St. John's in Thibodaux
St. Margaret's in Baton Rouge
St. Mary's in Franklin
Christ Episcopal Church in Slidell.
Because I showed up for the meeting at St. John's which explained the process, I became involved. That's what I get for showing up. :-) Seriously, I am pleased to be part of the process. I'll be busy with my duties as a team member at St. John's for the next few days. The several congregations have been praying the prayer on my right sidebar for several weeks, which I repeat below. Please join your prayers with ours that God will guide the diocesan leadership, the members of the congregations, and the candidates.
Lord, look upon the congregations St. John's in Thibodaux, St. Margaret's in Baton Rouge, St. Mary's in Franklin, and Christ Episcopal Church in Slidell. So guide the hearts and minds of our leadership teams, Bishop Morris, Canon Mark, the participating candidates for Holy Orders, and all those participating in the Clergy and Congregational Development Program, so that we may come to prepare and strengthen each other in our respective ministries. Make us all thankful of Your many blessings, faithful to Your Holy Word, and mindful that we are working to your honor and glory. Amen.
Thank you.
UPDATE: From the comments:
susankay said...
...I ask your prayers for St Marks, Durango CO as we first try to find an Interim.
Are you all interviewing all of the candidates and slugging it out for the one you will want?
ReplyDeletePrayers for all.
susan s., the members of the teams from the churches will pick our first choice, second choice, etc., and the candidates will do the same with the churches in the hope that we will match up with our first or second choice. God help us!
ReplyDeleteThis is sort of the way Dave found his Church. The diocese gave him a list of churches that needed a priest and he interviewed with 3 or 4 of them. I thank God every day that he found the one where the fit was really close!
ReplyDeleteI hope and pray that the result is a good fit for you all.
susan, all the candidates are just out of seminary, because none of the churches can afford to pay a priest with years of experience, however not all of the candidates are young. Their ages vary.
ReplyDeleteWell, Dave was a Curate for 2 years before he had to search, but just out of seminary could be a good thing or bad. ;-) And it also might depend on which seminary. . . .
ReplyDeleteI just noticed that all the wv words are in Green today. Hmm. . .
All of those chosen as rectors will be mentored by an experienced priest for a period of time. You're right though; there are pluses and minuses. We are a fairly stable congregation, which I think will be a plus with a priest right out of seminary.
ReplyDeleteSo they'll be rectors right from the start? Dave was made priest-in-charge for 18 mos. and then made rector.
ReplyDeleteIt's different in different dioceses, though.
ReplyDeletesusan, once the person is called and accepts, the commitment on both sides is for three years. I wouldn't write the title of the position in stone, because I'm not 100% certain.
ReplyDeleteWill the financial packages be the same for each parish?
ReplyDeleteOrmonde, I'm not sure. There are minimum standards for financial packages which will need to be met by all the churches. That's all I can tell you.
ReplyDeletePrayers from me that the right people get the right jobs.
ReplyDeletePrayers for you all and I ask your prayers for St Marks, Durango CO as we first try to find an Interim.
ReplyDeletewv = spedi, may our journies be spedi
To answer a couple of questions:
ReplyDeletesusan s., the priests who are called to each church will have the title of priest-in-charge for their three-year commitment period.
Ormonde, the financial package will be the same for all 4 churches.
Thanks for the prayers, Cathy and susankay.
I will add an update asking for prayers for your church's search for an interim, susankay.
Thanks, Mimi.
ReplyDeleteSusankay, prayers for St. Marks. My husband walked into the room as I was reading your comment. He said, "Oh, I've been there!" meaning he had been in Durango and seen St. Mark's from the outside. He thinks it's a lovely church!
Prayers!
ReplyDeleteMimi,
ReplyDeleteI hope you and the other churches are willing to take in consideration that you are part of the training of new clergy. I had 2 parishes for my first cure and one of them was clearly willing to enter into the idea of having a green priest. The other one did not and it was madding. They expected me to KNOW everything and faulted me when I didn't.
This is something you can bring to your committee. Seminaries generally train priestlings in the readin, writin' and perhaps 'rithmetic. But not much on parish dynamics, small parish administration, small parish anything.
Most clergy out of seminary haven't the foggiest about their own power in an existential way. They often are like deer in headlights. Lots of love and patience goes with being training parishes. And I bet your diocesan search personel haven't said a word about that.
Muthah+, we've already had a priest right out of seminary, and we will not expect miracles. We are a flexible congregation, and, for the most part, gentle with rectors. My hopes are high that the arrangement will work out.
ReplyDeleteOff-topic:
ReplyDeleteI just spoke w/ Cathy's sister.
They're preparing to bring Cathy home to a room in her (other) sister's place, in hospice care.
As I know from relatively recent experience w/ my mom, being AT HOME is the way To Go.
Please keep Cathy and her family in your prayers...
Prayers for Cathy and her family offered up.
ReplyDelete