Pastor Search Information
Information can be found here about the progress of finding a new senior pastor for SPC. You can also use the form below to contact the search committee with questions and comments.
If you would like to submit your information as a potential candidate for this position, please visit our employment page for more information.
The Pastor Search Team has been entrusted to act on the congregation’s behalf to search for and nominate a senior pastor for Southport Presbyterian Church. We are humbled and excited that God is allowing us to be a part of this important project. It is our desire as your Search Team to keep you informed of our progress and to solicit
your prayer support as we move through this process.
8/28/2011 - Pastor Search Committee Update
The committee has read many personal information forms. We have listened to many, many sermons. We have made spreadsheets, charts and diagrams to analyze data. There has been consultation and solicitation of opinions and advice from many sources including you, the congregation, the directors and staff, and many other sources with experience.
Here is the most important thing we (both you and I) have been doing… inquiring of the Lord. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives several definitions for the word “inquire.”
- To ask about
- To search into
- To seek information by questioning
Many times we see this pattern of “inquiry” in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament. The word “inquire” appears more than 71 times in the Old Testament (ESV).
1 Samuel 30:8 - And David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?" He answered him, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue."
2 Samuel 5:23 - And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, "You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees.
Jeremiah 10:21 - For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.
Other times the Bible tells of people inquiring of idols or mediums with tragic results.
Scripture cries out to us that all of our work is futile unless we have sought the Lord in each matter along the way. Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that appears to be right but in the end it leads to death.” While the Pastor Search Committee seeks to remain diligent in our reading, sermon evaluation, researching and discussion, it is when we seek His face and bow ourselves to his superior Wisdom that He will illuminate our path.
One way we are inquiring of the Lord is to pray before we evaluate each candidate. We ask God to give us His eyes as we evaluate each person, not with human reason or emotional response, but with wisdom that only comes from God. James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Sometimes during our meetings, we will come to a point where it is time to make a decision about something, or perhaps the committee is unsure of the next step. It is a grace to know that we are not left to our own devices. We have made it a norm that at any time, someone can say, “Can we stop and pray?” How good and reassuring to know that the sweet Holy Spirit is right there among us, leading us and guiding us as we turn to Him over and over again.
We know many of you are keeping us in your prayers and “inquiring of the Lord” and we wish to thank you and encourage you that prayers are being answered. We also ask that you persevere in prayer as we proceed through the process of narrowing candidates from a “suitable” to a shorter list of “highly suitable” candidates. Soon we will be making calls to telephone references of those “highly suitable” candidates. God indeed has great plans for SPC, and we only need to persevere in seeking Him, inquiring, as the true head of the church, and to trust Him to provide the Head Pastor to lead us to becoming the Glory-driven, God-honoring Church He has called us to be.
Jeremiah 29:13 -You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
6/20/2011 - Pastor Search Committee – A Construction “Cone Zone”
The Pastor Search Committee is continuing to receive Personal Information Forms (PIF) / applications for our Senior Pastor position. The Committee is in the midst of reviewing PIF’s to determine those that appear best suited for the position. Shortly, the Committee will begin making contact with references for those determined to be top candidates for telephone interviews for further in-depth assessments. We do this in God’s time for that one already called by Him to be our pastor.
In trying to answer the continuing question as to why does it take so long to find a pastor, an illustration came to mind for your application.
In Indiana, it seems that rather than having summer, we have what is called the “Cone Zone Season”. This is the time when we all experience road construction / road repairs with those “orange cones” and traffic lane lines directing us from one lane to another. Of course, this is done to permit traffic to continue while road construction is being done. Most will recall road construction projects at Southport and Emerson, widening of Interstate 465 around the city, widening of U.S. 31 South, and now South 135 for those of us living in the Greenwood area.
Think with me a second. Have you not said to yourself “Why does it take so long to do this road construction when you are navigating around those “orange cones”? Have you said “It seems to me they never do anything”? Sometime you see some heavy equipment moving dirt. Once in a while you see a hole or trench that was dug, then in a few days it is filled back in and another trench appears. Every once in a while you see a new pile of dirt, a pile of gravel and a pile of sand. You see concrete tiles, manhole covers and a drainage culvert lying over on the side. Every once in a while you see people getting out of a pickup truck with drawings in their hands looking around. This goes on for weeks – months, then one day you note some concrete appearing. More time goes by and it dawns on you, there are lane markers and signs appearing. All of a sudden the road opens up and you realize you are driving on a finished road that had been mud and dirt before.
