Thank you to all who took the time to read last week’s missive on changes to the nominations process. I received several insightful questions and would like to add a few points to fill these gaps.

To be on the Vestry, our Policy requires the following:

  1. Nominees shall satisfy the following criteria:
  2. Minimum age eighteen (18) years
  3. Confirmed communicant in good standing
  4. Pledging member for at least the one year prior to election
  5. Regular in attendance at public worship
  6. Demonstrated commitment, responsibility and experience in Parish life
  7. Able to pass the Diocesan criminal background check

The interface with the congregation at large comes at three points:

  • Broad congregational representation on the Nominating Committee
  • Solicitation of nominations – both self and of others- to the entire congregation via the bulletin and weekly email
  • Approval of the slate at the Annual Meeting. Our current process is elections in late October then formal approval of those voted in at the Annual meeting late January. So if, as an example, the slate presented was not deemed appropriate, the entire slate could be voted down at the Annual Meeting.

I am afraid my update implied that we just want the technical stuff, but that is not the only qualifier. The talents we will be looking for are not just in the technical arena. Certainly we will need Vestry members with some degree of financial understanding, and those with process/organizational skills, or human resource types – but we also need those with experience in our Parish life and ministries.