We are all thinking ahead to July 27th, not because that it is my birthday, which it is, but because this is the weekend that the ministerial candidate will be in town. There is a growing spirit of anticipation in the air. Naturally we are all curious and want to know about the candidate. I thought it might be helpful if I could share with you ways to prepare to welcome the candidate—my short list of do’s and don’ts.
It will be helpful to be able to talk about the things that you really like about Pine Valley and what makes this church special to you. If you are not able to be here the weekend the candidate is here make a few brief notes for the Ministerial Search Committee that they could share on your behalf. In addition to thinking about what makes PVCC special, think about what role PVCC plays in the life of the community. And, think about some questions you might like to ask the candidate. Open ended questions are best. So, for example, instead of asking “What theologians do you like to read?” you might ask, “What theologians have had the greatest impact on your ministry, and how would you describe it?” Asking good questions is an art. Think about your reason for asking the question. What do you want to know? Are you looking for suggestions about books to read, or do you want to know something else? The goal is to get to know the candidate and to help the candidate get to know you and PVCC.
There are also some things that we may want to do that I think are understandable but not constructive in the long run. We want as much information about the candidate as possible, and we would like it as soon as possible. But the Search Committee has to weigh this understandable desire on the part of the congregation with the candidate’s need for confidentiality. As someone who has moved many times I know that accepting a call to a new church impacts your relationship with others in your present position and the employment of other members of your family and the welfare of your children. I do not know anything about this particular candidate, but I do know that the candidate is the person who must be the one who decides what information is most appropriate to share and when it is appropriate to share it. For now our work as members of PVCC is to be in a spirit of prayer for the church, the Search Committee, and the candidate and to do what we can to prepare ourselves for the weekend of July 27th.
Peace,
David