An Update on the Search for an Interim Rector
Posted 05/13/2024
Please click on the video below for an update on the search for our interim rector from Rev. Jeanne Leinbach and Sr. Warden, Sam Hartwell.
Here is a summary of the video contents
From The Rev. Jeanne Leinbach: I am so grateful for the warm wishes you have offered me since I announced the conclusion of my time at St. Paul’s. Please know that I recognize it is hard to have a complete turnover of the clergy staff in just over one year. All these transitions are naturally occurring. They just all happened around the same time. It is typical for assistant clergy to work two to four years before moving onto another position. Reverend John Kennedy left after two years. He left a year earlier than I expected due to an employment opportunity that came along for his wife. Reverend Jessie Dodson stayed longer than I could’ve expected. We were lucky to have her for five years. Reverend Brandon Ashcraft was with us for three years. He found a wonderful opportunity in Boston which allows him and his husband to live closer to family.
I’ve been here for nine years, and a lot has happened in that time, including expanded worship and music offerings, new ministries, guest speakers, racial reconciliation programming, pastoral care, formation, outreach, and fellowship, not to mention Covid. I am so grateful for the time that I’ve had with you, and I’ve always tried to do what I thought was best for Saint Paul’s. As hard as it is for me to say goodbye, I do believe now is the perfect time for new leadership. With a newly completed capital campaign, you are in a perfect position to bring in a new rector who can see with fresh eyes what is next for Saint Paul’s.
My plans are still up in the air for what is next. Gary and I are planning on moving to Boston this fall to be closer to family, but we want to get through his health challenges before we make any firm decisions. He is on the mend and his treatment is wrapping up this summer. We thank you so much for your prayers and good wishes.
From Senior Warden Sam Hartwell:
The good news is that Jeanne is leaving St. Paul’s in a very, very strong place. Our ministries are vibrant, our programming is engaging, our outreach efforts are serving the community, and our worship is spirited, supported by our amazing music program. We’ve been blessed to close a capital campaign that greatly exceeded our expectations, allowing us to address foreseeable building needs for the next decade and add to our endowment cushion. Coming out of the pandemic, we’ve been growing. It’s not that we don’t have challenges – we do. The blessing of having a strong parish is that we should be able to attract outstanding candidates, both for the interim role and for the permanent position of 17th rector.
We’re not on this journey alone. The diocese provides a great deal of support and structure to help this process along. I'm very glad to say that Jessie Dodson is the person at the Diocese responsible for helping our transition. We’re also considering hiring a professional search firm. Right now, we have two priorities – the first is wishing Jeanne a fond farewell with a single service on June 16. The second is finding an interim rector, which will hopefully happen soon. We’re also considering hiring an interim assistant rector, but we won’t make that decision until we’ve identified the interim rector.
The next step in the process of finding a permanent rector is forming a search committee. The specific timeline will be determined by the vestry at its next meeting. It’s recommended that we begin over the summer and kick into high gear in the fall. It’s the committee’s job to identify what we want in a new rector. There will be lots of opportunities to hear from you – listening sessions, interviews, surveys, and so on. The committee will pull together a parish profile, which is the primary recruiting tool for candidates. Late in the year, with support of the diocese, we’ll recruit candidates with an eye to conducting interviews in the new year. The job of the search committee is to screen and interview all candidates and then make a recommendation to the vestry. The process will be wrapped up in about a year. It’s a long process but an important one. Time, care, thought and prayer are critical to getting it right. Please reach out to any member of the Vestry with questions as we go through this journey together.
Tags: News