Searching for a New Rector
February 2020 Update on the Progress of the Rector Search Committee
The 11 members of the Search committee are pleased to say that we are moving into the final phase of interviews and hope that the announcement of our new Rector may be possible by Easter.
It has been a long, thorough, prayer filled process. We are very grateful for the support of the St. James Community through intercessions and good wishes. Please continue to pray at this vital time of decision.
In Christ's Service,
The Rector Search Committee
Gary Taylor, Sara Leggett, Naomi Cowling, Jennifer Diakiw, Andrea Franklin, Byni Hollis, Don Matthews, Simon Stone, Jane Turvey, Sheila Vanderputten, Tony Ware
An Update from the Rector Selection Committee - Sunday, November 24, 2019
The eleven members of your Committee have been progressing well as we approach first telephone interviews with several candidates next week. We hope to hold face to face discussions early in the New Year.
It may seem like a long process, but we have been well advised by Archdeacon Pilar Gateman. Her wise counsel has been to not rush the process. The Diocese has sadly learned that a quick turn around after a parish has had a long incumbency has, in every case, resulted in a very short tenure for the priest who follows. We desire to proceed in a manner that will result in a Pastor who will remain with us as long as the Lord desires.
Some of us may not be familiar with “The Anglican Way” of selecting a new rector. St. James is not a independent body. We belong to the Worldwide Anglican Communion, which in turn is head of the Anglican Church of Canada, which then has influence on Dioceses. Although each Diocese is autonomous we are both accountable to and lovingly guided by our Archbishop Greg. He does not dictate to us but all formal approval of our choice must be affirmed by him. Our Committee was appointed by the Church Corporation.
We are excited by the resumes of those who have asked to be considered for the position.The job posting was circulated for two months throughout the Anglican Communion, so our net was cast wide indeed.
Your Committee is grateful for our congregation’s intercessions for the candidates and ourselves as we move into this critical phase of discernment of the Lord’s choice of our new Rector. May all that we do and all that we are bring glory to Christ.
Update 4 - Sept 1, 2019
Welcome Tony!
We are pleased to welcome Tony Grainger to St. James as our interim priest-in-charge. His time with us commences on September 1, until the end of the year and possibly until Easter, if required. He will be in the office four days a week, and will preside and preach at both services most Sundays during his tenure. The role of an interim priest-in-charge is to take the reins of the day-to-day operations of the church, while honouring St. James’ existing practices and traditions. In other words, he takes on the role of the incumbent, until the new incumbent is in place.
As we bid Arthur farewell, now he is fully retired, we pray God will continue to guide us during this period of transition. Tony, your Wardens, Parish Council and Ministry Leaders will be working together to be good stewards and shepherds of the people of St. James.
Search Committee Update
The job description for the position of the new rector, developed by the Search Committee, has been sent to Archbishop Greg and will be published across Canada the first week in September. The description was based on the parish profile, which has also been provided to the Archbishop. You can view the job description on the Diocesan website and we will soon have the Parish Profile posted on the St. James’ website.
As a reminder, the Diocesan Office will receive the applications, and pass on names of qualified candidates to the Search Committee. Archbishop Greg and the Diocesan Executive Officer (Pilar Gateman) will develop a shortlist of candidates, who have provided their resumes and responses to the profile. The Search Committee then views the shortlisted candidates’ resumes and develops its own shortlist of candidates who will be invited to a preliminary interview (often by telephone or Skype) with the Committee. After those preliminary interviews, second interviews (usually face to face) with the final short-listed candidates are scheduled with the Committee and separately with the Archbishop. The Search Committee makes its recommendation to the Archbishop, who will make the appointment.
The closing date for applications is November 1. We currently plan to hold second interviews early in 2020 with a new rector expected to be in the parish as soon as practicable, but no later than the summer of 2020.
Update 3 - July 7, 2019
Psalm 107:1 (NIV) - "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
The Search Committee has submitted the first draft of the Parish Profile to the Diocesan Office. Pilar Gateman will be meeting with the Committee on July 8 to discuss next steps, which will be reported to you over the summer.
We are grateful to our Regional Dean, Rev Kyle Norman who has arranged the following Sunday worship coverage for St. James over the summer.
7 July, Preacher & Celebrant: Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson
14 July, Preacher & Celebrant: Rev Matthew Perreault
21 July, Preacher & Celebrant: Rev Sam Aylesworth
28 July, Preacher: Sara Leggett, Celebrant: Rev Sam Aylesworth
04 August, Preacher & Celebrant: Rev David Turvey
11 August, Preacher & Celebrant: Rev Sam Aylesworth
18 August, Preacher & Celebrant: Ven Pilar Gateman
25 August, Preacher & Celebrant: Rev Dr Carmen Maier
Update 2 - May 14, 2019
Parish Council has completed their discerning process in the naming of the Rector’s Selection Committee members. Please include them in your prayers. They are:
Þ Gary Taylor (Corporation)
Þ Sara Leggett (Parish Council)
Þ Naomi Cowling
Þ Jennifer Diakiw
Þ Andrea Franklin
Þ Byni Hollis
Þ Don Mathews
Þ Simon Stone
Þ Jane Turvey
Þ Sheila Vanderputten
Þ Tony Ware
They will soon meet with the Diocesan Executive Officer.
Please note:
The new process requires all candidates apply directly through the Diocesan website once the position is posted. The Archbishop will then pass approved candidate’s names to the selection committee. So, if you know of a potential candidate, please do not provide her or his name to any of these members. Instead encourage them to apply through the Diocese.
Your Wardens
Les Day
Gary Taylor
Allen Vanderputten
Update I - May 8, 2019
Your Wardens are committed to providing you with regular updates about the search for a new rector in the coming months. Once Arthur announced his intention to retire, the search process commenced, and now Easter has passed, we are pleased to provide you with this first report.
We are thankful for the many years Arthur Sheffield has been our rector, and it was a bittersweet day, when he announced his intention to retire. We will be sad to see him leave this parish he has led for the past 27 years, but praise God for his devoted ministry to St. James. Arthur announced he will retire effective August 31, 2019, but his last Sunday of service will be June 23, 2019.
The first step was a meeting of the Wardens with Pilar Gateman, Executive Officer of the Diocese, as the search process is the shared responsibility of the Parish and Archbishop. Pilar also met with Parish Council, which is charged with electing members of the search committee. She shared the guidelines for hiring a rector, which are attached to the April 11th Parish Council’s minutes in the library.
The Wardens asked Archbishop Greg, through Pilar, to appoint an interim priest to start as soon as possible. It is anticipated the interim will be in place until the 2020 AMP. Parish Council has begun their work in electing the selection committee, which will report directly to the Archbishop and his office. The selection committee’s first task will be to develop the Parish Profile, which will be included in the recruitment notice, which the Archbishop will distribute across Canada.
We are blessed to have the support of Archbishop Greg and his Executive Officer, Pilar Gateman, guiding us through this process. We are also exceedingly grateful for David Turvey and Sam Aylesworth, who will continue to support the Parish during this transition.
As we prepare for our 50th Anniversary celebration, and Arthur’s farewell Sunday, the Selection Committee will be hard at work. We anticipate our next update will be to announce the Interim Priest. But in the meantime, we invite your questions, and will do our best to answer them in a timely manner.
Your Wardens
Les Day
Gary Taylor
Allen Vanderputten
Parish Profile
As you read through our 2019 Parish Profile we pray that you will be blessed. Please contact the church office at office@stjamescalgary.com or 403-239-0104 for a printed copy.