Ministerial Vacancy

[scottmaciver]

As of this week our congregation is without a Minister.

Does anyone have any advice from your own experience during a vacancy, both in general and particularly in relation to the calling of another Minister?

 

[Edward]

Don't be in too big of a hurry to fill the position.

The session should set up a search committee with both formal and informal leaders participating.

The Presbytery should be involved. Other pastors in the presbytery should be at least generally familiar with the church, its needs, and its resources.

The session should work with the presbytery to arrange regular preaching, either through a stated supply or rotational. And the session will need to pick up the slack on providing pastoral care.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

From a minister's point of view three things that the calling committee would be wise to do:

1) Be as open and straight about the situation at the church as possible. Positives and negatives.

2) Communication, communication, communication. Make sure you do not leave candidates twisting in the wind. This was the most annoying thing about candidating from my perspective. You go for a visit, preach, and then not hear anything for three months, good or bad. For example I accepted a call to the church I now serve (and I am glad this is where the Lord led me) without knowing another church had really wanted to call me, but by the time they got around to sending me an e-mail I was already ordained and moving to south Mississippi.

3) Run your candidates by the Presbytery before even inviting them to come to the church for a site visit. This can save some unnecessary pain on both sides when the church loves a candidate, yet the presbytery finds the man wanting for whatever reason after plans have already been made and folks just kind of "assume" that the presbytery will just perfunctory in its examination.

 

[ZackF]

2) Communication, communication, communication. Make sure you do not leave candidates twisting in the wind. This was the most annoying thing about candidating from my perspective. You go for a visit, preach, and then not hear anything for three months, good or bad. For example I accepted a call to the church I now serve (and I am glad this is where the Lord led me) without knowing another church had really wanted to call me, but by the time they got around to sending me an e-mail I was already ordained and moving to south Mississippi.

Though I shouldn't be too shocked, it's sad to hear about such tackiness. I've come to expect it in the business world. Back when I had interviewing and hiring duties, I'd call candidates immediately as soon as I had eliminated them. Sadly, it is not unusual for candidates to receive nothing after an application or even an interview! Some of this no doubt has to do with more and more hiring regulations but I expect better from the Church.