ST. PAUL’S UCC SEARCH COMMITTEE – 2008

With the retirement of our Senior Pastor, our church called the Reverend Harry W. Keppley Jr. to serve as Interim Pastor to the congregation as we search for a new full time Senior Pastor. The Church Council called ten church members to serve on a Search Committee. This committee will create a church profile representing the history, life, and ministry of the congregation and will consider clergy candidates to fill the call to ministry at Saint Paul's United Church of Christ.

Names of Search Committee Members 

Cathy Brandell Committee Chair(2009), Sandy Bachman, Pat Faust, Kathy Glass, Ethan Harbison (joined January 2009), Chuck Lysakowski, Darlene Sanderson (joined January 2009), Eric Schoener (Chairman 2008), Sharon Stauffer, Dave Terfinko.

Retired January 2009: Barbara Lentz, Don Snyder. 

SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING TO VOTE ON A SENIOR PASTOR

St. Paul’s United Church of Christ held a special meeting July 19, 2009 to vote on a co- pastor candidates. Pastors Al and Carol Bastin presented their sermons during the 9:00 AM service. There were enough members present to have a quorum. After the 9:00 AM a special meeting was conducted by Rev. Len Kesselring from the Penn Northeast conference. He instructed all members of St. Paul’s to cast their vote from the ballots that were handed out. One side was a yes for the candidate and the other was a no for the candidate. He instructed members to choose the side they wanted and dispose of the other. Then the ballots were collected, and counted, (no Search Committee members were involved with any of this process). According to St. Paul’s By-Laws 90% is needed to accept the candidate. The count results were; total ballots was 238; 214 yes (90%) and 24 no’s, (10%). This meant that the candidate was accepted by the Congregation. 

 Pastors AL and Carol have accepted the call.

Pastor Al is a native of Decatur, Georgia.  He is a graduate of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and Southeast Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.  His previous pastorates were in Michigan, Virginia and Ohio.  Since Seminary, Pastor Al has received additional degrees and certificates from the Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care, the Virginia Young Leader’s Program and the Spiritual Direction Institute of Virginia.

During his time in Michigan he served the Wider Church as a member of the Board of Directors, as President of the Board of Directors and as Moderator of the Michigan Conference.  He recently finished a term as Moderator of SONKA, Southern Ohio Northern Kentucky Association as well as chairing SONKA’s Church Development Committee.

In 2006 he served as Transitional Association Minister for SONKA.  He has served on the Ohio Conference Board of Directors where he chaired the Budget and Finance Committee and as the Dean of the Upper Valley Cluster of congregations in SONKA.  He and his daughter both served as delegates to the 26th General Synod of the United Church of Christ.  They will be delegates of the 27th General Synod in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2009.

A 2004 Leadership Troy graduate, he was one of the founders of First Night Troy, which he currently serves as President.  He has been a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator administrator and consultant for two decades and he has been a Spiritual Director for 15 years.  He has been a member of the Network of Biblical Storytellers.

Pastor Al’s interests include baseball, computers, leadership development, movies, reading and storytelling.  He was ordained in July 1983.   

Pastor Carol is a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina but grew up in Alexandria, Virginia.  A graduate of East Carolina University and Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, she was ordained in November 1993.

She served as an Associate Pastor in Virginia and was called as Pastor of First Christian Church in Dowagiac, Michigan in 1995 where she served until 2001.  She served as the Dean and Director of the Lay Ministry School in Michigan that was jointly operated by the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ.

She has been Co-Pastor of First UCC in Troy since January 2002.  Pastor Carol currently chairs the Post-Ordination Committee for SONKA’s Church and Ministry Committee.  She has recently completed a term on the Board of Outdoor Ministries and was a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee that dealt with the visioning process for Outdoor Ministries.  She is a 2007 Leadership Troy graduate and until recently served as a member of the organization committee of Troy Main Street.

In the church her passions include preaching, worship, music and working with young people and children.  Her personal hobbies include reading and movies.  Her mother and two brothers live in North Carolina and Virginia.  She and Pastor Al have one daughter who will be a senior in college.

The start date for the Bastins will be October 1, 2009.

