Pastoral Search Process Update
Dear Grace Mosaic Community,
We are writing to follow up to our message last week in which we shared that Grace Mosaic has hired Rev. Josh Eby as a consultant in our Lead Pastor search process. This email will give you a high level overview of the anticipated process.
Before we get to the process, we first ask that you commit to steadfast prayer. At this time of transition, the enemy would like nothing more than to sow doubt, division and discord. It has been the faithful prayers of the saints that has built this community, and we are confident that through your prayers God will continue to extend the impactful ministry of Grace Mosaic. Pray for wisdom, for grace, for the search process, for unity, and for our new pastor – that God would be preparing him (and his family) for the work in store at Grace Mosaic. Pray also for Pastors Russ and Joel and their families as they pursue new calls from the Lord. We are working on developing additional times for corporate prayer and will let you know as those develop.
Roadmap: This is a roadmap for the next steps in the process to recruit a candidate called to, excited about and capable of extending the cross-cultural gospel ministry of Grace Mosaic. While ultimately the timing is up to the Lord (Gal 4:4), by God’s grace, we intend to kick off candidate recruitment this fall with the goal of having a new pastor start no later than next summer.
Congregational Participation: The congregation will play important roles in this process:
# 1. Pastoral search committee (PSC): We are looking for members to serve as part of the pastoral search committee (PSC). The PSC will work under the guidance of the church leadership to (a) develop a search packet that reflects our mission, vision and values, (b) interview and evaluate candidates, and (c) present a final recommendation to the congregation.
PSC Composition: The PSC will consist of 9 individuals in total - 8 members of the church (4 women and 4 men) and 1 elder representative. These individuals will be members in good standing who can effectively represent and reflect our congregation (in terms of years of experience at the church, life stage, and contributions to the community).
PSC Nomination Period:
The nomination period will be from July 6 - July 20. Please prayerfully nominate members who you believe would be able to effectively participate on this committee.
PSC Vote: The Leadership team will assess the nominations and present a slate of candidates for a vote at a congregational meeting after service on July 27.
#2. Congregational Survey: Whether or not you’re on the PSC, we want to hear your voice! We will send out a brief survey on July 6 so that we can hear from you about your experiences at GMo, and what you hope for in our next lead pastor. This formative feedback will provide valuable information as the PSC commences its work. The survey will be open July 6 - July 25.
#3. Voting to approve the final candidate: Once the PSC has concluded its work and made a final recommendation, the congregation will vote to approve that call. We will aim to keep the congregation up to date regularly so you are aware of the status of the process (~every month).
We know that this is a time of significant transition – in our church, city and world. We also believe that we have all been called for such a time as this. God remains at work in our community. God has good plans for our community. We trust that God will continue to advance the beautiful, fruitful, cross-cultural ministry that He began through the leadership of Pastors Russ and Joel through our new pastor. Whether directly involved in the PSC or not, we encourage you to continue to invest in the life of our community – through prayer, attending Sunday worship, community groups, serving our children and youth, generous giving, attending the Fall Retreat, and the impactful neighbor love that our diaconate so capably leads. This is what makes GMo so special, and what makes us excited about what the Lord has in store in the next chapter of this ministry.
Please feel free to send any questions to elder@gracemosaic.org.
With Trust in God and His Promises, and Hope for the Future,
The Grace Mosaic Session (Kenny, Michael, Dolph and Evan)