Somewhat like a road construction project, much of the work of your Pastor Search Committee is made up of many related activities going on behind the scene. You do not always see what is going on all the time, but when the job is done you realize how much planning, detail and small related jobs needed to be done to fully complete the project. These activities will in “God’s time”, result in bringing a pastoral nomination to you. As with a road construction project, you will all of a sudden realize the project got finished – thus for the time being, when you think of the pastor search, think of our church as now being in a “cone zone”!
When you think of the Pastor Search Committee or see a “cone zone”, we would ask for your prayer for God’s guidance as we search for our next pastor.
5/20/2011 - With the formal posting and announcement of our Senior Pastor position opening, the Search Committee is receiving Personal Information Forms / letters of application from individuals expressing an interest in being considered for the pastoral role. Keep in mind that our church is now part of a much smaller denomination. We therefore have a small applicant pool from within the denomination. However, in addition to looking for the person who meets the establish criteria for our pastor position, we are also looking at candidates who may not currently be ordained in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), but who are “ordainable” in the EPC.
In addition to self-referrals, the Search Committee continues to contact individuals who are being recommended. Some of those recommended are responding with their Personal Information Form and letter of interest.
Committee member David Lee is planning to represent the Pastor Search Committee for the “Face-to-Face” segment at the June, 2011, Evangelical Presbyterian Church General Assembly in Cordova, TN. “Face-to-Face” is a time made available for churches seeking a pastor to announce such to the Assembly and then be available to meet with individuals / candidates interested in pursuing additional information.
As the Search Committee continues to receive candidate applications, the Committee is reviewing and evaluating candidates to determine those that appear to be a match or those that are not a match for our church. From those determined to be a match, there will be further in-depth reviews to identify those who may be more suited than others for our church. Subsequently, for those felt to be most suited, the Search Committee will then be doing additional evaluations, reference checks and personal interviews. This is all part of the Committee’s efforts to seek and find that one called by God to serve our church.
As indicated in prior congregational updates, the Pastor Search Committee cannot give you dates as to when these steps will be completed. However, please be assured that your Search Committee is continuing to press on.
The Search Committee asks for your prayer support as we go about the search process.
2/28/2011 - The committee members continue to look to God for guidance during our time in prayer and individual quiet time. During one of our recent meetings, Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God” was identified as our theme verse.
The Search Committee is nearing completion of the Church Information Form (CIF). This document will describe our church and community to prospective ministerial candidates. The CIF will help identify the training, experience and abilities a minister should have to serve our congregation. Later this information will be used in evaluations and interviews in matching a candidate with our church.
The CIF document will be used to post the position announcement, both within and external to, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church denomination as we seek candidates for the Senior Pastor position. The announcement of position availability is now expected to be posted in mid-March.
Due to the illness and death of our former Midwest Presbytery Liaison, we now have a new liaison from the Committee on Ministry to our Search Committee. He is Mr. Alton Bennett. Mr. Bennett is well acquainted with SPC. He was of assistance to our church during the transition into the Evangelical Presbyterian Church denomination. We look forward to working with him as the Search Committee goes about its task.
Your Senior Pastor Search Committee welcomes your submission of possible candidate names. The Search Committee also welcomes your insights and suggestions on the type of person you think may be best for SPC.
We are confident God has already chosen the person to lead SPC. Please covenant to pray with us that God will reveal the person He has chosen in His time and for us to be patient and faithful in the process.
1/1/2011 - We are presently working on constructing a Church Information Form (CIF), which is a necessary first step. This form describes the church and community for the prospective minister. It will serve as a tool to determine a match for both the candidate and the church. Our desire is to construct a document that truthfully and accurately describes SPC. This will also provide an opportunity for self-study and evaluation of current ministries and goals. The Evangelical Presbyterian Church is responsible for providing resources and advice to the Search Team, and the format of the CIF.
The Search Team meets on Wednesday evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Members of the team are:
Duane Gaither – Chairman
John Testa – Vice Chairman (Heads sub-committee on CIF)
Erin Booher – Secretary
Linda Epple – Prayer Support Director
David Lee – Hospitality Director/CIF sub-committee member
Susan Stafford – CIF sub-committee member
Dave Mennel – CIF sub-committee member
We are confident God has already chosen the person to lead Southport Presbyterian
Church. Please covenant to pray with us that God will reveal whom He has chosen in His time and for us to be patient and faithful in the process.
Powered by Fast Secure Contact Form