The Rector Search Process

Overview

The Search Committee is charged by the Vestry to find and recommend one final candidate to the Vestry for the position of Rector of the Church of the Resurrection.  The Vestry has the final decision to elect and call the new Rector.  The call itself is issued by the Bishop or Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese.  The search process is confidential, and the Parish will be made aware of the name of the new Rector once the Vestry has voted,  the Bishop has issued the call and it has been accepted by the candidate.

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The entire search process is conducted by the Search Committee in consultation with the Diocese of West Missouri through the Transition Missioner, Fr. Chas Marks.  The search must comply with all Diocesan and Episcopal Church requirements.

 

Phase One

The first phase of the search process requires the Search Committee to do a self-study of the congregation using a survey or other methodology to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the parish and, most importantly, what skillset and personal qualities the members of Resurrection desire in their new Rector. The survey results will be presented to the congregation and time will be provided for feedback.
 

Based on that self-study, the Search Committee will create a document called the ‘Parish Profile’.  This document is designed to be a narrative, which tells the story of our Parish, its demographics, needs, community environment, history, vision, dreams, and mission.  The Search Committee will also complete a portfolio for the Episcopal Church Office of Transition Ministries.

 

Once the Parish Profile and all supplemental documents are completed, they will be brought first to the Vestry for approval, and then sent to the Diocese for comment and approval. The Search Committee will then post the Parish Profile on Resurrection’s website and the portfolio will be published in the Office of Transition Ministries’ database.

 

Phase Two

The second phase of the search process begins when the Search Committee begins to accept resumes and other information provided by clergy candidates who are interested in the Rector position at the Church of the Resurrection.

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Information about the Rector position at Resurrection will be available in The Episcopal Church database accessible to clergy in transition who are searching for new positions.  Information will also be shared through the network of transition officers in the Dioceses of The Episcopal Church.  All potential candidates must apply through Father Chas Marks, the designated representative at the Diocese of West Missouri as our Transition Missioner.  Likewise, any referral of names of potential candidates must be made through Father Marks.  The Diocese will perform any required initial screening and will forward names of qualified candidates to the Search Committee.  The Search Committee will develop and implement a process for reviewing candidates through reference checks, telephone interviews, visits, and interviews with final candidates.  The Search Committee will also develop a uniform system of rating and ranking candidates.

 

Once a final candidate has been selected by the Search Committee and interviewed by the Bishop of the Diocese, the name of that candidate will be recommended by the Search Committee to the Vestry for a further interview with them and the Vestry will make the final decision to accept the recommendation and the Bishop will issue the call to the new Rector.