And now the work begins...

Not to be misleading, as we have been working hard since our first meeting in January of this year, but the work is different now, as the PNC begins processing PIFs (Pastor Information Forms) from interested candidates. So far, more than 60 people have either been matched with our stated needs by the denomination or "self-referred," sending us their information because they are interested in our position and have found it on their own. Many of them know our church and have already been tracking our progress. We are following up on leads via e-mail and phone, and are reviewing every application multiple times before discussing our top tier of applicants as a full committee.

This is meaningful and taxing work. Words on a page (or screen) can only tell part of the story, and we are seeking discernment and God's nudging as we choose where to invest the additional time needed in conversations and eventually formal interviews.

That said, we are thrilled that so many qualified people are interested in our church. There are many compelling stories within this group of early applicants, and we are steadily honing in on the kind of leader we can collectively envision for our church in the future.

Thank you for your attention, your continued prayers, and your patience.

Time to get the word out!

The WCPC PNC is now prepared and excited to begin receiving Pastor Information Forms from candidates for the position of Teaching Elder/Head of Staff, which may happen as early as next week once the PCUSA office in Louisville posts the position.

On the right hand side of this screen, you will find a list of pages. The last one, added just now, is the Church Information Form we have been working on for the past several months. We encourage you to read it, pray about it, and consider ordained pastors you might know who posseses the experience, skills and spiritual gifts we are looking for in our next head of staff.

You are certainly encouraged to share this CIF with any who might be interested, or if there is someone you think should receive a personal contact from a member of the PNC, please let one of us know or email us at whitprespnc12@googlegroups.com.

Over the next several weeks we will continue refining the process through which we will consider every applicant, as we work toward discerning the individual who will next serve our congregation as WCPC's Head of staff.

"I AM"

PNC member Bill Yakely shared a helpful word with us at tonight's meeting. It is a wonderful encouragement to live in the moment. As the PNC continues to make progress at a deliberate, but perhaps not blistering pace, it is easy to think that nothing is happening, and we begin fretting about the future over which we hold no control. Rest assured, "I AM" is in charge of this process, and we are regularly seeking his presence, moment by moment. Perhaps you will find this piece by Helen Malicoat helpful as well.

I was regretting the past
and fearing the future.
Suddenly, my Lord was speaking.
"My name is I Am."

He paused. I waited. He continued.

"When you live in the past,
with its mistakes and regrets,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not "I was."

When you live in the future,
with its problems and fears,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not "I will be."

When you live in this moment
it is not hard. I am here.
My name is "I AM."

Exciting hurdle cleared

I just took the liberty of updating the page on the right hand side of this blog that outlines the eight steps we must take to call our next head of staff. I was able to mark number three as "complete" and list number four as "in process," which might not seem like such a huge thing, unless you realize that the Church Information Form (CIF), the primary document we provide to the denomination and any potential candidates, is now complete.

The PNC and session met a few weeks ago to discuss the draft and shared a meaningful time of conversation and unity around the direction we are heading as a church.

Then, last Monday night, the CIF was formally approved by Session at its monthly meeting and has been sent on to the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest Committee on Ministry for their approval in early June. Once approved there it will be sent to Louisville to be posted as an open position (and posted here for your consideration).  At that point candidates may start applying for the job.

We know there are a lot of people interested in this position, as we are already hearing from them in various ways, but the formal start to the search phase will begin when potential candidates are officially able to send us their Pastor Information Forms (PIFs) and we are also able to begin making contact with our network of friends, Presbyterian pastors, and others in the denomination, encouraging them to consider the opportunity or help connect us with other pastors who might be a good fit for our church.

This is a very exciting time for our church and we give thanks for your continued support and prayer.

Progress, Prayer and Patience

While this post could easily be a quick report of great progress, since we will soon be sending the Church Information Form to the WCPC elders for their input and eventual approval at a session meeting in the near future, it is important for those of us on the PNC that you understand something even more significant to us.

Bill Yakely is a member of the PNC who has been tabbed by chair Gary Carlsen to serve as our "spiritual guidepost" and he begins each of our bi-weekly meetings with a short devotion and prayer time. Last week,  Bill shared a prayer, inspired by Thomas Merton, that he wrote several years ago: "Let me abandon my way, Lord, seeking the course you have set before me through your still and quiet voice. You move in mysteriuous ways with a kind and gentle way. Lord, in my wandering circles, help me to come to you each and every day....Lord, thank you for your direction, answer to prayer, glimpses of your kingdom, direction and path and the peace that transcends all my mortal ambiguous flailing about in the ashes of life."

If there is one thing we are about collectively as a PNC, it is prayer. We are committed to the concept that as we are prayerful, lifting up our church, our journey, and the leader for our church that God has already chosen, we will be given direction.

While we are hopeful, there are no guarantees that our recent progress is anything more than an incremental step in the right general direction, and believe us, we are every bit as anxious to be making progress on this search as you are. But our God is a God of long journeys, stories that are still being written, and plans that conform to a much larger set of needs than our own.

We covet your prayer and thank you for your continued patience and participation on this journey.

10 Skills

As part of the process of creating the Church Information Form (CIF), the PCUSA's primary document to be shared on our behalf with potential candidates, we were provided with a list of more than 60 potential skills that our new teaching elder/head of staff might possess. Then we were asked to select no more than 10. It is at this point that many of us on the PNC were checking off 20, 30, even 40 or more...and were forced to acknowledge that the only person who could conceivably possess all of these skills was celebrated a few days ago on Easter Sunday.

"Preaching" was one skill that we pretty quickly agreed on, but the rest of the process, a conversation that helped us eventually arrive at 10 (at least for now), was a rich one and really helped the PNC arrive at a better understanding of how we are approaching this discernment process as individuals, and how we can come to consensus as a committee.

This is all part of sharing the news that the CIF does now exist in a draft form, and while it still has quite a lot of revision ahead before it can be sent to session, approved by session, sent to the Presbytery Committee on Ministry and approved by them so that it can be shared with potential candidates, we have reached one more milestone on WCPC's journey of discovery.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

An important invitation from the PNC

We are now several months into the search process for our new Teaching Elder/Head of Staff and one of the primary tasks of the PNC is to write the Church Information Form (CIF), which describes who we are and what we believe God is calling us to be as a church. Pastoral candidates will be reviewing this CIF to help discern if WCPC is God’s call for them. In order to assist us with this process, we are inviting you to prayerfully consider who we are as a church and respond to the following questions:

1. Why did you initially choose Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church?

2. Why have you stayed at Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church?
 

3. What is one thing you would want potential pastoral candidates to know about Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church?

We would appreciate your answers to these questions, as well as any additional information you would like us to know, by April 15th. You can share your answers with us in the following ways:

• in the PNC mailbox near Tiffany Hall
• in a sealed envelope delivered to the front office and clearly marked "PNC"
• via email to whitprespnc12@googlegroups.com
• directly to a PNC member

If you would like to have a member of the PNC talk with you individually or meet with your group to discuss these questions please contact PNC Chair Gary Carlsen or email whitprespnc12@googlegroups.com. As always, you can keep abreast of the latest communication from the PNC via The Chimes or the PNC blog at www.whitprespnc.blogspot.com. Thanks for your continued prayers for this most important process.