by Cindy

On February 2nd the Search Committee and Vestry met with Bishop Mary. Her insights, observations, stories, intellect, spirituality, and counsel were very helpful to us as we continue to weave your stories of past experiences and future hopes into our parish profile and transitional ministry profile. We are very grateful for the support of our Bishop, the Rev. Canon Brian Nordwick, and our Search Consultant Matt Cameron and for their information, and wisdom about the search process.

Often at this stage in the search process the question comes up: why can’t we just hire our interim rector? The process itself feels long and unclear and the temptation is to stay with the priest we know. However, interim rectors are never considered for the permanent position. In his guide Search, the Rev. Charles Wilson writes:

If an interim is called, make sure the contract clearly states that the interim is not, under any circumstances, a candidate for the rector’s position…after all, the interim is a known quality; why gamble with completing the search? The temptation can be considerable. This does not imply a negative evaluation of the interim by any means. What we are about is removing obstacles to the congregation’s freedom to pursue its search.

The interim process is an opportunity to open ourselves to all that God has in store for us, which is more than we can imagine on our own. The final section of the profile describes what we most desire in the rector who is called to work with us:

When you imagine St. Timothy’s five years from now, what do you hope to see, experience, and feel? Our stories reflected a longing for a rector whose Teaching and Preaching flows from a deep love of scripture and an ability to make it relevant to our lives in Silicon Valley. As we care for each other and for our community, we seek a rector who can lead us in Reaching Out to the larger community and inviting others to walk with us. Our rector will also be comfortable with the entrepreneurial spirit and energy that fills Silicon Valley, Encouraging us to channel that creativity in the service of God’s people. And we seek a rector who is happy Playing with us, reminding both young and old that God can be found in the fun places as well as the serious places and that play is the substance of community.

Look for our search website and complete parish profile soon. In the meantime please continue to support the search process at St. Timothy’s:

• Continue to serve St. Timothy’s out of your giftedness.
• As you learn of Rectors you enjoy, talk to them about St. Timothy’s and encourage them to visit our search website.
• Please let members of the Rector Search Committee know of people you believe would be an outstanding Rector at St. Timothy’s.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the Search Committee and the search process.

We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation, in the calling of Israel to be your people, in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. In him you have delivered us from evil and made us worthy to stand before you. In him you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life. (BCP, p. 368)