June 25, 2009

To the Congregation of St. Paul’s,

 

Almost nineteen months ago the members of this church entrusted the Pastoral Search Committee with the responsibility of prayerfully selecting a candidate for your approval.  We gathered “input” from many of you through a survey and several town meetings, as we assembled our Local Church Profile.  We have spent almost every Thursday thoroughly reviewing pastoral profiles in search of the perfect fit for St. Paul’s.

 

The Search Committee has now reviewed 45 potential candidates.  Following a third interview, we unanimously selected – through prayer and mutual consent and an overwhelming ‘WOW” factor - Pastors Al and Carol Bastin as co-pastoral candidates for the ministry of our church.  As co-pastors, Pastor Al and Pastor Carol will serve our church as equals; there will not be a difference in their job titles.  Their individual strengths and interests will determine their areas of responsibility.  These two co-pastors will take the place of our senior and assistant pastors and the total compensation package will be equal to the total approved budget.

 

Pastor Al is a native of Decatur, Georgia.  He is a graduate of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forrest, North Carolina where he met his wife Carol.  His previous pastorates were in Michigan and Virginia.  He’s been Co-Pastor of First UCC in Ohio since 2001.

 

During his time in Michigan he served the wider Church as a member of the Board of Directors, as President of the Board of Directors and as Moderator of the Michigan Conference.  He recently finished a term as Moderator of SONKA (Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky Association) and he currently chairs SONKA’s Church Development Committee.

 

In 2006 he served as Transitional Association Minister for SONKA.  He serves on the Ohio Conference Board of Directors where he chairs the Budget and Finance Committee, and he is Dean of the Upper Valley Cluster of congregations of SONKA.  He and his daughter both served as delegates to the 26th General Synod of the United Church of Christ.

 

A 2004 Leadership Troy graduate, he was one of the founders of the First Night Troy, which he serves as president.  He has been a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator administrator and consultant for two decades and he has been a Spiritual Director for 15 years.  He has been a member of the Network of Biblical Storytellers.

 

Pastor Al’s interests include baseball, computers, leadership development, movies, reading and storytelling.  He was ordained in July 1983.

 

Pastor Carol is a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina but grew up in Alexandria, Virginia.  A graduate of East Carolina University and Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, she was ordained in November 1993.

 

She served as an Associate Pastor in Virginia and was called as Pastor of First Christian Church in Dowagiac, Michigan in 1995 where she served as pastor until 2001.  She served as the Dean and Director of the Lay Ministry School in Michigan that was jointly operated by the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ.

 

She has been co-pastor of First UCC in Ohio since January 2002.  Pastor Carol chairs the Post-Ordination Committee for SONKA’s Church and Ministry Committee.  She has recently completed a term on the Board of Outdoor Ministries and was a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee that dealt with the visioning process for Outdoor Ministries.  She is a 2007 Leadership Troy graduate and a member of the organization committee of Troy Main Street. 

 

In the church her passions include preaching, worship, music and working with young people and children.  Her hobbies include reading and movies.   Her mother and two brothers live in North Carolina and Virginia.  Pastors Al and Carol have been married 27 years and have one daughter, Emily, who will be a senior in college.

 

Pastors Al and Carol will bring many gifts to our church.  They are strong preachers and creative worship leaders.  They have a strong faith which shows in their daily living and service to others in need.  Honesty, integrity and faithfulness to the Gospel are traits they possess in great abundance.    The following comments were made by some of their references:

 

 

 

 

The members of our committee look forward to talking with you about our joyful interactions with Pastor Al and Pastor Carol.  You are invited to attend the Saturday evening Social where you will meet our candidates.  Please make every effort to attend and encourage your older children and youth to attend.  Pastors Al and Carol will conduct the Sunday morning worship service the next day.  Please plan to attend.

 

Saturday Evening Social, July 18 - 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Adults, older children and youth are also encouraged to participate in this opportunity to become acquainted with two wonderful people. 

 

Sunday morning, July 19 - 9:00 a.m. (no 10:30 service in July and August)  Pastor Al and Pastor Carol will conduct the service after which a congregational meeting and vote will be taken to recommend Pastor Al and Pastor Carol as our new co-pastors.  The Search Committee will be available to answer any questions and to discuss the terms of the Call Agreement.  Assuming a positive vote, it is our hope that the Bastins will start with us on October 1.

