Search Committee Update

From the October Messenger

It has been a busy summer and fall for your Search Committee, and the group is pleased to report that we’ve been making meaningful progress during recent weeks.

First, where we’ve been:  In early July, the Committee received from the Diocese profiles of 15 candidates.  The group included men and women, some from within the Connecticut diocese, others from outside, representing a range of prior experience.

For the past two months, the Committee has been meeting twice and often three times per week together or in smaller groups.  We have evaluated written materials as well as audio and video recordings of sermons and conducted at least one, and often two, telephone interviews with each candidate.  We have also invited a number of folks here to Madison for in-person meetings with the committee.  We’re pleased to say that at every step of the process, we have been pleased with the candidates’ skills, energy and preparation.

Where we are now:  The original list of 15 has been pared to a handful, all of whom have had multiple points of contact with the committee and all of whom remain enthusiastic about St. Andrew’s.  As a committee, we remain very excited about the skills and talents they would bring here.  We are currently visiting candidates at their own parishes, viewing services, and meeting with parish leaders as references.  Our hope is to provide the Vestry with finalist candidates by mid-October.

What happens then?  The Vestry conducts interviews with our finalist candidates, deliberates prayerfully and makes the call to one – who then hopefully accepts.

When then will we have a new Rector?  In fairness, we need to remember that if personal relationships, communication and loyalty are traits that we are going to value in a Rector, it’s tough to demand that a candidate abandon his or her current parish without proper transition!  We have been reminded that this is the time of year when stewardship drives occur followed quickly by parish budgeting and holiday obligations.  At the end of the day, while a new Rector’s arrival prior to the end of the year is possible, early January may be the most realistic expectation. 

As we continue our task, the Committee would like to thank the St. Andrew’s parish community for your support.  We ask that we remain in your prayers as we near the conclusion of our process and come to our final decisions regarding candidates.