we will decide our next steps. Tentative plans are to hear at least two of the three candidates preach in person followed by face to face interviews with the transition team. We are very optimistic about the pastors who have indicated an interest in Chapel in the Pines and about the process we are undergoing to find our Interim Pastor.

April 12, 2016

The team has received 10 applications to date for the role of Interim Pastor. Having reviewed and discussed the needs of CITP during this transition, and the gifts and skills of the candidates, we began checking references for those the team felt were the best match. Over the next week to 10 days we will be scheduling Skype interviews with several candidates who we feel may best serve Chapel in the Pines in the role of Interim Pastor. We’ve asked these candidates to supply DVD’s or podcasts of sermons and will be reviewing those prior to their interviews. The team has also thoughtfully considered the qualities we are looking for in a candidate and developed a list of 16 questions to ask during interviews. We are very optimistic about the pastors who have indicated an interest in Chapel in the Pines and are moving forward with all deliberate speed to identify our Interim Pastor. 

April 5, 2016

The team thanks everyone who helped with Mindy’s farewell celebration April 3. It was a wonderful, joyful sending for which we are very grateful.

The team has received 7 applications to date, is reviewing them and checking references in advance of April 10 when the transition team will next meet. We are very optimistic with the caliber of applicants we have received. We will keep the process open until April 16. Our next step is to schedule Skype interviews with candidates we believe may best serve Chapel in the Pines during this transition.  The team will then make arrangements to hear the final 2 or 3 candidates preach.

March 28, 2016

The Transition Team is hard at work reviewing the five applications for Interim Pastor we have received to date and checking references on those candidates that we find most appealing. We anticipate receiving more applications. The team’s next meeting will be April 10.

Please remember Mindy’s farewell event on April 3 from 4 to 5:30. Everyone is encouraged to attend. We will also present Mindy with a Love Gift during the church service on the 3rd.

March 22, 2016

Session approved the job description and compensation package for the interim pastor, these will be posted on our web site under the Interim Process tab. Copies of each have been sent to Salem, New Hope and Coastal Carolina Presbyteries with a preferred deadline for receipt of applications by April 16. The Transition Team has already received three unsolicited applications. The team has set a schedule of meetings for the upcoming month to review applications and interview candidates of interest.

Plans have been finalized for Mindy’s farewell event on April 3 from 4 to 5:30.  Everyone is encouraged to attend.  Many generous offers to provide finger foods have already been received.  Thank you.  At this time we do not need any additional finger foods or refreshments but if you still wish to provide something please contact Peggy Wilkerson, pegabus0517@gmail.com. We will also present Mindy with a Love Gift during the church service on the 3rd; to contribute please send or bring a gift to the church no later than March 27, with Mindy love gift written in the memo line.

March 14, 2016

The Transition Team met Saturday, March 12, to finalize several recommendations for the session to consider at its next stated meeting on Monday March 21.

• The job description for the interim pastor
• A proposed compensation package for the interim pastor
• Plans for the farewell event honoring Mindy on April 3 from 4-5:30PM

Peggy Wilkerson will coordinate food and other details of the reception to honor Mindy’s ministry with CITP. There will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex to volunteer to bring finger food for the event.

A Love Gift will be collected for Mindy and given to her during the Sunday morning service of worship on April 3, her final Sunday with CITP. A donation can be sent to the church with Love Gift in the memo line.

Once the job description and compensation package are approved by session, with the support of the Committee on Ministry of the eastern neighborhood of Salem Presbytery, the search for an interim will formally begin. The search will center on individuals with interim training currently available in Salem Presbytery, but the Transition Team plans to contact two other nearby presbyteries (New Hope and Coastal Carolina) to optimize the potential of our search.

Click here to read the position description for Interim Pastor. 

March 9, 2016

The Transition Team had its first meeting with our First Responder on March 7. The First Responder is our representative from Salem Presbytery’s Commission on Ministry who will guide CITP in the process of securing an interim pastor. He laid out the four major responsibilities of an interim:

• Celebrate history of church

• Identify new leadership within the congregation

• Making sure connection with denomination is strong

• Discerning new identity

• Committing to new leadership and a new future

The Team will meet again this weekend to draft a job description and compensation package for the interim pastor. Our goal is to present it to the session of CITP for approval at its stated meeting on March 21. Once the job description and compensation package are approved by our session, the search for an interim will begin with presbytery’s help.

A Love Gift will be collected for Mindy and can be sent to the church with Love Gift in the memo line. The plans for the farewell event for Mindy are being finalized. 

March 1, 2016

The Reverend John Johnson of the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Graham, NC has been appointed as our First Responder. A First Responder is appointed by the Commission on Ministry (COM) from the east neighborhood of Salem Presbytery to work with us as we

• Look for an interim

• Plan the farewell for Mindy

• Coordinate the church’s transition from Mindy to the interim

The COM has already begun to identify potential interim candidates for CITP who have undergone specialized training for the skills needed to fill that role. We will have the opportunity to interview the candidates and perhaps even hear them preach. The selection of the interim will be made by session in conjunction with the COM.

The Team is developing plans to celebrate our partnership in ministry with Mindy on April 3 from 4-5:30 PM at the church, for anyone interested in working on that with us, please let a member of the Team know.

February 23, 2016

The Transition Team met for the first time On February 22. The team members are:

Lynne Hoerter, Chair
Mitzi Lesher-Thomas, staff liaison
Marcia Ladd, recording secretary
Mary Donna Pond
Chuck Rickard
Peggy Wilkerson
Sandy Williams

The Team is planning to celebrate our partnership in ministry with Mindy on April 3 from 4-5:30 PM at the church, for anyone interested in working on that with us, please let a member of the Team know.

We will be assigned our First Responder by the Presbytery on February 25 and hope to meet with him or her shortly thereafter. The First Responder will coordinate with us to ensure smooth church operations and begin the process of selecting an We are beginning, with Presbytery guidance, the process of seeking an interim pastor. Interims are specially trained pastors who help congregations reflect on ministry with their previous pastor and define future hopes and expectations as they prepare to joyfully greet a new installed pastor.

An interim contract is often for 1 year, and it is highly discouraged to consider an interim for the next installed pastor. The relationship with, and the skills of, an interim are based on the particular needs of congregations in transition.