November Pastoral Search Update

After Shane Stanford’s announcement that he would be stepping down as senior pastor of Christ Church in June 2022, Bryan Jordan, Staff Parish Chair, appointed Lauren Robinson, a member of the staff parish, to lead the search committee for the new senior pastor. Thomas Marino and Adam Webster from the staff parish committee were also appointed by Bryan to serve on the search committee.

Following these appointments, Bryan, Lauren, and members of the Executive Committee identified seven additional representatives from the congregation to serve on the search committee, which will ultimately be responsible for leading the search for both the senior pastor and pastor of discipleship. The committee is a good representation of our church: women, men (there are now 5 of each on the committee), various backgrounds and ages, and some with previous experience in pastoral searches. Committee includes:

1.	Adam Webster	Ducks Unlimited
2.	Thomas Marino	First Horizon
3.	Lauren Robinson	Huey's Restaurants
4.	David Montague	Memphis Teacher Residency
5.	Anne Kenworthy	CBU
6.	Greg Spillyards	Cushman Wakefield
7.	Page Boden	Sylvamo
8.	Nancy Trussel	Teacher and Member of Christ Church
9.	Laura Whitsitt	Smith and Nephew
10.	Tom Dyer	Wyatt Firm

Mission Statement of the Christ Church Search Committee

The search committee has collectively developed the following mission statement to guide the process:

“Christ Church seeks a servant-hearted, Christ-centered, Spirit-led Senior Pastor who prayerfully and effectively preaches the inspired word of God and models and develops spiritual leadership among the staff and congregation as a present and caring leader.”

What is the Search Committee’s Current Focus?

• Define senior pastor profile based on current and future needs of Christ Church

• Develop a list of potential candidates and begin researching candidates

• Establish mechanism and cadence for keeping Christ Church informed of the search process

How will the Committee choose candidates?

While the process for every candidate will vary based on our connection to them and their current role, it could look as follows:

1. Watch their sermons

2. Speak to others who may know them

3. Talk to the candidates to discover their interest

4. Possibly visit their home church, get a feel for their culture, see them in action

5. Present a list to Staff Parish, from which they would vote on candidates and make a final offer

In regards to the Methodist model of pastoral appointments, our bishop is dedicated to supporting us in finding the right senior pastor for the next stage in Christ Church’s journey.

What now?

Now, we as a congregation pray. We pray for the denomination, for the church, for our staff, for the search committee, for Shane and his family, and for the future senior pastor of Christ Church. We pray for wisdom, for discernment of the spirit and the heart, and for the road ahead of us. As new developments in the process come to light, we will publish announcements and keep everyone well-informed.

Questions?

Feel free to email us with any questions or concerns you might have.