On this page you will find some of the more frequently asked questions we have received. If your question is not answered on this page, please do not hesitate to contact us. We'd be happy to answer your questions.

What are the next steps?

We have recently completed our review of all the candidates that have been nominated and put before us. We are now initiating phone conversations with seven of the leading candidates. Our plan is to have the entire call committee be part of these initial conversations. After this we would anticipate visiting two or three of the candidates in person, and ultimately inviting two or three of the final candidates to Divine Shepherd to meet the congregation and see who we are. Once this is complete, we would anticipate being ready to call a Congregational Assembly

Who has been considered so far?

A total of 35 candidates were nominated and/or presented by our District President.

I understand that some Pastors that have been nominated are not fully being considered at this time. Is that true and what are the reasons?

It is true. There are three reasons why a nominated pastor is not currently being considered. First, they may have only been a pastor for a few years. Considering the qualifications we are looking for in our Senior Pastor at Divine Shepherd, we are currently only considering pastors with at least five years in the ministry. Second, the pastor may have just taken a new call within the last year or two, and it is generally common courtesy not to call a pastor that has recently accepted another call. Third, the pastor may be currently serving in our circuit or in our community, and it is best practice not to call a pastor from the same circuit. Doing so runs the risk of member turnover (e.g., members following a pastor) and can cause ill feelings between sister congregations.

These three circumstances apply to 12 of the pastors nominated by the congregation.

Will we be calling a second pastor to replace Pastor Jeff? When?

Yes, we will. Our current plan is to first call a senior pastor, install him, and then work with him to evaluate the right experience and skill sets that complement our new senior pastor.

Will the congregation have a chance to meet any of the candidates?

Yes. Once we narrow the field to three or so, we would anticipate inviting each of these pastors (and wives) to visit Divine Shepherd and meet as many of the congregation as possible.

Is the Call Committee going to recommend just one candidate for the congregation to vote up or down on?

No. While that has been our practice on many of our recent calls, the Board of Directors and the Board of Elders believe that the role of senior pastor requires us to present to the congregation more than one choice.

Who is on the Call Committee? Can I join?

The Call Committee names are listed on the website (along with e-mail addresses and phone numbers). The Call Committee is set and has begun its work, but there are many ways to participate in the process, including asking questions, spreading the word about the website, praying, and providing input.

Can we still nominate a pastor?

You can. However, at this point, we are going to press forward with our process and not wait for any further nominations or new candidate information.

When will we find out who the candidates are?

We will share the names of the two to three final candidates as soon as we are at that point. Out of respect to the individual candidates and their congregations, we are keeping the rest of the candidate list confidential.

What is required to issue a Divine Call?

In accordance with our Constitution and By-Laws, an affirmative vote of 75 percent of Congregational Assembly is needed to issue a Divine Call.

What other information is available?

We have made available the following documents on the website: 1) Senior Pastor Ministry Description and Qualifications, 2) Divine Shepherd History and Heritage, 3) Divine Shepherd Strategic Priorities and Objectives, and 4) Call Committee meeting minutes. In addition, we have posted the newsletter articles from the Monthly Heartbeat and the congregational update given at each worship service the first weekend in February.