A letter from the Pastor Nomination Committee
Greetings from the WPC Pastor Nominating Committee
The Pastor Nominating Committee is pleased to report that we have extended a call for our next Senior Pastor/Head of Staff. This exciting news follows six months of diligent work and prayerful discernment in which we reviewed dozens of resumes, watched dozens of sermons, and conducted numerous interviews and conversations. As Paul Kirbas has shared, the Session has set a Congregational Meeting for October 11th to present the newly called pastor and seek their election. Following the election, we expect the new pastor will start on November 27th, just in time for Advent.
While we will be delighted to welcome our new pastor, the church will also have the opportunity to provide a proper farewell for Paul, whose last worship service is November 22nd. We look forward to celebrating Paul and thanking him for his service and many contributions to our church. In particular, the PNC very much appreciates the help Paul provided during our call process.
Please note that it is typical that a newly called pastor notify their current constituents of their departure only after being elected to the new role. For this reason, as usual, we are not able to share the name and background of our newly called pastor at this time, but we will be thrilled to do so at the worship service and Congregational Meeting on October 11th. We are also working on ways for you to get to know the new pastor, and vice versa, following their election. Please watch for communication about that.
We believe a church’s transition with a newly called Senior Pastor represents an opportunity for renewal and re-engagement. During our pastor search, we sought a strong preacher, teacher, and leader of staff, someone committed to pastoral care who is also a talented communicator in today’s digital world. We sought someone who will appreciate the legacy of our church and its members, and also harness our dreams and desires for the future, someone who will empower all ages to share God’s love not only in our two-campus ministry but also in our broader community. It is our prayerful desire that our newly called pastor will be a source of unification and revitalization of all our members and be committed to leading the growth and development of the church for future generations. We can’t wait to introduce our newly called pastor to you!
Thankfully,
The Pastor Nominating Committee
Abbey Ahern
Paige Bass, co-chair
Jeb Joseph
Isabelle (Izzy) Kearney
John Kenney
Karma Robinson
Jane Sutter
Jim Waldo
Jim Witcher, co-chair
