November 14, 2019
Dear St. Philip’s family,
On March 1
st
of 2020, we will hold our Annual Parish Meeting. During that meeting, we will elect the next “class” of leaders to serve on the Vestry. Effective, spiritual leadership is vitally important in the life of the church, and we need your help.
At our October meeting, the Vestry appointed Harry Gregorie (Senior Warden), Martha Freshley (Junior Warden), Dorothy Lancaster (Secretary), Penn Hagood (ex officio, non-voting), Jimmy Bailey, Guv Gottshalk, Connie Rink, and Clarke Wallace to serve as a Nominating Committee. The Committee has been appointed and approved by the Vestry to receive nominations from the congregation and to recommend a number of duly qualified candidates at our Annual Parish Meeting to fill the four openings in the next Vestry class. We are asking members of the congregation to provide the Committee with potential nominees. In addition, the Bylaws permit nominations from the floor at the Annual Meeting. Here is an outline of how that process will work:
1.
Members of the Parish submit prospective names to the Committee by email to Dorothy Lancaster (
doroathome@yahoo.com
) or the Executive Assistant to the Rector, Rachel Murphy (
rmurphy@stphilipschurchsc.org
), at the Church office. Names can be submitted from now through January 5, 2020. The following qualifications should be considered prior to submitting names.
- Per Section 5 of our Bylaws: All members of the Vestry should be confirmed members in good standing of St. Philip’s …
- Section 2 defines Members in good standing as … All members who are aged eighteen (18) or more and who have, unless for good cause prevented, (a) been faithful in Corporate worship at St. Philip’s for the previous twelve (12) months, and (b) been faithful in worship, prayer, and giving to St. Philip’s for the spread of the Kingdom of God …
2.
The Nominating Committee will assemble in January and prayerfully prioritize the list of candidates according to the needs of the Parish.
3.
The Committee will then contact potential candidates to discuss serving. Understandably, candidates often have questions about what the commitment to spiritual leadership on the Vestry requires, and we want to provide them with ample time to make that decision prayerfully.
4.
The Committee will inform the congregation of the nominees several weeks before the Annual Meeting.
If you should have any questions about the process, please do not hesitate to contact one of us, your Wardens, or any other member of the Committee. Above all, please pray for the work of the Nominating Committee, that they will seek God’s will for the leadership of the Parish, and honor Him in their recommendation to us, the Church.
Yours in Christ,
