Category: Rector Search

We are inviting you to complete the Church Assessment Tool (CAT), an online survey that will help us gauge the strength, vitality, and trends in our church. The information gained from this assessment will be valuable in helping us to write a more complete Parish Profile, and will be useful information for the Search Committee to have in hand as they interview candidates.

Details
Below you will find the link to the survey. We ask that you complete it as soon as possible, but before Sunday, March 22nd.

All answers are strictly anonymous.  We have no way of matching any assessment to a particular person, so please feel free to candidly share your perceptions, opinions and experiences.  The assessment will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. 

Please feel free to share this link with other members of your household. We welcome anyone to participate in the survey who has been active in the church through some combination of worship attendance, participation/leadership in ministry/education, and/or financial support within the last 12 months. Youth are welcome to participate provided they meet that criteria and are at least of high-school age.

Ready?
When you are ready, please visit this link: http://bit.ly/smec-survey

Please note the survey must be completed in one session.

Assistance?
If you do not have access to a computer, please contact the Parish Office and we will provide you with a printed copy of the survey. If you have any other questions, please contact Joe Buesgen at buesgen@gmail.com.

Thank You!
We appreciate the time you are taking to thoughtfully complete this survey. Your responses will help us take the next step in our journey.

Yours in Christ,

THE PARISH PROFILE COMMITTEE

Joe Buesgen
Pam Dunlap
Jane Baker
Sheryl Barbin
Katie Brown
Marie Clark
Jeanne Garrison
Jim Garrison
John McLaughlin
Kevin Randall

The Search Committee has now been finalized. The members are as follows: Tim Walsh (co-chair), Karen Sawyer (co-chair), Manny Sevilla, Antonia Greene-Edwards, Connie Dee, Roger Sumner, Gabrielle Pascuzzi, Jon Clark, Trent Coombs, Nancy Williams. Thank you, committee members, for committing to this critical part of the Transition Ministry. Please keep this team in your thoughts and prayers.

The Search Committee’s responsibility begins when the Parish Profile is complete and published. The search committee will analyze applications, then schedule interviews, background checks, and on-site visits to find the candidate that will best help Saint Matthew’s meet the vision captured in the Parish Profile. At the end of the search process, a candidate will be recommended to Vestry for a final decision.

THANK YOU to all who have participated in the Parish Profile Committee’s focus group sessions over the past weeks. These group meetings are intentionally designed to engage our church’s membership in answering critical questions surrounding the assembly of the parish profile, and the qualities of our next Rector. If you have not yet had a chance to participate, we urge you to consider signing-up for one of the remaining sessions.

These questions will be discussed:
• What keeps you coming back to Saint Matthew’s?
• What are the gifts or strengths of Saint Matthew’s? What stands out to you? What are our challenges as a church?
• What qualities should we look for in a new Rector for Saint Matthew’s?
• What types of ministries and activities would you like to see at Saint Matthew’s?
• What are your desires and dreams for Saint Matthew’s?

If you feel called to attend and to participate in this most exciting opportunity, please sign up at the red bulletin board near the parish kitchen or by calling the parish office at 215-646-4092.

REMAINING FOCUS GROUP OPPORTUNITIES
• Sunday, February 2nd, 3:30-5:30PM: Pre-Super Bowl Talk and Chat @ Saint Matthew’s with Youth [Youth Only]
• Monday, February 3rd, 7-9PM @ Bill & Dorothea Graham’s home
• Wednesday, February 5th, 7-9PM @ Matt & Nancy Piotrowski’s home
• Thursday, February 6th, 7-9PM @ Sheryl Barbin’s home
• Monday, February 10th, 7-9PM @ Kevin & Karen Randall’s home

Please consult the parish directory or call the parish office at 215-646-4092 to locate home addresses for our members.

Yours in Christ,
THE PARISH PROFILE COMMITTEE

Joe Buesgen
Pam Dunlap
Jane Baker
Sheryl Barbin
Katie Brown
Marie Clark
Jeanne Garrison
Jim Garrison
John McLaughlin
Kevin Randall

All members of Saint Matthew’s are invited to join its Parish Profile Committee at several upcoming focus sessions. These group meetings are intentionally designed to engage our church’s membership in answering critical questions surrounding the assembly of the parish profile, and the qualities of our next Rector.  Several of these sessions will be held at Saint Matthew’s, while others will be held at individual member’s homes. Please consult the parish directory or call the parish office at 215-646-4092 to locate home addresses for our members.

