Searching is Hard

I spent all day yesterday reading candidates' packets with the rest of my church's Search Committee. We sat in a room together, working our way through thick files, and listening to the occasional audio or video tape.

All day reading material from people who claim to be fabulous preachers, but whose sermons are either trite, boring, lacking in scriptural grounding, or nothing but mumbling sentimentality. Where are the eloquent, prophetic voices? Few and far between, I'm telling you.

Makes me appreciate our current clergy all the more. Makes me think (probably in as self-deluded a way as our applicants) that, despite my utter lack of training and theological education, I could preach most of these folks into the dust. Mostly, makes my eyes roll up into my head at the sheer tedium of wading through this vast sea of mediocrity.

Did I mention that our number one desideratum in a new rector is "an inspired preacher?" So far, I've encountered only ONE in our current pool who I think might rise to that category. (Mind you, I've been looking only at the unknowns ~ to me ~ so far; some of the familiar names are, in fact, excellent preachers.)

And, of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg of what we're looking for.

People who've never led a parish of more than 300 are going to need to present something startling to get us to trust that they'll be able to suddenly step up and lead a congregation of 3500. People whose current parishes can barely get 1/3 of their members to pledge ~ and who are clearly foundering when it comes to promoting a spiritual basis for stewardship ~ are going to have a hard time leading a congregation where more than 80 percent pledge annually, our annual budget is over $2 million, but where there's no endowment and a huge capital campaign will soon be necessary. People whose idea of outreach is to write an occasional check, or do a joint soup kitchen with another church once or twice a year, will have no idea how to handle our incredibly active outreach ministry (not only does the church tithe 10% of its revenues to outreach, but a great legion of lay leaders run dozens of very effective programs). People who've never supervised any staff, or just a few, are going to have a hard time convincing us they'll be able to coordinate an organization with a large paid staff and ten times as many lay volunteers who contribute countless hours and a vast array of talents day in and day out.

I could go on. But I'll spare you. We're looking for someone truly extraordinary, with a big vision, big skills, a big heart filled with love of God and of God's people, and the stamina and enthusiasm to body that forth into the world.

Well, the process has only just begun; we have many rivers to cross. I know we'll find the right person.

Eventually.