Rector Search

Update: New Rector Search

The St. Columba’s Vestry and Search Team are pleased to announce the call has been given and received to The Rev. Doctor Michael Paul Anderson to be the next Rector of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church!

Here is the official announcement form Susan Doswell, Senior Warden:

The Rev. Dr. Michael P. Anderson

My dear friends,

Praise be to God! The Reverend Doctor Michael Paul Anderson has accepted our call to be Rector of St. Columba’s. Your Search Committee and Vestry are overjoyed to present Fr. Michael to you, with January 28 being his first Sunday to celebrate The Holy Eucharist with us.

Fr. Michael comes to us from The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation in Lewisville, Texas, where he has served as Director of Ministry and, for the last few months, as Interim Rector. He has a nondenominational evangelical background. While living in Scotland in pursuit of a Masters and PhD in the study of Theology and the Arts, he was drawn to the Scottish Episcopal Church and eventually felt a clear calling to the priesthood. Overall, Fr. Michael’s story is unique, but it is his story to reveal to us over the months ahead.

He brings with him to St. Columba’s and to Camarillo his lovely wife, Francina, and four wonderful children: Lea, 12; William, 10; and twins, Lily and Elanor, 7. Since Fr. Michael grew up in San Dimas and Francina hails from Duarte, they are happy to return to Southern California. Our journey through this transition has been long, often demanding and ultimately enlightening. Let us continue, inspired by the Holy Spirit, as we prepare to welcome Fr. Michael Anderson and his family as the newest members of our parish family.

In the meantime, as we recently said “farewell” to our faithful Interim Pastor for the last fourteen months, The Reverend Canon Mark Asman, we are blessed to have The Reverend Susan Klein join us for the next two months. Susan has served us as a substitute priest on a number of occasions in recent years. If you have not had a chance to meet her, please greet her after Sunday morning service or stop by to see her in the parish office during office hours on a Tuesday or Thursday. Welcome, Susan!

In Christ’s love, Susan Doswell

For St. Columba’s, the Vestry, Transition Team, and Search Committee:

Almighty God, giver of every good gift, you have brought St. Columba’s to this important time in our history. Look graciously on us, and guide us through our search, that it may enable us to grow in commitment to one another and to the work of Christ in our community. Help us to hear your gentle voice and to be obedient to your will. Bless us in this search, that we may choose a faithful pastor to join us in our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Columba’s Search Timeline

How does the search process work and how long will the process take?

The search process involves the work of many people who work on behalf of the members of St. Columba’s to call a new rector to take the place of the Rev. Canon Greg Larkin, who retired from active ministry last June 12, 2022. With the departure of the rector, Susan Doswell, the Senior Warden, became the Chief Executive Officer for the parish. The vestry put into motion two committees to make preparations for the search process in conjunction with the vestry. The first committee is the Transition Committee. The purpose of this committee is to take input from the parish members to be used to write the “Parish Profile.” This is a document that we hope reflects the parish of St. Columba, and will be published so that prospective Rector Candidates may gain an idea of who we are and how we carry out our mission.

 

Rector Search Update – October

The Rector Search Committee is in the final stage of our process. After meeting with individual candidates at St. Columba’s, we are now beginning our final discussions to come to a consensus on who we will recommend to the Vestry as the next Rector. The full committee will make that recommendation to the Vestry mid-month. The Vestry will then make the decision on calling a new Rector and will negotiate the compensation package. We so appreciate your prayers and patience and ask you to continue praying for the Search Committee, Rector candidates, and the Vestry.

Maurice Hill, Chair

On behalf of the Rector Search Committee (Gail Amendt, Tim Helton, Norma McQuade, Diane Off, and Sarah Wigert)

Rector Search Update – September

The Rector Search Committee has reviewed candidate applications, conducted Zoom interviews, and contacted references. We met with candidates in their home church, shared a meal, and conducted further interviews. This month, individual candidates will come to St. Columba’s to meet with the Search Committee. The committee will then meet and begin our discussions to reach consensus on a recommendation for a new Rector for St. Columba’s to the Vestry. The Vestry will take it from there. We appreciate your prayers and ask you to continue praying for the Search Committee, rector candidates and the Vestry.

Maurice Hill

On behalf of the Rector Search Committee

July — Rector Search

St. Columba’s Rector search is in full swing. The Diocese gave the applicant list and associated application materials to the Rector Search Committee. The Committee is conducting its review of the application material. The next step will be a Zoom interview with those applicants the committee decides to pursue. The committee will then hold a site visit to St. Columba’s and an in-person interview with each applicant they decide to further pursue. The timing for this whole process depends on the number of applicants that the committee receives and could go into the early Fall. The Committee will culminate its work with a presentation to the Vestry of a recommended list of “finalists.” The Vestry will take it from there and will ultimately select our next Rector.

The Rector Search Flowchart has been updated—please continue your prayers for St. Columba’s, the Search Committee, and the applicants.

Rector Search Committee: Maurice Hill, Chair; Diane Off; Norma McQuade; Tim Helton; Sarah Wigert; Gail Amendt.

The Vestry and the entire parish are enormously grateful to our Transition Committee— Nancy Miller, chairperson; Jeff Chung; Marjo Gardner, Vestry representative; Lyle Hyde; and Richard Stone—for their work in conducting the Parish Survey and completing the Parish Profile. You may access the documents on our website by clicking on the “Rector Search” tab on the Munu bar above and selecting:

The second is the Search Committee. This group will receive information from the diocese for a number of prospective Rector Candidates. They will meet to discuss how they will carry out their mission under the guidelines given by the diocese.

Vestry:                                              Transition Committee                      Search Committee

Susan Doswell, Sr. Warden               Nancy Miller, Chair                            Maurice Hill, Chair

Marianne Hyde                                 Jeff Chung                                          Diane Off

Marjo Gardner                                  Lyle Hyde                                            Norma McQuade

Teri Helton, Jr. Warden                     Richard Stone                                     Tim Helton

Deborah Brown                                 Marjo Gardner                                    Sarah Wigert

Lara Tyas                                                                                                       Gail Amendt

Doug Miller

Carlos Barazza

Paul Amendt

 

June 4 — Listening Forum

After 9:30 a.m. Service in the Parish Hall

The parish met and discussed in small groups the question, “What do you think the qualities of the new rector should be?”

The results have been compiled and may be found under the tab “Parish Survey Comments.”

On Saturday, November 19, the Transition Committee hosted Story Day, at which parishioners “told their story” of what brought them to St. Columba’s. The members of the parish have also been invited to answer questions on a survey about St. Columba’s. The results of Story Day and the survey were used by the Transition Committee to write a draft of the Parish Profile. This was shared with the Vestry at a special meeting on Sunday, February 5. The Vestry suggested adding all comments made on all surveys to be included in the report. Final edits were made to the Parish Profile, and it was approved by the Vestry on March 19. It should now be ready to go to the Diocese to be published for prospective candidates to view.

For an up-to-date flowchart of the Search Process, click the following graphic. Items in GREEN are completed. Items in BLUE will be changed to GREEN when completed.