These questions will be discussed:

• What keeps you coming back to Saint Matthew’s?
• What are the gifts or strengths of Saint Matthew’s?  What stands out to you? What are our challenges as a church?
• What qualities should we look for in a new Rector for Saint Matthew’s?
• What types of ministries and activities would you like to see at Saint Matthew’s?
• What are your desires and dreams for Saint Matthew’s?

If you feel called to attend and to participate in this most exciting opportunity, please sign up at the red bulletin board near the parish kitchen or by calling the parish office at 215-646-4092.

• Friday, January 17th, 7-9PM @ Jane Baker’s home
• Sunday, January 19th, 3-5PM @ John & Treva McLaughlin’s home
• Tuesday, January 21st, 10 AM-Noon @ Bob & Connie Dee’s home
• Wednesday, January 22nd, 7-9PM @ Parish Hall with Mike and Sue Aquaviva
• Thursday, January 23rd, 10 AM-Noon @ Lois Collice’s home
• Saturday, January 25th, 6-8PM @ Jim & Jeanne Garrison’s home
• Sunday, January 26th, 3-5PM @ Parish Hall with Melissa Brown
• Monday, January 27th, 7-9PM @ Bill & Martha Reynolds’s home
• Tuesday, January 28th, 7-9PM @ Nancy William’s home
• Wednesday, January 29th, 7-9PM @ Bill & Karen Becker’s home
• Sunday, February 2nd, 3:30-5:30PM
  Pre-Super Bowl Talk and Chat @ Saint Matthew’s with Youth [Youth Only]
• Monday, February 3rd, 7-9PM @ Bill & Dorothea Graham’s home
• Wednesday, February 5th, 7-9PM @ Matt & Nancy Piotrowski’s home
• Thursday, February 6th, 7-9PM @ Sheryl Barbin’s home
• Monday, February 10th, 7-9PM @ Kevin & Karen Randall’s home

Yours in Christ,

THE PARISH PROFILE COMMITTEE

Joe Buesgen
Pam Dunlap
Jane Baker
Sheryl Barbin
Katie Brown
Marie Clark
Jeanne Garrison
Jim Garrison
John McLaughlin
Kevin Randall

Your opinion matters! In January and February the Parish Profile Committee is conducting focus group sessions to identify the qualities we are looking for in a new Rector for Saint Matthew’s church. During the focus group session, you will answer five questions about the life and ministry of Saint Matthew’s. Please sign up to attend one focus group session. Sign-up sheets can be found on the red bulletin board outside the kitchen.

The Parish Profile Committee is looking for parishioners to host one Focus Group Session in their home in January or early February. This would involve hosting 10-12 people during the day or evening and providing a light refreshment. If you would like to host, please contact Pam Dunlap at 215-350-3985 or pamela.dunlap@verizon.net with your preferred date and time. These sessions will be led by a facilitator from the Parish Profile Committee.

The Vestry has executed a letter of agreement retaining the services of The Rev. Melford “Bud” Holland. He will be working with the Vestry and both our Profile and Search Committees during the transition period. Bud is a very respected transition consultant in the diocese and comes highly recommended. He was recently the transition consultant for All Saints’ Torresdale and guided the process that led to that church calling Jay Walton. Bud is also currently working with St. Thomas Whitemarsh and has recently worked with Trinity Ambler and St. Mary’s Ardmore. We are excited to have Bud joining us on this exciting journey and ask that you keep him in your
prayers.

Bud has offered the following to introduce himself:

“I enjoy working collaboratively with others in discovering new creative ground for conversation and work, engaging in strategic planning, and utilizing resources to maximize the possibilities of mission and ministry. I believe that we all have gifts and wisdom to bring to the table. Valuing the ministries of others I seek to affirm and deepen the capacity of the church to articulate a vision of reconciliation and respond to that vision with creativity, energy, and commitment. Knowing the importance of leadership I have been involved in many leadership development initiatives as well as discovering ways to keep my own leadership skills fresh and current.

I am married to Annie, and we have three children and six grandchildren. I enjoy photography, storytelling, sports, walking, music and dancing, gatherings with family and friends, seeking to discern what seems to be undiscernible, writing, and working with others on creative projects. I see life as glass half-full.”

