Transitional Process
Hope Church's Interim Pastor
Thanks be to God, Hope Church has called an interim pastor! The Rev. Wendy Miller Olapade comes to Hope church with a variety of chaplaincy, settled pastoral and interim pastor experience. A full bio is available below.
Transitional Process
Hope Church is ready to thrive during this transitional summer and beyond! Below are a few details and opportunities for service.
We give thanks to Jean and Steve Vandergrift who will lead worship on Sunday, 6/29, and will provide pastoral coverage until our interim pastor arrives. We also give thanks to our talented seminarians and the Rev. Molly Baskette from First Congregational Church in Somerville who will lead worship in the coming weeks. We are also grateful to Jeanne Lucas and Del Case who will lead our musical efforts this summer.
The Leadership Circle is working with our UCC Acting Area Minister, the Rev. Wendy Vander Hart, to consider candidates for the Interim Supply Pastor. We anticipate this person being with us from the end of July through December 2008 or until a permanent pastor is secured.
A Search Committee will be appointed by a Nominating Committee to search for, pray, and call forth our next pastor. The Search Committee will consist of five to seven covenant partners, including one person from the Leadership Circle, and one person from the Pastoral Relations Committee. The link to the job description for the Search Committee is below.
The Nominating Committee will be a standing committee at Hope Church, and these covenant partners are charged with identifying the gifts of other covenant partners and inviting them to serve in various ways. They will receive nominations for those interested in serving on the Search Committee. Later in the summer, this same group will also receive nominations for the Leadership Circle to fill three vacancies, followed by a congregational vote. Those serving on the Nominating Committee cannot also serve on the Search Committee or Leadership Circle.
The deadline for those interested in serving on the Nominating Committee is July 1. Please call or email Stacey Schamber if you are interested. She will also receive nominations for the Search Committee to pass on to the Nominating Committee.
The Leadership Circle has been working on the charter and bylaws but have had to devote much of our recent time to the unexpected transition in senior pastoral staff. We anticipate sharing the updated version of the charter and a copy of the bylaws later this summer for discussion and hopeful vote at our late August/early September meeting.
Search Committee Description
Hope Church Profile