This coming month the Rector Search Committee will be facilitating small group listening sessions within the parish. These conversations help us test and deepen what the Holy Cow! parish survey revealed as we prepare to call our next rector at St. John’s.

To recap the survey results, four top goals were identified: reaching new people and welcoming them into the life of the church, attracting families with children and youth, strengthening pastoral care for people in times of need, and deepening our generosity in support of the church’s ministry.

Search Committee members have reached out to schedule with active ministry groups within the parish and are hosting congregation-wide listening sessions this Sunday, November 8, and next Sunday, November 15. The congregation-wide sessions will take place after each of the three Sunday worship services, in the Youth Room after the 8am and in the Fireside Room after the 9am and 10am. There will also be Zoom sessions scheduled for parishioners who aren’t able to attend an in-person gathering, dates and times to be announced.

Below are the questions that will frame our discussions:

• What is unique about our church?
• Why do YOU come to church here?
• As a faith-based community, where should our congregation be heading?
• What might be holding us back?
• What skills, talents and characteristics will be most important in our next rector?
• What else have we missed in this discussion that we need to consider for the next rector?
• How do we want to be challenged as a community?
• And lastly, think of a word or two that describes St John’s. We will gather these words to create a “word cloud” for our parish profile.

The information gathered in these discussions aid in the preparation of written documents that tell the story of our congregation to prospective candidates. Thank you all for your participation.

(updated 11/5/2026)