CGS Call Committee

The CGS Call Committee met for the first time on Monday, September 27.  The Committee is composed of Randy Presuhn, Chair, Paul Thomas, Recording Secretary, Sarah Janigian, Council Liaison, Matt Byom, Adolfo Ramirez, and Julia Tranchina.

The Committee met primarily to discuss organizational issues as we get started.  On one hand, we expect to be working closely with Synod which will inform us as to what it needs from us.  On the other hand, the committee members will be looking at documentation that will help us decide how best to proceed.  Among them will be the Congregational Profile we submitted to Synod seven years ago.

Once we get our bearings, the first and most important duty of the Committee will be to build a new Congregational Profile based on how we see ourselves in 2021.  The process of creating the profile will help all of us at CGS, not just the Committee, better understand who we are and what our aspirations for the future are.  The profile will also be used to help the Synod select candidates for us that are best suited to our needs.

At all times, it is the hope of the Committee that this process will be open and transparent.  It is crucially important that we hear from all of you, and that all of you feel you have a voice in this process. While there will no doubt be formal meetings and surveys to obtain your input, please feel free to corner any of the members of the Committee to ask questions and to give us your ideas.

It is important to note, however, that as the process goes on and we get to the stage of looking at candidates, the Committee will be maintaining strict confidentiality about who they are.  And no, we can’t answer questions such as whether they are local or male or female or any other specific information. We are aware it is especially frustrating not to be able to find out these types of things as we get close to submitting a recommendation, but it is necessary to operate this way for the good of the candidates. And yes, when that determination has been made, the members of the congregation will have the opportunity to find out everything about the candidate and will have the final say in the selection.
At the moment we can provide no timeline for this process.  It can, and often does, take a long time, even though everyone is anxious to move the process along.  We will do our best to avoid all those impediments that slow the process, but please bear with us as we do our work.

​Please keep the Call Committee in your prayers as we begin our work

                                                                                                                                             -Paul Thomas