Frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the transition process
Q. What has been accomplished thus far in the transition process?
A. We completed and filed our parish status report with the Bishop's office in mid-June, and the Bishop has accepted it. With his acceptance, we can formally commence the process to search for and hire a new rector.
Q. What is the Transition Committee, and what is its role during the transition process?
A. The Transition Committee was appointed by the vestry to serve in an advisory role to the rector, vestry, and staff during the transition process. Lynn Mason is chair of the Transition Committee, and David Perry, Larry Street, and Arlene Ullman are the other members. This committee is charged by the vestry to assist our entire worship community in the months ahead as we move through the various stages of the transition process, including the installation of a new rector.
Q. What are the next steps in the transition process?
A. Over the next few months, we will identify and hire an interim priest and begin preparing the parish profile.
Q. How will the interim priest be selected?
A. We will be working with the Bishop's office to identify qualified candidates. The Bishop's office has posted the position with the Church Deployment Office, and we are starting to receive applications from interested candidates. The vestry has appointed a committee to screen the candidates and identify the most qualified candidates for final interviews with the vestry and the Bishop's office. Dick Huneke is chair of this committee, and Jane Larson and Carol Ward are the other members.
Q. What sort of qualifications are we looking for in an interim priest?
A. At St. Michael's, this will be a full-time position. We are seeking an experienced priest with a minimum of 10 years' experience as a rector and/or interim priest in a parish with characteristics (e.g., size, urban setting) similar to St. Michael's.
Q. Who are the likely candidates to serve as interim priest?
A. There are a number of priests throughout the country who specialize in serving as interim priests, and who have received training to develop the particular skills necessary to serve as interim priests. As they complete an interim assignment at a parish, they can be expected to make themselves available for additional interim assignments. In addition, retired bishops and rectors often take on interim assignments from time to time.
Q. How long will it take to select an interim priest?
A. We expect the process to take a few months. We hope to have an interim priest in place in the fall.
Q. Who is responsible for leading the parish until an interim priest is selected?
A. The senior warden, Michael Sagun, is legally responsible for parish administration until a permanent rector is selected. As a practical matter, the existing staff will continue to perform their day-to-day activities during this interim period, subject to the direction of the senior warden and the vestry.
Q. Once the interim priest is in place, will he/she be responsible for leading the parish?
A. Yes. Although the senior warden canonically remains responsible for the affairs of the parish, the interim priest will be responsible for working with the existing staff and caring for the parish during the interim period. The interim priest will be responsible for supervising the existing staff in the day-to-day administration of the parish, as well as in liturgical and pastoral matters, subject to the direction of the senior warden and the vestry.
Q. Are the existing clergy on staff at St. Michael's eligible to serve as interim priest?
A. No.
Q. How long will the interim priest serve?
A. An interim priest typically serves until a permanent rector is hired and installed. We expect this period to be at least one year, probably until the fall of 2008.
Q. Is the interim priest eligible to be called as the permanent rector?
A. No, the interim priest cannot be a candidate for the permanent position.
Q. How will the parish profile be prepared?
A. We are working with Holy Cow! Consulting to use their on-line Church Assessment Tool to compile some of the information to be used in the parish profile. The on-line survey will be conducted from July 16 through August 13. Because a Spanish version of this on-line survey is not available, we will work with our Hispanic community through an informal interview process to gather the same type of information as is developed through the on-line survey. The vestry will appoint a Self-Study Committee to compile and process this input, and to draft the parish profile.
Q. What will the parish profile be used for?
A. The parish profile is both inward- and outward-looking. By surveying parishioners about their experiences at St. Michael's and their desires for their parish home, we have information to allow us to capture the essence of the St. Michael's community. The profile is used outside the parish by making it available to potential applicants for the permanent rector position. The profile gives these potential applicants a very good idea of the characteristics of our parish and provides a basis for determining whether there is a good "fit" between a potential applicant and St. Michael's.
Q. When will the discernment process for calling a new rector begin?
A. The discernment process will begin in the next few months. We can begin to lay the foundation for the discernment process while we are still working on the parish profile, although the Bishop needs to approve the profile before a search can formally begin.
Q. How will the search for a new rector be conducted?
A. The vestry will appoint a Discernment Committee, which will evaluate the various candidates who apply for the rector position, and narrow the applicants to the few most qualified priests. The finalists will have further interviews with the entire vestry.
Q. Who serves on the Discernment Committee, and how are they selected?
A. The vestry selects and directs the Discernment Committee, which will be composed of parishioners. Although the vestry has not yet determined the process for selecting the members of the Discernment Committee, the objective is to appoint a representative cross-section of the parish community.
Q. How long will the discernment process last?
A. The discernment process will not conclude until a permanent rector has been called and accepts the position. We expect the process to take 9-12 months, but the length of the process depends to a large extent on the number and quality of the applicants for the position. St. Michael's is a healthy, vibrant parish, and we can expect to have a large pool of very qualified applicants from which to select.
Q. What is the role of the Bishop's office during the discernment process?
A. The Bishop's office will be providing assistance in assembling a list of nominees for the rector's position. These nominees, in turn, will be considered and screened by the Discernment Committee. Once a final list of nominees is identified by the Discernment Committee, the Bishop's office will perform a formal background on each nominee. Further information on the procedures followed in our Diocese for filling clergy vacancies can be found in the Diocese of Oregon Operations Resource Manual, which can be found at http://www.diocese-oregon.org/ORM/orm/05-1.htm.