SsAM is in the middle of a clergy transition process.
A Rector Search Committee has been appointed.
On August 18, 2022, the Vestry was pleased to announce the names of those who will serve on our Rector Search Committee. Many members were nominated to serve, but only seven could be appointed. Those appointed are:
Thomas Angell
Ernestine Brock-Walker
Sherry Goodill – Chair
Joshua Martin
William Young – Vice Chair
Carey Corbin – Vestry Member
Christina Brennan Lee – Vestry Member
As our Vestry Resource Guide says, “While choosing leadership for a church is similar to secular search processes in some ways, it is also vastly different. It is a spiritual process. It is a prime time for renewal for the congregation. It is a time when new leadership comes forth and new connections are made. It is also a time to review and restate the hopes and dreams of the parish.”
The Rev. James M. Bimbi is our Interim Rector.
On Sunday, February 27, 2022, it was announced that the Rev. James M. Bimbi will serve as Interim Rector of the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew until a new rector could be called. His part-time position with us will be for 22.5 hours per week, and he will participate in ministries and administration. The Parish Administrator and Director of Music will report to him. The Interim Rector will preach two Sundays per month. The wardens and vestry will continue many administrative and ministry duties and will oversee all transition activities. The Interim Rector will have no role with the Search Committee and other transition matters. His pastoral focus will be assisting SsAM with growth, vitality and ministries. Fr. Jim will be with us into early 2023 as we search for a rector. This arrangement allows others to focus on the search for a full time rector while he gives attention to the other matters. To learn more about Fr. Jim, including his March 4 letter to the parish, click here or his photo.
Clergy Transition Checklist
Click here or the graphic to see the Clergy Transition Checklist. This checklist comes from the Rev. Martha Kirkpatrick, Canon to the Ordinary for the Episcopal Church in Delaware.
SsAM’s Prayer in a Time of Transition
God of love, in this interim time, we pray for our parish family. Grant us genuine self-reflection, patient discernment, and daring faith. May we be imaginative about our future, open in our search and, in all things, knit together in one body through Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Consultant For Transition
Diane B. Pollard is joining our transition work as consultant, in partnership with Bishop Brown. Diane is an experienced consultant from New York City who serves as Vice Chair of the Finance Committee of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. She brings a great deal of work experience at the national church level and with parishes in transition.
Vitality Workshop with Bishop Brown was Saturday, February 26.
Vitality is more important than growth! That was one lesson from this workshop with Bishop Brown. We examined the nature of growth and vitality, identified the essential vital signs that every parish should know about itself, identified the vital signs for the Episcopal church overall, and discussed various models of “being church”. Click here to learn more.
A Partnership
We encourage each other to trust in the Holy Spirit, and trust in those responsible for the process of calling a new rector — a partnership with the SsAM congregation, Bishop Brown, the Diocese of Delaware staff, and the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Church in Delaware.
Sermon Excerpt from the Rev. Canon Martha Kirkpatrick, January 26, 2022
I am honored to be your transitions officer. In addition to being a year of the Gospel of Luke, it is also a year for the Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew to do your own discernment as you seek the clergy person who will partner with you into SsAM’s future. I began by pointing out that all four gospels lead Jesus’ public ministry with their own story about who Jesus is for them in their hearts and in their lives. So what do you say, when people say to you, “Tell me about SsAM”? What do you lead with?
And I invite you hear – hear — what they are really asking you. They are not asking about your social justice work. Though that is important and necessary, it’s being done in a lot of places. They are not asking about the great people you meet here; they can find social community in a lot of places. In world of so much spiritual hunger, a hunger so deep people don’t know what they are really hungry for, what people are asking you is “how do you find God here?” “Where do you see God at work?” “How is the Holy Spirit empowering your life through this community?” And their deep question is: “Can I find God here, too?”
People know in their deepest places that the world offers all sorts of bogus substitutes to soothe that hunger. People want what is real. They want to know what is in your heart, and they might not ask it again, ever. And that, my brothers and sisters, is your particular moment of Gospel proclamation. How do you see, proclaim, and participate in God’s healing work in the world in this part of the Body of Christ, this community of Saints Andrew and Matthew? And how do you shine that light in this broken and hurting world so others can find God here too?
