Pastoral Search Handbook
Printed copies of the Pastoral Search Handbook may be ordered for $5.00 from Faith Alive Christian Resources (see below) or downloaded as a PDF document (450K):
Download the handbook
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Termination
Conclusion of a Minister's Relationship with a Church
Classis Supervisor's Role with the Search Committee
2. Early Decisions
Appointment of a Search Committee
Pastoral Leadership in the Interim
Termination Interview
Saying Farewell
Dealing with Grief
3. Direction-Finding
Understanding the Search Process
Who's Responsible for What?
Decisions
Sharing Information
Search Committee Meetings
4. Self-Study
Church Profile Form
5. Search
Information Packet
Letter of Introduction
Reviewing Profiles of Ministers
Interviewing Candidates
Hearing a Candidate Preach
Considering Seminary Students
Procedures for Calling a Seminarian
6. Decision-Making
Recommending a Candidate to the Consistory
Candidate's Visit
Seeking the Will of the Congregation
Negotiation
The Call
Starting Date
7. Installation
The Classis
Reception
Supervisor Dismissal
8. Pastoral Start-Up
Pastoral Family Grief
Pastoral Start-Up
Appendices*
Sample Letter to Search Committee Member
Sample Contract for Specialized Interim Ministry
Suggested Termination Interview Questions
Search Committee and Consistory Pastoral Search Guidelines
A Worksheet to Discover Possible Futures for Our Church
Sample Self-Study
Church Profile Form
Sample Letter to Prospective Candidate
Candidate Reference Checklist
Conducting an Interview
Interview Checklist
Worship Leadership Checklist
* All documents in the appendices (except the Church Profile Form) are contained in a single PDF document (152k), allowing you to download and print while keeping all formatting features. To do so, you will need a copy of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The Pastoral Search Handbook (Revised 2004) was created through the cooperation of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) regional synods and the RCA's Office for Ministry Services as a general resource for church supervisors, consistories, and search committees.
Printed copies of the Pastoral Search Handbook may be ordered from Faith Alive Christian Resources, (800) 333-8300.
For additional assistance with a pastoral search, contact Elaine Tetreault at:
OFFICE FOR MINISTRY SERVICES
REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA
FOLLOWING CHRIST IN MISSION
475 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10115
(212) 870-3252
etetreault@rca.org
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