Lawn Baptist Church

Greetings from the Pastor Search Committee

  Sunday, October 30, 2011, we presented to the congregation a report to update the church on our progress and give an idea of what is ahead.  I will try to summarize that here.

  To put things in context, it is important to consider how much God has been doing in our church these past few months. It’s incredible!

   May – Began planning for Brother Price’s Retirement

 June and July – Elected Pastor Search Committee/Trained Search Committee

 August – Price’s official resignation/retirement celebration/more training/created survey

 September - Began search for interim pastor/surveyed church/reviewed unsolicited resumes

 October –Secured interim/determined FT position and salary range/officially posted position/began review of second group of resumes – nearly 6o total to date

     In the meantime – The church has also, among other things: Conducted the mission trip; VBS; picnic; retirement celebration; started Kid’s Time; started Bible Drill; women’s conference; young men’s Bible study; Courageous movie group; Youth Glorietta trip; camps; church directory; got a playground; 40 Days small groups; paid off church building note!

     We’ve been busy! Or, more appropriately, God has been busy! And he has been faithful to see us through and keep us on track with His mission.

   The committee will soon finish an initial review of the second round of resumes we received.  After that we will:

 Narrow down the pool to those that we feel fit the criteria the church has set

 Find out more about those candidates

 Start listening to them preach

 Start visiting with them to get to know them

 Check references and backgrounds

     And, after narrowing it down to those we feel God has directed us to, begin to invite them one by one to preach at our church, meet with the church in different groups and settings, and vote.

    All of this is being done and continues to need to be done through constant prayer support.

   We will share a summary of the results from the survey you participated in during September. I realized that we hadn’t really shared that information except briefly during a business meeting. But we want to let everyone have a chance to hear.

   Thank you for your prayers. We are moving forward and we are right on track. If you’ve ever built a house or had one remodeled, then you know how everything moves quickly at first. Then it seems to slow down inexplicably as you get into drywall and other processes. But after that the pace picks up again and before you know it, you’re in! Well, we are into those drywall stages. So don’t lose heart.

 Steve Stogsdill,     Pastor Search Committee