City Church Pastoral Search Information

INTROdUCING: aMY rOWELL


At long last, the PSC and Church Board of City Church are excited to present Amy Rowell as candidate for the position of Sr. Pastor at City Church.

Amy demonstrates a deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, reflected in her life marked by integrity and unquestionable honesty. She also possesses the character qualities outlined in Scripture for pastoral leadership. (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5) We have seen her ability to communicate effectively, both in her delivery of God’s word and in communication with staff, congregants, and the greater community. Amy has also demonstrated her commitment to City Church and the community in her nine years of service as our Community Life Pastor. Her calling to pastoral ministry was recently affirmed by the successful defense of her Statement of Faith before an Examination Council of Converge Church delegates and her subsequent ordination in December, 2022. 

Amy understands the challenges present at City Church and not only accepts, but embraces them. She and her family have demonstrated their intentionality by moving into the neighborhood which City Church serves. Her service and the decision to live in the neighborhood has made her uniquely capable to cast a vision for the church and community that will be impactful to the individuals and families of south Minneapolis and beyond.

The PSC believes that we will not find a better candidate than Amy. We have seen first hand her passion for biblically sound preaching and her desire for the church to know God more fully. We have seen her love for the people who walk through our doors and her ability to connect them with people within the church. Through this transition we have seen her step into new and expanded responsibilities with poise and enthusiasm. We are excited for the potential she has to lead City Church into the next chapter.

The congregational vote on Amy's candidacy will take place on Sunday, May 21. In the days prior to the vote, the PSC will be hosting four opportunities to gather and hear Amy's vision for where she sees God leading City Church in the future, and to give you the opportunity to ask questions. These gatherings will be held in the common room at church (just off the lobby). Light refreshments will be served. The schedule is as follows:

You are NOT required to register, but feel free to RSVP using this form, so the PSC can plan accordingly.


On Sunday, May 21, Amy will preach in our Sunday morning service. Then, in lieu of Sunday Morning Communities, we will hold a congregational meeting, where the people of City Church will have one more opportunity to ask questions and hear from Amy. Then Amy and her family will leave the Worship Center, and church members will be given a paper ballot to cast their vote. The results will then be announced.

We are excited that God has brought us to this point, and we are thankful that He has brought us such an excellent candidate in Amy.

If you have any questions about what the candidating process looks like, please feel free to reach out to Elliott Warden, PSC Co-Chair (elpwarden@gmail.com), or Tim Uthmann, City Church Board Chair (tim.uthmann@gmail.com).

Pray for us and with us

Prayer is vitally important during this season of transition and change at City Church. We are pursuing this intimacy with God through prayer by asking for what we need, listening for what God has to say, and following his leading for who we should look to for our next Senior Pastor. We are asking, both as individuals and with other members of the body of Christ, to join us on this journey of prayer as we continue our work as a Pastoral Search Committee.

There are many people and moving parts involved in the search and succession process. As you pray, let God lead you and pay attention to what you might hear from God as you hold this before Him. You might feel drawn to pray for a specific person or a particular part of the process, or you can follow the prayer calendar below. A printable version can also be found HERE.


SUNDAY

Pray for our future LEAD PASTOR

• That the Lord would prepare them to answer the call to City Church.

• That they would continue to grow in their love and knowledge of God.

• That the Lord would give them a burden for urban ministry.

• That the Lord would prepare them to interact with our questions honestly and thoughtfully


MONDAY

Pray for our CONGREGATION:

• That we would continue to seek the Lord diligently.

• That we would be patient and gracious during the interim process.

• That we would be loving and welcoming to all who walk through our doors.

• That we would see God at work in the ministries and people of our church.


TUESDAY

Pray for our SEARCH PROCESS:

• For our denominational partners, called P3, who will assist us in seeking and vetting candidates.

• That the Lord would give them insight into the unique needs of City Church.

• That the Lord would give them wisdom in their candidate screening.

• That they would be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.


WEDNESDAY

Pray for our SEARCH COMMITTEE:

• That they would be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

• For effective communication within the committee and to the church.

• To be diligent in their work.

• To consider the needs of all members of the community as they seek a new pastor.


THURSDAY

Pray for our CURRENT LEADERS:

• That the Lord would give them strength, encouragement and joy in their work.

• For wisdom in current decision-making.

• For rest, and a healthy work/life balance.

• For boldness in asking for help when needed.


FRIDAY

Pray for YOUR OWN ROLE:

• That the Lord would prepare me to welcome a new pastor and their vision.

• To discern my role in City Church and the ministries happening here.

• That I would extend grace and understanding toward those who have different opinions about our transition and pastoral search.


SATURDAY

Pray for SW MINNEAPOLIS:

• To recognize our need for God.

• To see faith in God as a solution to our problems, fears and anxieties.

• To love one another despite differences

• For God’s peace and presence in the city.

City Church Pastor Search Committee


The City Church Leadership Board invited several people to form the Pastor Search Committee (PSC) to create a working group which not only represents a cross-section of our community, but also reflects people who have shown significant commitment to the life of City Church. Several factors influenced the selection of Committee members:



The Search Committee began its work late in the summer of 2021 by exploring several consulting options, eventually selecting P3, the Converge denomination’s pastor placement service. The team is working with P3 in a deliberate process to develop an in-depth profile of City Church, create an accurate job description and promote the opportunity in a number of strategic places. P3 will present a set of candidates which they have pre-qualified for the Lead Pastor position. The team will then follow a rigorous path for narrowing down the pool to one candidate whom they will recommend to the Board and ultimately to the congregation for a Member vote.


The PSC is made up of:


Please pray for the Pastor Search Committee as they seek to discern the person God is calling to shepherd City Church as our next Lead Pastor.

A word from board chair, tim uthmann


As a worshiping community, we recognize that this season is about more than just seeking a new Lead Pastor. This is an opportunity for City Church to prayerfully allow God to do a work in us as a community.


God is shepherding us toward deeper health and vitality during this process. He is drawing us to himself so that we may truly be a Christ-centered community, growing in the transforming grace of Jesus and demonstrating the love of God to the world. That goes far beyond the immediate work of discerning who will be our next Lead Pastor!


If you are new to City Church or you have been a part of us for a long time, we hope you find a spiritual home for yourself here! We also hope you jump in and participate. Pray with us, serve in the ministries God has designed you for or simply be intentional about engaging in this community. We’d love to share the journey with you!


Any time you would like to connect with the Leadership Board of City Church, or if you have questions for us, you can reach out and email them directly at Board.CityChurchMPLS@gmail.com.