Rector Search Information
Peruse this 21-page summary of our parish story and watch the included videos of Mayor AC Wharton, Rabbi Micah Greenstein, Author Phyllis Tickle, and some of you, as we all share the story of this great place.
Search Process Outlined
by Kimberly Appling, Rector Search Co-Chair
As Calvary continues the search for a rector, the following outlines some of the procedures and policies of the diocese as well as guidelines for the Search Committee.
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Post the Parish Profile: Completed December 2011.
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Candidates who wish to apply, may provide a cover letter, resume and Office of Transition Ministry Portfolio to The Rev. Canon Chip Davis, Canon to the Ordinary and Transitions Officer for the Diocese of West Tennessee. The cut-off date for receiving applications will be established within the next few months based on the both the quality and quantity of applications the Search Committee receives during the process. Anyone who would like to nominate a candidate may do so by e-mailing Hilary Chipley or contacting any member of the Search Committee. Nominees names are then sent to Canon Davis for canonical review. Once a name is submitted by an individual, the Search Committee will only confirm the name has been submitted. The reason for this response is to insure confidentiality regarding the identity of candidates is maintained throughout the search. Written applications from candidates and nominees names are sent first to the Diocese of West Tennessee for an initial canonical check. This review, performed by Canon Davis, simply insures that the candidate is in good canonical standing: Began January 2012
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Candidates names and information are then sent back to the Search Committee for review. Candidates will be categorized by qualifications obtained through the cover letter, resume, and OTM Profile. The search criteria that will be used were established from the parish profile. The first step for the Search Committee will be to identify the top twenty candidates. During this process no names will be discussed outside of the Search Committee to support the confidentiality regarding the identity of candidates.
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Once the top candidates have been identified, a telephone interview and/or Skype video conference will be scheduled. Based on the volume of applicants, the Search Committee members may be broken into teams to conduct initial interviews in an effort to expedite the process. Once this phase of the search is complete, the committee will prayerfully reduce the applicant list to approximately five.
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Once the list has been reduced to approximately five, the Search Committee teams will travel to individual candidate's parishes to observe on-site and confirm that his/her gifts match our needs. Once the site visits are complete, the search committee will extend invitations for the final one or two candidates to visit Memphis. The Diocese will complete a background check on final candidates.
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The search committee will evaluate the finalists and receive feedback concerning the candidates' visit to Memphis. The Search Committee will recommend one candidate to the vestry.
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After a period of discernment, the vestry will vote to call the new rector.
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The vestry presents its final selection to the bishop for approval.
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The vestry calls a new rector.
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When the candidate accepts our call, the new rector is announced to the parish. Alleluia!
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Calvary prepares for the rector's arrival: The vestry prepares a transition plan from Interim to new rector.
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The Transition Committee and congregation prepare to welcome the new rector.
Rector Search Process Gets Underway
by Mike Nelson, Rector Search Co-Chair
Good news: the position of rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, Memphis, will be posted by The Episcopal Church in early January and the search committee will immediately begin receiving applications. From that point on, meeting frequently and seeking guidancefrom the Holy Spirit, we will activate the multistage search process.
The process will include reviewing applications, submitting written questions to potential candidates, interviewing a smaller number via Skype, visiting some of these in their home parishes, bringing an even smaller number to Calvary, and then recommending somewhere between one and three candidates to the vestry. We intend for the process to result in a mid-year announcement of our new rector.
As your search committee readies itself to begin this process, we are gratefully aware that we build on the strong foundation laid by others: the vestry, the strategic planning team, the parish profile team, the interim rector, the bishop and canon to the ordinary, and above all the people of Calvary. We ask for your prayers and patience during the coming months as we carry out the work we have been given to do.
Confidentiality about candidates is essential, but we will do our best—both in the Chronicle and during Sunday morning announcements—to keep you as fully informed as possible about where we are in the process. We encourage you to pass along any suggestions you may have to members of the search committee. If you know of people you think would be good candidates, please send their names to a member of the search committee.
Kim Appling, co-chair
Hilary Chipley
Meg Crosby
James Dowd
Bill Haltom
David Leigh
David Lusk
Harriet McFadden
Mike Nelson, co-chair
Tommy Parker
Les Smith
Terre Sullivant
Carter Webster