Holy One, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a rector for this parish, that we may receive a faithful pastor who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries.

Our Search Process Steps

Steps described in brown are complete.
Steps described in blue are in process.
Notes in green are current status reports as of June 25, 2008.
Steps in black are yet to be done.

1. Co-chairs of Search Committee appointed by Senior Warden

2. Members for Search Committee identified by Chairs, approved by Vestry and commissioned by Bishop McArthur

3. Parish Survey conducted and results compiled, initiated by Strategic Planning Commission

4. Search Committee meets with Archdeacon Milton Black to review the process and rules of operation

5. Search Committee meets with the intention of forming community so that they can operate as one voice (consensus)

• All meetings start with ten minutes of Centering Prayer led by the Chaplain
• Members share their spiritual journey with the group
• Group study of the book “Listening Hearts; Discerning Call in Community”
• Committee business conducted

6. Parishioners and friends of All Saints' are invited to submit names for consideration; these names may be given to any member of the Search Committee.  All names submitted for consideration shall be given to the Bishop for review.  The Bishop must approve all candidates to be considered.

• Parish nominations were closed on May 31, 2008.

7. Parish Profile Workshop is conducted on Saturday, January 19 with 106 parish members participating

8. A Parish Profile is written as a joint effort by diocesan staff, search committee and vestry. Search committee will design and produce in printed and electronic formats which will be disseminated to parish members and all potential candidates. 

• The Parish Profile is a brochure that provides potential candidates with important information about All Saints’: who we are as a community in demographic terms as well as our vision, values and culture. It is also an invitation to which interested candidates respond and enter into dialogue with the Search Committee.
• The Parish Profile brochure is in its very final stage of print production - it has been approved by the Vestry
• The production on a companion video is also in final post-production and has been approved by the Vestry.
• Distribution to parish members will be July 13 and will be ready for our potential candidates at the same time.

9. The Bishop will provide a listing of potential candidates for consideration. The names may have been submitted by All Saints parishioners, friends and clergy, or will be put forth by the Bishop and Archdeacon based on matches to our parish profile. 

• All Candidates on the list will have been researched by the Archdeacon to assure their viability and suitability as a candidate.
• Our search will not be limited to the Diocese of West Texas, but will be nationwide
• The Search Committee has submitted names from the parish and friends of All Saints' to the bishop's office. A national posting through Archdeacon Milton Black is still open.

10. The Search Committee will initiate the process of interviewing candidates.

• Letters of invitation and our Parish Profile are mailed to potential candidates. Clergy responding back to the Search Committee indicating their interest to enter the search process.
• Reviewing of resumes and other information on the candidate
• Site visits to see the candidate in their current parish
  • Teams of three search committee members will travel to conduct the interviews.
  • There will be a well-developed set of questions to insure consistency of the interview process
  • The cost of travel is covered by the parish out of a special fund approved by the Vestry
• Face-to-face interviews with the candidates, their spouses and others who can speak from experience about the candidate.

11. The Search Committee will determine finalist candidates they would like to invite for a site visit at All Saints’ and issue the invitation.

• The interview continues in greater depth
• This is our opportunity to show not only All Saints as a wonderful opportunity but to introduce the candidates to our city as well.
• Travel costs for candidates are also covered by the parish from the search fund

12. The Search Committee will discern the final candidate to be presented to the Vestry for approval.

• If for some reason the Search Committee is unable to discern a candidate to call from the original list, the Bishop will be notified and another list of candidates will be offered for consideration by the Bishop and the process continues.
• The Vestry must approve the candidate.
• If the candidate is not approved, the steering committee may be ready to offer another strong candidate from their first round of interviews. If not, the process begins again (at Steps 6 and 9)

13. The Vestry issues the call to the candidate and negotiates the employment package.

14. Celebration by the parish as we open our hearts to receive our new Rector.

With the departure of the Rev. David E. Stringer as our Rector last October, All Saints' is now in the process of discerning who should be our next Rector. This is a complex process that requires time to complete. We are working closely with our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge, and archdeacon, the Ven. Milton Black of the Diocese of West Texas during this time. We are also most grateful for the guidance and pastoring of our interim Rector, the Rev. Sherridan Harrison. We ask for your prayers as we faithfully conduct this search opening our hearts and minds to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Search Committee

Pictured Left - Front L to R: Rod Clark, Lisa Wright, Phyllis Finley, John Otto (Co-chair), Louise Pettigrove (Chaplain), Ken Rice.

Back L to R: Pam McDowell, Jim Tyree, Kevin Hanna, Gayle Gottlich, Debbie Wingfield (Co-chair), Michael Rains

Results of our Parish Survey

Questions about the search?