Dear Cherrydale Family,
Our Missions & Outreach Pastor Search Team convened for our fourth meeting Monday, February 22. We are encouraged to have a few engaging applicants so far and are expecting to review additional resumes in two weeks.
At this meeting, we considered two new resumes, answers to follow-up questions we asked of one resume-submitter, as well as four applications.
As we review new resumes, the decision to offer an opportunity to complete an application takes into account how the gentlemen’s experience, education, and qualifications compare to the applicants we are currently considering. Therefore, we have some follow-up questions that will be asked of one new resume submitter to decide whether he should be invited to fill out an application. We will not proceed with the second new resume nor the one for whom we received follow-up responses.
The Missions and Outreach Pastor Application includes 42 questions exploring the candidate’s personal ministry, personal life, and doctrinal beliefs. We are seeking to discern whether his ministry experience, philosophy, and vision, as well as character, are best fits for Cherrydale. There was a broad consensus to advance two of these gentlemen in the application process, and we will pray over the next two weeks whether a third should also advance. We will also review sermons and social media posts to gain a fuller understanding of these candidates.
Knowing that one more application is expected and a few more resumes have recently been submitted, we decided to hold off a bit on commencing interviews. Our plan is to interview viable candidates in a condensed time frame so that their answers are all fresh in our minds as we decide who to recommend to the Elders.
We welcome your prayers for us to:
- Diligently review all submitted materials, sermons, and social media postings
- Know when to close the resume acceptance window
- Identify discerning questions to ask of each candidate who is interviewed
Thank you for prayerfully supporting us,
Janine Buser, on behalf of the Missions and Outreach Pastor Search Committee
