QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT OUR TRANSITION

What were the options available to us?

Episcopal parishes have the choice of (a) opting for the diocese to call a priest-in-charge or (b) choosing to form a search committee and engage in a full search, with the diocese appointing an interim rector.

What is the difference between a priest-in-charge and an interim priest?

A priest-in-charge immediately becomes the parish's priest, for an agreed-upon period, which is usually three years. He or she has all the responsibilities of a permanent rector. After a certain period-say, 18 months-the parish and the priest take stock of the situation and determine whether he or she will become the permanent rector. If, for some reason, the arrangement is not mutually agreeable, the parish then initiates a search process, and the priest-in-charge in effect serves as the interim until a new rector is called.

An interim priest serves during transitional periods while a congregation engages in a search process for a new rector. Beulah Koulouris, who served after Kevin Bean's departure, was an interim; so was Paul Garrett, who served after Ward Gamble retired. The interim cannot be a candidate in the parish's search for a rector. An interim is a priest specifically trained to assist parishes that are in transition.

Both an interim priest and a priest-in-charge work to prepare the congregation for the next phase of their parish life.

Priest-in-Charge	Interim Priest
Can be called as the parish's rector. (Andy Stoessel at St. Michael's and Jane Gould at St. Stephen's in Lynn were both called as rectors after serving those parishes as priests-in-charge.)	Cannot be candidate for permanent rector.
Has his or her own parish. Thus comes from a larger pool of candidates.	Is specifically trained as an interim and serves only as an interim.
Has responsibility for staffing.	Is not responsible for staffing. Wardens make staffing decisions during an interim period.

Why did the vestry choose the priest-in-charge option?

Vestry members generally agreed that, after a long period of transition and uncertainty, it would be preferable not to engage in another lengthy search process for new clergy at present. With a priest-in-charge in place, we would still engage in a time of self-study and discernment; having a priest in place would give us some stability and consistency.

Who chooses the candidates for priest-in-charge? Who are the likely candidates?

The candidates are selected by Bishop Bud Cederholm and by Rev. Cynthia Hubbard, who is the transitional/deployment officer for suburban parishes in the diocese. They consider priests whom they know well. A typical candidate would be a priest who is rector of a vibrant parish, and under whom the parish has seen growth. The priest might have signaled an interest in initiating a move to another parish. (A typical length of service for a priest is now five to seven years.) Most candidates are from within the diocese. Some might be from outside but still nearby. Still others might be others whom Bud or Cynthia knows well but who are currently serving farther away.

How will the priest-in-charge be chosen?

The diocese tells the wardens of the candidate. The wardens meet him or her. If the wardens are enthusiastic about the candidate, they arrange for the candidate to meet with the vestry. Selected members of the vestry will have the opportunity to make an informal, confidential visit to observe the clergy at his or her parish on a Sunday. If the vestry enthusiastically supports the candidate, and if he or she is enthusiastic about joining us, we have a match. If not, the diocese will propose a second candidate.

What if the vestry does not support either candidate for priest-in-charge?

In the unlikely event that neither candidate receives the full support of the vestry, we would then appoint a search committee and ask the diocese to appoint an interim rector.

What qualities and skills will we be looking for in a priest-in-charge?

The parish profile that we prepared as part of the search process in 2006 outlined what St. Andrew's was looking for in a rector. (That profile has been made available to the diocese and will be shown to potential candidates.) The list of qualities included the following:

attentive listener
inspirational leader
skilled preacher
strong coach and delegator
someone interested in social justice, local and global outreach, Christian formation, and the arts
someone welcoming of all viewpoints
someone who enjoys interacting with youth and is willing to regularly engage them
adept administrator

The vestry, wardens, bishops, and Cynthia Hubbard have also discussed the special needs of St. Andrew's that have arisen since that profile was written. What has seemed like a long period of transition, followed by the departure of Scottie and then of Arrington, leads the parish to hope for a priest who is also a healer: someone who is sensitive to the uncertainty, worry, anger, and fear that many of us have felt. We seek someone who will take the time to do what one parishioner termed "inreach," making sure to become acquainted with all members of this community.

Will a priest-in-charge live in Marblehead?

Probably. The rectory will be made available.

How soon can a priest-in-charge be in place?

The diocese already has one or more candidates whom they think would be a good match for St. Andrew's. It is likely that wardens and vestry will be able to meet with a candidate in the very near future. If all goes well, a person should be able to come to St. Andrew's sometime during the summer.

Who will be our priest between Arrington's departure and the arrival of the priest-in-charge?

Rev. Jennie Anderson, our Director of Children's Ministries, is serving as interim pastoral associate. As noted in The Chimes, Jennie has agreed to fill this role, giving us an additional 20 hours per week, through June 30. During this transitional period, she will make hospital and home visits, participate in pastoral services, make emergency pastoral calls, participate in youth programming, and preach and celebrate Eucharist. Various parishioners have agreed to offer homilies on Sundays, so that Jennie does not need to preach each week. Local clergy have offered assistance. We may invite "supply priests" to assist with Sunday services if necessary.

What will we do about replacing Arrington?

For now, our focus is on getting a priest in place. When the priest-in-charge arrives, he or she will work with the vestry to decide about hiring an assistant/associate rector. The hiring decision will be the priest's. (If we ultimately have an interim priest, hiring decisions lie with the wardens.)

What can I do to help?

This is where our strength as a community is so important. If you haven’t seen someone for awhile, check in on them to see if they have any questions. If they don’t have access to the Internet or you’re not sure they receive The Chimes, pass along printouts of e-mails or church Web pages or a copy of The Chimes. If you’re available to provide administrative help to the staff—by making phone calls, helping with mailings, or doing other tasks, let the wardens know. And continue to ask how you can help!

Please feel free to suggest other questions for this list. E-mail them to vestry@standrewsmhd.org.