The Discernment and Call of the Seventh Rector:
A Report from the Search Committee
The Rev. April Berends, Rector-Elect
How Do You Say Grace With Us?
As part of the parish profile we included a section on How Do You Say Grace with Us? Our statement read as follows:
We are looking for a rector with a playful spirit but a deep personal conviction and spirituality - a priest who will walk alongside us as we develop our own spirituality and help us to discern our call. Moreover, we seek a rector who empowers the laity to use their special gifts in service to the Lord.
We seek a rector who facilitates our efforts to connect with each other and with our neighborhood, our community, and the world. We are looking for a rector who has the leadership skills to ask and listen, in order to hear how God is already at work in the world ahead of us, and who manages the parish in a fashion that allows us to participate in God's mission.
Perhaps one of the best ways to see how well our candidate fits this description is to look at the responses the references gave to the question of what are 3 words that you would use to describe April and her ministry? These references are people she has worked with in various parishes as well as fellow clergy, and their 3 words include the following: thoughtful, collaborative, teacher, authentic, compassionate, really smart, caring, warm, inclusive, intentional, relational and communicator. These words also capture the reactions of the Search Committee and connect well with the type of person we are seeking.
Our candidate appreciated the way we described our challenges as opportunities for ministry. She has experience in cultivating stewardship practices that help to mitigate financial concerns while helping members of the parish discern their gifts. She has experience dealing with conflict, taking care that all voices are heard and respected. She also speaks about the Ignatian practice of reflecting on where we see God in our lives, an essential characteristic of a missional church.
In short, our candidate has the skill set necessary to establish sound relationships within the parish and an ability to call out and support the gifts of the members of our parish to the betterment of the parish and the neighborhood.
As part of the parish profile we included a section on How Do You Say Grace with Us? Our statement read as follows:
We are looking for a rector with a playful spirit but a deep personal conviction and spirituality - a priest who will walk alongside us as we develop our own spirituality and help us to discern our call. Moreover, we seek a rector who empowers the laity to use their special gifts in service to the Lord.
We seek a rector who facilitates our efforts to connect with each other and with our neighborhood, our community, and the world. We are looking for a rector who has the leadership skills to ask and listen, in order to hear how God is already at work in the world ahead of us, and who manages the parish in a fashion that allows us to participate in God's mission.
Perhaps one of the best ways to see how well our candidate fits this description is to look at the responses the references gave to the question of what are 3 words that you would use to describe April and her ministry? These references are people she has worked with in various parishes as well as fellow clergy, and their 3 words include the following: thoughtful, collaborative, teacher, authentic, compassionate, really smart, caring, warm, inclusive, intentional, relational and communicator. These words also capture the reactions of the Search Committee and connect well with the type of person we are seeking.
Our candidate appreciated the way we described our challenges as opportunities for ministry. She has experience in cultivating stewardship practices that help to mitigate financial concerns while helping members of the parish discern their gifts. She has experience dealing with conflict, taking care that all voices are heard and respected. She also speaks about the Ignatian practice of reflecting on where we see God in our lives, an essential characteristic of a missional church.
In short, our candidate has the skill set necessary to establish sound relationships within the parish and an ability to call out and support the gifts of the members of our parish to the betterment of the parish and the neighborhood.
Discernment Overview
WORSHIP AND COMMUNION
According to our parish survey almost half of the people chose worship/communion as the most important aspect of their involvement at Grace, while over 80% placed it among their top five.
CONNECTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING
In our mission statement, we say that Grace is "open to and respecting all who would come."
LAY PARTICIPATION
Grace is a very active, lively church, which provides many opportunities for our laity to be involved.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
At Grace, we believe that Christian formation at all ages involves learning, experiencing, embracing and retelling the Christian story in a contemporary way, bringing new meaning to ancient truths.
According to our parish survey almost half of the people chose worship/communion as the most important aspect of their involvement at Grace, while over 80% placed it among their top five.
- April has been described as having a warm and welcoming presence at the altar.
- She is a good liturgist and a wonderful singer.
- April shared communion with the committee and many felt a very strong connection there.
- She is intentional in including children in the Eucharist
CONNECTION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
- April’s former parish was an affiliate of Common Ground of Southeastern Wisconsin, a community organizing group that addressed important issues in the community.
- As a gardener, she appreciates the gardens and the way we have opened those to the community.
- She is a proponent of relational ministry, taking the time to get to know people to discover where their heart is for engaging justice issues and reaching out to our neighbors.
- Her current parish is building relationships within the local Muslim community.
INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING
In our mission statement, we say that Grace is "open to and respecting all who would come."
- She was drawn to Grace because of our sense of radical welcome and inclusion of LGBT persons.
- While serving on the Standing Committee in the Diocese of Milwaukee, she helped lead a process wherein all of the parishes of the diocese held conversations about same-sex unions. Through the work of the committee, same-sex marriage is now permitted in that diocese.
- April helped to develop a newcomer ministry in her previous parish to engage new members and help to integrate them into the life of the congregation.
LAY PARTICIPATION
Grace is a very active, lively church, which provides many opportunities for our laity to be involved.
- According to one of her references, her greatest strength is getting people involved... to help them move along in their faith journey.
- Again, the Shepherding Team mentioned above illustrates her commitment to lay involvement.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
At Grace, we believe that Christian formation at all ages involves learning, experiencing, embracing and retelling the Christian story in a contemporary way, bringing new meaning to ancient truths.
- In developing a Christian Formation program, April believes that we should first find out where peoples interests and hungers are.
- April appreciates the current programs at Grace (such as Grace Speaks) and thinks we should supplement that with other opportunities for spiritual practice and growth.
