Latest News from Transition July 10/2015
The Rev. Annie Etheredge has been called as Interim Rector at Epiphany, Opelousas. The Rev. Christopher Heying has been called as Rector as St. Paul’s, Abbeville. An installation date has not been set. The Rev. Morgan MacIntire has left St. James to move to the Diocese of Louisiana. Jason Ezell is leaving Camp Hardtner July 31. Dean Clingenpeel will spend 2-3 months in an administrative review and an interim director will be sought. A full search is expected to begin in the late Fall or early Winter. St. Michael & All Angels, Lake Charles will be taking nominations very soon. If you are interested in this call, please forward a letter of intent, an updated OTM Portfolio, and a resume to
[email protected]. Supply Clergy: The rates for supply priests assume that a sermon will be preached. If that is not the case, then please negotiate the fee when contacting the supply person. Please be clear about the fee to be given before the agreement to supply is made. This saves everyone embarrassment. Also, please remember that travel must be included when employing a supply priest – even if it is just across town. Overnight accommodations and meals are sometimes needed and the cost for that belongs to the congregation, not the supply priest. Guidelines for supply can be found on the web site. Transitions/Deployment Website: On the diocesan web page there is a special section for transitions and deployment. There you will find lots of information regarding issues that address transitions needs. Letters of agreement, supply guidelines, helpful materials for retirement/leaving a congregation, and search processes can be found here. Please use that resource as you have need. OTM Portfolio: We scheduled another gathering for September 29 (Feast of St. Michael and All Angels) for those who would like to work on their OTM portfolio. We will meet at St. James, Alexandria. This is a great exercise in self-evaluation. It is not just for those who want
to make a move or retire. Is your portfolio out-of-date -- probably – so this would be a good time to get caught up. Please be looking for the date and place to be announced soon. Please put the following ordination dates on your calendars: 7/25 @ 11:00: Seth Donald (at Good Shepherd, LC) 8/1 @ 11:00: Michael Bordelong (at St. James, Alexandria) Seth and Michael will be ordained to the priesthood.
Openings: In every situation we are open to receiving your application or nomination. Please forward those nominations to (
[email protected]). If you know someone who might feel a call to any of these positions, please forward this information to that person. Thank you.
St. James, Alexandria: The Search Committee is in the final interviewing process Trinity, Natchitoches: The Search Committee is in the final interviewing process Epiphany, Opelousas: Interim in place St. Paul’s, Abbeville: Call made Call Completed
Final Interviews
New Opening
Abbeville Alexandria Bunkie
St. Paul's St. James
Rector Rector Vicar/Supply
Lake Charles Mer Rouge Nachitoches Opelouses Pollard Shreveport Shreveport Shreveport
St. Michael's St. Andrew's Trinity Epiphany Camp Hardtner St. Paul's St. Mark's Cathedral St. Mark's Cathedral
Rector Rector Rector Rector Ex. Director Asst. Rector Sub-Dean Pastoral Care
Shreveport
St. James
Rector
We are currently receiving nominations for the following positions: 1. 2. 3.
Assistant Rector, St. Paul’s, Shreveport Canon, St. Mark’s Cathedral, Shreveport Priest-in-Charge (part-time), Calvary, Bunkie
Current Interim Ministries in the Diocese: 1. St. James, Alexandria (one-year) 2. St. Michael’s, Lake Charles (two-year) 3. Epiphany, Opelousas (through search)
Please note that when the search process begins in these congregations, the Bishop’s Office (through the Transitions Consultant) will notify the clergy and congregations of the diocese. LETTERS OF AGREEMENT Those who have been placed since Bishop Owensby’s ordination (including Interim Priests-in-Charge): Please remember that you have a letter of agreement and you need to review it yearly, as well as assure the bishop that everyone (including the vestry) is adhering to the agreement. Included in that LOA is the yearly spiritual retreat, continuing education, an annual meeting with the bishop outside of the annual visitation, and participation in all diocesan functions. The Letter of Agreement is a guide to open communication, clergy care and congregational ministry. If you have not attended to these items, now is the time. Those who do not have a letter of agreement need to review your call and if a letter of agreement is required, contact the Transitions Consult or go to the webpage for LOA templates. Please note that if there is no letter of agreement in place, then you have no recourse in certain situations regarding annual cost-of-living increases; vacation times; time off; business expenses and other tax benefits; and questions regarding the responsibilities of office and work with the congregation and vestry. It is to your disadvantage to have no Letter of Agreement. Those who have a letter of agreement that was signed during the past jurisdiction need to review that agreement, make any necessary changes to the document and get the entire vestry to sign off on the changes. Once again, templates for agreements are on the diocesan web site.
Priests who are considering retirement or may believe they need to look for a call elsewhere, please contact me. I am very willing to work with you in making these transitions. Confidentiality is assured. There are resources posted on the Transitions page of the diocesan site.
Blessings, Ron + Openings are posted at: http://www.diocesewla.org/resources/clergy-deployment/
