Vacancy News

In November, the Nominating Committee had all but decided upon a sole nominee, when, for personal reasons, the candidate withdrew. Then, recently, Ken Newton, who had been Convenor announced his (and his son, Andrew's) withdrawal from the Committee. We were sorry to lose both their inputs to the work of the Committee and would put on record our appreciation of their work which helped shape the policies of the Committee. With Ken's departure, the Convenorship has passed to me.

The Committee has now recovered from these set-backs and has re-doubled its determination to find the person whom God has already chosen as our new minister. We are not totally back at square one. All the ground work undertaken at the start of our task is still valid. Now, more than back then, we have a clear idea of the sort of person who will make a worthy candidate. We have developed a team-spirit, which has helped keep our spirits up when faced with frustrations and disappointment, and we are keen to see this task, to which we were elected, through to its successful conclusion.

Every week, now, groups from the Committee have been visiting one church or another. As these groups report back positively on potential candidates, others are tasked to visit and add to our picture of the person.

One thing we did decide at the outset was not to rush into selecting the first "close fit". This may mean we have to take a bit longer to settle on a sole nominee. However, we still feel, strongly, that "what's for us won't go by us" if we work on in faith. To that end we would ask for your patience and understanding in this seemingly never-ending process. Remember, some churches are vacant for upwards of two years before successfully calling a new minister.

Please remember the members of the Nominating Committee in your prayers and the work they are doing on your behalf. With God guiding us, we will find the right person - eventually!

George Reid
Convenor