The Vestry met on Tuesday the 13th for its March meeting. Although things are moving well in regard to the Interim search, it appears that the Interim Rector position will not be filled by Easter. The Vestry has been acting to fill the Interim position before beginning the search for the permanent Rector. This plan was predicated on the hope that by Easter we could fill the Interim position. Because that is unlikely now, the Vestry voted unanimously to begin the search for the permanent Rector concurrently with the ongoing search for the Interim Rector.
The first step in our permanent Rector search is the selection of a chair for the Search Committee. The Vestry feels strongly that this person should be a leader in our Parish as well as a leader in our Diocese. The search chair should have good rapport with the congregation and great leadership skills. Newton Molloy was nominated and unanimously approved by the Vestry. Newton has been asked and has agreed to accept the position.
According to the Canons of the Diocese of Tennessee, our Vestry is charged with discerning the process for revealing God's will for the calling of the new Rector. With all that is required of the Vestry during the interim period, it seems to be the best practice for your Vestry to charge a committed group of parishioners to serve as the Search Committee—a committee that would then bring back well-qualified, thoroughly approved, and viable candidates for the role of Rector of St. Paul's. The goal is for every member of our community to have a voice in the process. For that to happen, logistically, it will be necessary to select representatives from the parish to serve on that committee. Many of you have graciously volunteered to serve the parish in this way, and we thank you for your commitment. Your Vestry has charged Newton with bringing proposals to the Vestry at our next meeting regarding the best practices for populating that Search Committee. We are confident that Newton will bring us ideas that are both fair and representative of our congregation. The Vestry will then seek God's will for those among us who will then be asked to stand on this committee. The Vestry wishes to keep the search process as connected to the parish and open as possible. No one on the Vestry takes this charge lightly, and we encourage your prayers as we enter this discernment process.
Because St. Paul's is blessed with so many good and talented people to select from, we are confident that we will end up with a faithful committee. Your Vestry recognizes the amount of faith and trust you have placed in us, and it is our goal to be worthy of that trust. One of the most important charges the Vestry will give to the Search Committee will be to insure adequate opportunity for the congregation to advise the Committee of its wishes. The Vestry is committed to select members who will listen for God's will for St. Paul's and will, with God-given wisdom, seek to fulfill that will.
Respectfully submitted,
Alex Hollis