Settled Ministerial Search Committee Report – December
The Settled Minister Search Committee (SMSC) thanks the more than 60 people who participated in the Beyond Categorical Thinking service and workshop. We hope it was a useful and eye opening exercise for all. Among the things we learned are a minister’s race, sexual orientation, or disability, while important, does not define the person and the kind of minister they will be. Also, we cannot expect a minister of color will necessarily help us become more diverse, or a gay, lesbian, or transgender minister will necessarily help us to become even more welcoming. It is up to the entire congregation to help us become the place we want to be. The entire congregation is also responsible for pointing out conscious or unconscious stereotyping should they witness it. It should not always fall on the victim of stereotyping to speak up and confront it.
The committee continues to work on the Congregational Information Packet. Ministers looking for a position will review and use the packet to help them decide whether to consider us as a church they would like to serve. The Congregational Record is a major part of that packet and as such contains information about the character of our greater community, a profile of the minister we seek, a profile of the congregation, congregational history, budgets and more.
The ministers who are searching for a position also put together a personal information packet and the search committee will review probably dozens of these packets when they become available early in the next year. It is certainly our hope that we will find one that seems the best match for us and that the one we select will feel the same about us!