Bud met with the Vestry on December 10th and discussed the profile and search process with them in detail. He also met with Joe Buesgen and Pam Dunlap of the Profile Committee, and Chris Suhy, and began planning for the focus/small group meetings that will be conducted in January and February.

The Church Profile Committee is tasked with defining who the church is, and gleaning a collective vision of who we want to become. They will do this by conducting surveys, having small group discussions and in other ways not yet defined. Efforts will be made to hear from our entire congregation to build this vision. The parish profile will be published to clergy who may be interested in our calling.

Joe Buesgen is chairing the Profile Committee. We are pleased to announce that the Profile Committee will also include Jane Baker, Sheryl Barbin, Katie Brown, Marie Clark, Pam Dunlap, Jeanne Garrison, Jim Garrison, John McLaughlin and Kevin Randall.

Arlette Joseph, the Canon for Transition suggested we use the services of an outside consultant to assist us in the process. Most churches in transition do. The consultant’s experience with church transitions will facilitate a more thorough and proficient process. We interviewed one consultant in November, and anticipate interviewing at least one or two more individuals before we make our decision in December.

Early in 2020, the Profile Committee will proceed with organizing several listening sessions/focus groups and creating an online survey. Feedback will be incorporated into our profile, and will help frame our profile and search priorities.

Questions that we will come together and discuss include –

• What are the best things about St. Matthew’s?
• What challenges does St. Matthew’s have?
• What do we envision for the future of St. Matthew’s?
• What qualities are we looking for in our next Rector?

We ask that you support the Profile Committee and their work by keeping them in your daily prayers.

The Vestry is creating two committees, the Church Profile Committee, and the Search Committee to lead us through the transition process. The Church Profile Committee is being led by Joe Buesgen, and the Search Committee by Tim Walsh. Both are finalizing the group of members to assist with the committees, taking careful consideration to include as diverse a cross-section of our parish members as possible. Joe and Tim will be reaching out to those church members in the next few weeks to ask for their help and commitment to work on these committees.

The Church Profile Committee is tasked with defining who the church is and gleaning a collective vision of who we want to become. They will do this by conducting surveys, having small group discussions and in other ways not yet defined. Efforts will be made to hear from our entire congregation to build this vision. The parish profile will be published to clergy who may be interested in our calling.

The Search Committee will then screen and interview clergy candidates that best enable St. Matthew’s to grow towards this vision. At the end of the process, the Search Committee will present a candidate(s) to Vestry for a vote on the new rector.

Arlette Joseph, the Canon for Transition suggested we use the services of an outside consultant to assist us in the process. Most churches in transition do. The consultant’s experience with church transitions will facilitate a more thorough and proficient process. Joe has already reached out to 5 prospective consultants, and is arranging interviews with the 3 that expressed interest and availability. All three of these consultants have very impressive resumes, some of which have already assisted local churches in our area.

There is much work to be done. We are faithful and excited as we move forward the vision for St. Matthew’s will become clear. As we move forward with this process we will communicate and update the congregation with regular updates. Please feel free to talk to myself, Tim or Joe should you have any questions.

~ Chris Suhy, Rector’s Warden

What?
We are gathering your St. Matthew’s stories!

Telling Your Story… is an opportunity to reflect on the people and events that have helped you build a deeper, more personal relationship with God.

Specifically, we are asking you to tell us:

• What experiences and events stood out for you?
• What touched your heart, mind, and soul?
• Who are your role models and what did you learn?
• Who formed and shaped your spiritual life?
• How has this experience drawn you closer to God?

Why?
Knowing and celebrating our past will help us to plan for our future. Telling Your Story… is an important first step in the process that will ultimately lead to calling a new priest.

How?
There will be large posters hung throughout the Parish Hall, with separate posters for each of our five decades as a parish.

• Think of your stories (you may have one to share or 10 to share – each one is important!)
• Write them on the poster for the decade when the story happened
• Tell us the who, what and when AND, tell us how or why it affected your relationship with God
• Got a picture? Add it! (we will make sure that you get it back)

The Parish Hall will be transformed into a timeline of stories and pictures!

Who?
Everyone in the congregation is invited to contribute to Saint Matthew’s timeline. Whether you are young or old, a new or a founding member, your story is important. Our goal is for everyone to share their top experiences/events.

When?
From late August through Saint Matthew’s Day on September 22nd.

The posters will remain in the Parish Hall through late October.