Call Committee Corner

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CGS Call Committee members Adolfo Ramirez, Julia Tranchina, Matt Byom,
Paul Thomas, Randy Presuhn (chair) and Sarah Janigian would love to
hear from you!  We've been gathering demographic reports (thank you,
U.S. Census, ELCA, and synod staff!), financial reports (thank you,
Jean Hope!), mission statements and annual reports (thank you, Skye
Gordineer and Christina Unzen!), personnel parameters (thank you,
Michael Flanagin!) and other factual information for the
Ministry Site Profile (MSP).  But that information gathering is
only part of our work at this phase of the process.

We also need to know your thoughts about the congregation's
"personality" and direction. Your observations about our life together
that would help us convey a meaningful picture of the "feel,"
aspirations, and realities of this community to potential candidates
would be especially welcome.  What are the stories that would help
a candidate discern whether we are meant for each other? Talk to
any of us in person or by email, or reach the entire team by sending
an email to [email protected].

We have spent enough time with the previous MSP to realize much has
changed in the last eight years, and are now going through the details
of the profile to construct questions for the community when we are
unable to give confident answers ourselves.  If there are questions
you think would be helpful to our bishop in identifying candidates,
or to candidates trying to decide whether this ministry
would be a fit, please let us know!

We have not yet decided what combination of in-person meetings and
on-line or paper surveys to use, and so would appreciate your
insights on this as well.  We are trying to get through this as
quickly as we can while still assembling an accurate and useful
profile and hope the congregation is left feeling empowered rather
than exhausted by the process.

A frustrating aspect of this work is that timelines are elusive. The
Call Committee has been meeting electronically every week, and on
October 27th will be joined by our bishop, reviewing where we are in
the process and looking at the steps to come.  We are acutely aware
of the coming holiday season and of the need for significant work on
the MSP.  But we also know that too often the perfect becomes the enemy
of the good, and we must avoid the temptation to polish the MSP past
the point of diminishing returns.

Fortunately, our bishop has visited CGS many times over the years, and
has worked closely with some of our former pastors.  The bishop may be
able to give us some guidance on how to determine whether the MSP is
"good enough" to be useful to them and to prospective candidates.

We fervently hope that this process will be as transparent as possible.
If you have questions or comments or ideas, please let us know.  We have
to maintain information about candidates under strict confidence until
we have made a recommendation to our council, but anything else is fair
game.

Please keep the Call Committee in your prayers!


                                                                                                                              - Randy Presuhn