 

We believe that God has led us to this exciting moment in our ministry…and so do the Bastins.  We look forward to growing together as a faith community, serving others and proclaiming the good news of God’s love.  Thank you for the privilege you have given us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Cathy Brandell

 

Cathy Brandell, Chairperson                         Sandra Bachman                    Ethan Harbison          

Eric Schoener, Former Chairperson             Pat Faust                                 Darlene Sanderson                           

Chuck Lysakowski, Secretary                       Kathy Glass                             Sharon Stauffer

  

The Pastoral Search Committee resumed our weekly Thursday meetings on January 15, 2009.  Barbara Lentz and Don Snyder elected to step down from the committee.  Early February we added two new members to the committee – Ethan Harbison and Darlene Sanderson.  As of the end of February we have received and reviewed 44 Pastor Profiles; a couple with exceptional qualifications whom we are very excited about.  We anticipate conducting phone interviews within the next few weeks which hopefully will lead to bringing in a candidate for a person-to-person interview.  The Search Committee is very excited and we ask for everyone’s continued prayers in our effort.

 Cathy Brandell, Search Committee Chair

SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING TO VOTE ON A SENIOR PASTOR

St. Paul’s United Church of Christ held a special meeting December 7, 2008 to vote on a senior pastor candidate. Pastor Linda Lennon presented her sermon during the 9:00 and 10:30 services. There were enough members present to have a quorum. After the 9:00 and 10:30 service a special meeting was conducted by Rev. Len Kesselring from the Penn Northeast conference. He instructed all members of St. Paul’s to cast their vote from the ballots that were handed out. One side was a yes for the candidate and the other was a no for the candidate. He instructed members to choose the side they wanted and dispose of the other. Then the ballots were collected, the ballots from the 9:00 service were put into a sealed envelope and kept up front until after the 10:30 service. After the 10:30 service all the ballots were combined and counted, (no Search Committee members were involved with any of this process). According to St. Paul’s By-Laws 90% is needed to accept the candidate. The count results were; total ballots was 291; 248 yes (85.2%) and 43 no’s, (14.8%). This meant that the candidate was not accepted by the Congregation. Pastor Lennon was then informed by the President and Vice President of Council as to the results.

Motion to close the Special Congregational Meeting Cathy Glass

Seconded Dean Rissmiller

I’s approved by the Congregation


Pastoral Search Committee Update March 2008

 Greetings from the Pastoral Search Committee!  We have been meeting weekly for most of February and March and have made excellent progress towards the completion of our church’s Profile.  During this time, we have reached out to various committees for assistance with various parts of the Profile.  We are now at the point where we need input from each of you, the members of St. Paul’s UCC to complete our church’s Profile.  We are employing two different means to obtain your input; a questionnaire as well as a series of town meetings.  The questionnaire will focus on certain aspects of the Profile while the town meetings will focus on different aspects.    

 
The questionnaire should arrive by mail at your homes during the first week of April.  Upon receipt, please give the questionnaire prayerful consideration and return it as soon as possible, but no later than April 13th.  You may drop off the completed questionnaire in a specially marked box at the church or mail it to the church, Attention Search Committee at:

 
St. Paul’s UCC

PO Box 336

Trexlertown, PA 18087

 
In addition to the questionnaire, the Pastoral Search Committee is holding a series of town meetings.  Please plan to attend one of the following town meetings:

 
Sunday, April 6th – 10:15 AM

Sunday, April 6th – Immediately following the 10:30 Service

Thursday, April 10th – 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 20th – 10:15 AM

Sunday, April 20th – Immediately following the 10:30 Service

 
As you know, the Profile is the document that prospective pastors will use to evaluate their initial interest in being the Senior Pastor of St. Paul’s UCC.  As such, it is important that our Profile be as accurate and complete as possible.  For that to occur, we need everyone’s input into the document.  So, on behalf of the Pastoral Search Committee, I urge each of you to complete the questionnaire and to attend one of the town meetings.  If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact any member of the Search Committee, (a listing of the committee members can be found on the church’s website or on the poster in the back of the sanctuary).      

  

                                                                                    Eric R. Schoener

                                                                                    Chair – Pastoral Search Committee


Link to PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE QUESTIONNAIRE