Over the next few months, St. Mark’s will be creating a parish profile to share with Diocesan leadership as they help us find a new part-time Priest in Charge. Please join us on Sunday, Oct. 22, after the 10 a.m. church service (starting at approx. 11:30 a.m.) as Helen W. Daley leads us in an in-person Appreciative Inquiry exercise. Additionally, a link to an online survey will be sent out to all parishioners in early November to gather more information.
Read a few frequently asked questions below.
Appreciative Inquiry is an opportunity for the parish members as a group to respond to several questions to identify the current strengths, accomplishments, and values of St. Mark’s parish. This information will help parish members and the Vestry to assess the parish and to identify achievable goals. It is a positive and engaging approach to assisting organizations to move forward and will provide information that can be helpful in the search for clergy. This process usually takes only an hour, or maybe less, and provides an opportunity for all to share their thoughts.
Helen says she is willing to conduct a Zoom Appreciative Inquiry if enough people request that format. Please email Scott if you would like that option.
The parish-wide online survey being sent in mid-November will ask questions about our community’s strengths and weaknesses, our values, and how you see us moving forward. You can also give your thoughts to any Vestry member.
Trinity is also writing a profile, and the results will be compared to ours to see where there’s overlap and where there are differences. As part of her guidance, Helen will also be asking questions about how the collaboration is progressing—what’s working and what is not, how the collaboration can improve, and the expectations of each parish.
A subcommittee of the Vestry will use the data and comments collected through this process to write a parish profile. The goal is to have this profile to Rev. Martha Hubbard by January. The Diocese will then post a job description on its website for about a month and invite candidates to apply. Diocesan leadership will screen candidates for the correct fit and will present one option to the Vestry to approve or not. This is a confidential process, so other members of the parish will not be allowed to meet the candidate at this time. If both Vestries agree this is the right candidate, a three-year Priest-in-Charge contract will be offered.