December 2022 Senior Minister Search Committee Update

December 15, 2022

The Old South Church Senior Minister Search Committee has had a productive month and we are right on schedule with our anticipated timeline for welcoming a new Senior Minister to our pulpit.  As you will recall, we convened as a committee in June and spent the summer planning.  We released our church profile and “posted” our job description with the UCC in late September.  For the last two months, we have been receiving and prayerfully reviewing “applications” from potential candidates.  We have selected a pool of candidates that we will be inviting for virtual initial interviews during a 4-6 week period starting in the second week of January.

Though we remain open to receiving additional expressions of interest from potential candidates at this stage, we are thrilled about the individuals we will be meeting in the coming weeks.  In keeping with our commitments to you and to one another, we have selected with God’s guidance a pool that is diverse in every way – gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, life experience, geographic home.  Though each is unique, the candidates we are inviting into this next phase of discernment are receiving invitations because the committee found in their applications a deep faith and commitment to leading vibrant worship, the capacity to grow and strengthen community, a readiness to provide executive leadership for our church and its staff, and a strong prophetic voice for faith-based social justice. 

In mid November, the committee met with a senior pastor of a local UCC church who graciously agreed to help us finalize our interview process and protocol.  Our volunteer pastor was wonderful and offered us insightful feedback on our draft interview guide.  We have incorporated her suggestions and feel very ready to start meeting candidates after Christmas!

As we enter into this third phase of our work together, the Committee continues to be grateful for the trust that you – as a congregation – have placed in us as we engage the awe-inspiring task of listening to one another and to the Holy Spirit in this process of discernment.  

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing prayers of support.