St. Peter’s is in the process of evaluating our needs and the appropriate steps toward calling our next Rector. This page will be updated with the steps being taken by the Vestry to that end. If you have questions about this process please contact any member of the Vestry or clergy.
What is the latest news?
An all-parish meeting was held on Sunday, July 28 at 9 am (in between services) to provide updates on the financial status of the church and the congregational assessment tool. The letter from the Finance Committee to the congregation that was presented at that meeting can be read HERE.
Fr. Michael explained in more detail that the congregational assessment tool that we will be using is called Holy Cow and we have a representative that has worked closely with the Diocese to administer this tool to many other congregations. He is confident it is the right tool for us to perform this next step that is required for us to complete in the path toward calling our next Rector. The Holy Cow survey will be administered in September. More information is to come.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR?
All Parish Announcement – An all parish meeting was called on April 14, 2024 in which the Vestry and Fr. Michael shared with the congregation the decision that the Vestry had made to request a Priest in Charge for St. Peter’s. A Priest in Charge is placed in a church by the Bishop with the blessing of the Vestry. They are placed in a church with the intent that they will walk with the congregation through the process of preparing the church for a search for a Rector. The significant message shared by the Vestry was that neither they, nor the Bishop, want to act in haste. We do not want to rush to call our next Rector. After having had the joy of one Rector serving St. Peter’s for nearly 30 years, it is important that we take time to discover who we are as a community before we call our next Rector.
What is the difference between a Priest in Charge and a Rector? A Priest-in-Charge is placed by the diocese for a limited term. A Rector is called by the Vestry after a period of mutual discernment to be the incumbent in charge of the parish for an indefinite term.
Can the Priest in Charge become the Rector? Yes, after the search committee is formed, church surveys and all other necessary steps are completed. If the Priest in Charge and the Vestry mutual agree to the call, the Priest in Charge can become the Rector.
How long with the process take? There is no hard and fast rule to this. We generally anticipate we may have a Priest in Charge at St. Peter’s within a year. From there it may take up to two years to call a Rector. Adding to the timeline is the fact that there is a shortage of priests nationwide.
What are the next steps for St. Peter’s? The next step for St. Peter’s will be to complete an audit of our financial records and to complete a parish assessment. We anticipate both the audit and the assessment to be complete by end of Summer 2024.