Search Committee

September update: The Vestry has completed one of the early steps in the process of finding a new pastor for our parish by appointing the following members to the Search Committee: link to the letter.

August, 2021

A VESTRY REPORT: Transition 2021 By Robert Petersen, Warden

On Tuesday, July 20, 2021, the Saint John’s-Grace Vestry met with the Reverend Jason Shank, the Missioner for Congregational Vitality and Transition Ministry. He provided us with a clear picture of the Diocesan process now in place that we will be using to search, find, and call a priest to serve our parish.

One point that Fr. Jason made is that a parish should have a celebration for the Reverend Jon Lavelle to thank him for his ministry among us and to wish him well in his new endeavors. We reported to Fr. Jason that, thanks to Mary Joy Murphy and Jan Dolce, plans for a celebration have already begun and the celebration will be held on Sunday, August 15, 2021.

Fr. Jon’s plans after leaving our parish are fraught with uncertainty because he has no new position in clear view. We, too, as a parish may be feeling those same kind of uncertainties not knowing who our next priest will be.

BUT we trust that he and we, with the help of God, will find and follow a path that leads to the blessings and joy that God intends for us. 

What happens next?

After the celebration of Fr. Jon’s ministry among us, the Vestry forms a Search Committee. Contemplations about who will serve begins immediately but appointments to it and the name of the Chair will not be announced until after August 15th. Also, for purposes of a smooth transition and subsequent ministry in our parish the end of Fr. Jon’s tenure must be viewed as completed. 

The Search Committee will:

  • Solicit information from all the parish members about their expectations, hopes and dreams for the parish.

  • Write a profile of the parish using the information gleaned from the parish members.

  • Have our vacancy published nationwide through the Episcopal church deployment office, a nationwide vacancy announcement system available to priests seeking a new position.

  • (Potential candidates have access to the parish profile, and of course, the parish website.)

  • Interview potential candidates that have applied and been evaluated by the Diocese.

  • Select a candidate.

  • Reach an agreement with that potential candidate for our clergy position.

  • Call that candidate.

The time needed to do these steps depends on how expeditiously the Search Committee, the parish, and the Diocese accomplish them. By following these steps, we anticipated finding and calling the best candidate to be the next priest for Saint John’s-Grace.  While this process is going forward the parish will be served by “supply” priests, that Is, priests who are called in to serve at Sunday worship services and on other as needed occasions.  There may be Sundays, Fr. Jason suggested, when no “supply” priest is available and Morning Prayer will be offered led by one of our own SJ-G licensed ministers. Trepidation and sorrow will no doubt be present as we celebrate Fr. Jon on August 15th, but let us hope that God working in us will engender the joy of a ministry well done and hope for a grace filled future for Fr. Jon and for Saint John’s-Grace.

Questions? Ask any Vestry Member:Mark Babcock, Jan Dolce, Donna Doyle, Merle Foraker, John Moffitt, Bill Murphy, Maribel Ortiz, Robert Petersen

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