Calling the Next Rector:

The Transition Process at St. Albans

Phase 1

Guided by the Transition Team (Greg Cuprak, chair, Steven Davis,
Judy Gwaltney, Jerry Harrell, and Ruth Norman), the congregation will identify its mission and vision for the future.

This process began with a congregational gathering after worship on Sunday, April 6, 2008, to explore the history of St. Albans and what that can tell us about our identity as a congregation.

Above: Rae Booth, Transition Team Consultant, led the parish-wide discussion on April 6, 2008.

Phase 2

Guided by the Search Committee (to be appointed as Phase 1 nears its
end), a parish profile will be developed. In addition to the materials developed in Phase 1, this will include the congregation’s expectations of the new rector and a description of the parish.

Phase 3: Interviewing Candidates

The Bishop’s office will develop a list of potential candidates.
Two members of the Search Committee will meet with the Bishop, the deployment officer, and a member of the Diocesan Standing Committee to review the list and choose persons to be further considered.
The Bishop and the deployment officer will further explore those potential candidates with the goal being to reduce the list to 3 or 4 candidates to be approved by the Bishop and the Standing Committee.
The names of those approved candidates will be forwarded to the Search Committee. They will interview each candidate, visit each parish where a candidate serves and attend Sunday worship, check references, and, finally, select a candidate to recommend to the Vestry. If a candidate is not selected, the Bishop is contacted with a request for additional names of candidates to be interviewed.

Phase 4: Vestry Approval

The candidate recommended by the Search Committee meets with the Vestry.
If both Vestry and candidate agree, a Letter of Agreement is signed.
This letter is forwarded to the Bishop for his approval after all background checks are done.
Information about the new rector is shared with the congregation, including a starting date.