Rector Search

April 25, 2023

The application window is coming to a close at the end of April and our Search Committee will hear from the Diocesan Office about candidates for the Rector position. Depending on the response to our posting, the committee will either begin examining candidate applications or we will repost our search. If you know of someone who may be looking to apply for our position please refer them to our Diocesan office, Canon Licia Affer. (licia@diosef.org). 

March 2, 2023

The Diocesan Office of Transitional Ministry has posted the opening for Rector of Good Shepherd on the Episcopal News Service. The application window will be open through April and then we will either begin interviewing candidates that have gone through a vetting process at the diocesan level, or we will extend the application period. 

JANUARY 5, 2023

Our Parish Profile and other documents have been submitted to the diocese and they are also available on our website. We are proud of this document that describes the life of the parish of Good Shepherd. 

DECEMBER 23, 2022

The search committee continues to be diligent with working on the parish profile with help from the office staff with layout and pictures. As the Christmas season is upon us, we will be taking a break until the New Year when we will be working closely with the diocese to begin the next steps to finding our next rector.

NOVEMBER 16, 2022

Each week the Search Committee has been gathering to work on some important documents necessary for the search. The Parish Profile is an instrument that provides important information concerning our parish, including information about services and programs, budget, parish life and goals, and previous clergy. The work of preparing the parish profile  involves meetings, small group discussions, and questionnaires answered by parishioners (remember the CAT survey?) and the parish leadership. The completed parish profile is made available to clergy who may be interested in a call to a position in the parish. 

We are currently in the final editing stage of our parish profile. Once completed, it will be submitted to the Bishop for review. Depending on revisions and final adjustments, the profile should be ready for the announcement of the open position  by the end of the year or early 2023. 

OCTOBER 14, 2022

The Search Committee met with the Rt. Rev. Peter Eaton, Bishop of the Diocese of Southeast Florida, on October 5th for two hours.  Bishop Eaton gave excellent direction to the committee as we move forward preparing the Parish Profile.  We will meet with the bishop once again just prior to publishing the Profile, which should be around mid-November.  

SEPTEMBER 25, 2022

 The search committee has been diligently working together to update our parish profile for potential candidates. The committee will be meeting with Bishop Eaton in October to update him on ourprogress and for spiritual guidance on the search process.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

Today we held a Sunday Forum in the Parish Hall to present the executive summary of the CAT Survey (Congregational Assessment Tool). Ian Anderson and Heather Graham presented the results and the summary is available here, if you missed it. 

SEPTEMBER 3, 2022

The search committee continues to meet weekly as they consider the Parish Profile and work to prepare the documents necessary to further the process of the Rector Search.  Careful work in this development phase of search materials is essential to a successful outcome. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers as they carry out this important commitment. 

AUGUST 16, 2022

The search committee is meeting regularly and has begun the development of our parish profile.  They will be meeting with Susan Czolgosz of HolyCow! Consulting in the near future for interpretation of the CAT survey that will help shape the document and highlight the strengths and desires of our parish in the search for our next Rector. Throughout this process, we hope you will pray for a successful search. 

Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on the people of Good Shepherd as we search for a new rector. Guide the hearts and minds of our vestry and search committee, fill us with patience and confidence, strengthen us in this time of transition, enliven us to continue your good work, that we may be a beacon of faith, hope, and love in this place. And as we prepare this community for a new pastor, may a new pastor be prepared for this community; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Good Shepherd of your sheep. Amen.

JULY 29, 2022

The Search Committee has started to meet on a regular basis and has had an initial meeting with Canon Jason Roberson from the Bishop's office to outline the process for the search. As a reminder, the nature of a Search Committee is very confidential and we ask you to allow the committee privacy and space to conduct its important work. As general progress information becomes available, we will forward it on to you. 

JULY 12, 2022

On Sunday, our Search Committee was commissioned at the 10AM service. We are thrilled to have such a strong team of committed parishioners to guide us through the process of calling our next rector. The members are: 

• Peggy Greene, Committee Chair
• Mike Grashof, Committee Vice-Chair
• Beth Bohnsack
• Julie Brown
• Marcia Cassidy
• Dimitri Chimerakis
• Sandy English
• Patti Hamilton
• Kevin Johnson
• Meredith Smith
• Janice Thomas
• Bill Unger

On Sunday, July 10,  the Vestry met with Holy Cow! Consulting to review the results of the CAT Parish Survey followed by lengthy discussion. A narrative of the results, with insight from the consultant, will be presented to the Vestry and Search committees in August. An executive summary will be available to the parish after that. 

On Monday, July 18, the Search Committee will have an initial meeting with the Rev. Canon Jason Roberson, Canon Missioner for Congregational Vitality and Transition. The Committee is enthusiastic about commencing the process. Thank you, Lord!

JULY 2, 2022

The CAT survey is closed. We thank everyone who contributed to the effort of gaining insight into who we are and how we want to live into mission and vision.  The Vestry has been busy working on the selection of our Search Committee. The Search Committee will work independently along with our diocese to prepare Good Shepherd for calling our next rector. We expect to present and commission the full Search Committee on Sunday, July 10, at the 10:00 AM service. 

The next step is to receive the interpretation of the parish survey results. The Vestry will meet with Holy Cow! Consulting on Sunday, July 10, after church to review the summary results. From that information, we will create our profile and write the position description. This work will most likely happen for the remainder of the summer. The committee will be meeting with Canon Jason Roberson for continuing diocesan guidance and support throughout the process. If you have any questions about the search for our next rector, please let us know!

JULY 17, 2022 

The Vestry and Wardens are currently considering aspects of the Search Committee selection. Once the candidates are approved, there will be a commissioning of the Search Committee in church. The Finance Committee met today to develop recommendations for the Vestry regarding associated costs of the search process. The CAT (Congregational Assessment Tool) survey launched on Sunday at noon. We are striving for full participation in the survey because it will give us more accurate information from which we will develop a parish profile and craft a description for the Rector position. As of this week 103 people have taken the CAT. Have you?

 MAY 24, 2022

We've received quite a few questions since Fr. Doug's big news. Here are some answers to those most frequently asked.

As you know, our Rector, Fr. Doug Scharf, has been elected to serve as Bishop Coadjutor in the Diocese of Southwest Florida. We are all very proud of Fr. Doug and excited for him and his family as they enter this next phase of their ministry. However, this will also mark the beginning of an important time of transition for Good Shepherd. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will the Bishop appoint an Interim Rector?

Based on the CAT survey results, the bishop and his staff will work with the vestry to determine the most effective and efficient way forward, including whether or not to appoint a formal Interim Rector. 

How long before a new Rector is called?

There are many variables that determine the length of a search process for a new Rector. However, given the overall health and stability of Good Shepherd, it is very possible that this particular search could be completed in 9-12 months. 

What can I do to help during this time of transition? 

The most important thing you can do is to pray for our vestry, staff, and volunteers during this time of change. It is also important that you continue to remain faithful in Sunday worship attendance, ministry participation, and financial support. The ministry of Good Shepherd is strong, and we will continue to live into our mission “to be a beacon of faith, hope, and love” in our community. 

As more information becomes available we will send it out to you and post it on our website. Let's be there for each other, our loving church family, throughout the process.