Pastor Search Team Update

• January 5,2025

  The Search for a pastor begins....

  The PST met for a planning meeting on Sunday January 5th, 2025

  11:30am

      The Pastor Search Team planning meeting was opened with prayer for the Lord’s guidance. The team plans to meet with Alex Gonzales from STBC on Thursday January 16th for assistance in our search parameters. 

      The team discussed the composition of a new job description for pastor and expressed the importance of allowing God to guide the team in their search and to stay in prayer for our church and for our pastor search team as well as the importance of praying for our future pastor and his family. Above all the Holy Spirit should be allowed to guide the team. 

  The meeting was adjourned and closed the meeting with a prayer for the Lord’s guidance. 

  Respectfully submitted, 

  Team Scribe

   

• January 16,2025

  SBTC rep attends

  After opening in prayer, guest speaker Alex Gonzalez from SBTC was introduced. He presented the team members with handbooks to guide them in the steps of a pastor search and discussed ways that SBTC could assist New Heritage in their search. In our up coming meeting the team will discuss ways to involve the church body in our pastor search. The meeting was closed in prayer.

  Respectfully submitted,

  Team Scribe

• January 29,2025

  Pastoral Profile Congregational Survey

  6:26pm Meeting called to order by Team Chairman and seconded

  The team discussed the questions on the Pastoral Profile Congregational Survey and the Congregational Health Assessment. A few changes in wording were made, and a few questions were added. All were accepted by the team.
  They will be printed and distributed to the congregation this Sunday, February 1st.
  The team agreed that when we discuss the Church profile we should use the date that NHBC started.
  The team also agreed that the Bylaws needed to be revised.

  Next meeting, Wednesday February 12, 2025 6pm at NHBC.

  The meeting was adjourned at 7:10pm by the Chairman and seconded by the Co-chair. All agreed.

  Respectfully Submitted, Team Scribe

• February 12,2025

  Survey Results

  Meeting was called to order at 6:15 by the Chairman Minutes from previous meeting was approved. Progress report was given by the Chairman and agenda for this meeting.  Primary focus: The Three Profiles -The Community Profile -The Church Profile -The Pastor Profile The team received surveys from the congregation, and these were very helpful in creating the Pastor Profile. Much of the meeting was spent in reading these surveys. The team will also need input from the Transition Team. The Chairman has already requested salary range and job description for pastor.  Team members divided up responsibilities so profiles will be done quickly, and we will finalize them at the next meeting on Wed Feb 26th, 2025 We closed with a prayer. Meeting was adjourned at 7:27pm.

• February 26,2025

  Profiles

  Meeting was opened in prayer. Chairman opened the meeting at 6:15. Minutes of the previous meeting were approved. The team discussed the need for and updated job description for pastor and the possibility that the team may have to take on that responsibility.
  The team discussed the progress of the profiles. The Community Profile is completed and was shared with the group. It was approved pending the addition of a paragraph regarding the road expansion. Another member with access to that information agreed to assist.
  The Church Profile is finished and will be shared with the group in the next meeting.
  The Pastor Profile is almost finished and will be shared with the group in the next meeting.
  The Chairman shared that the church Leadership is searching for an Interim Pastor.
  The team spoke with a representative from SBTC via phone.
  The meeting was closed with a prayer and the meeting was adjourned at 8pm. Next meeting will be Wed. March 12, 2025.
  Respectfully submitted,
  Team Scribe

• March 12,2025

  Pay discussed and Profiles completed

  The meeting was called to order at 6:08pm and opened with a prayer. Previous minutes were approved. The head of the finance committee gave the team a brief report regarding money available to pay a pastor. The team moved on to our present project of completing the three profiles. The Church Profile was finished and read to the team. It was approved as is. The Pastor Profile was completed and read to the team. It was approved with one small change and a typo correction. The team wanted to include the passages from the Bible that describe the qualifications for a pastor. The next meeting will be on Wednesday March 26. We were closed in prayer and the meeting was adjourned at 7:26pm.

• March 26,2025

  Finalizing job posting

  The meeting was called to order at 6:00pm by the Chairman. We opened the meeting in prayer. Previous minutes were approved. The Chairman presented the posting of a pastor position for NHBC. It was discussed. Several corrections or changes were made and the final result was approved by all committee members. Posting will start within the next two weeks in several online bulletin boards. Final date for resumes to be accepted is two months. The next meeting will be on Wednesday May 7th. We were closed in prayer. The meeting was adjourned at 8:05pm.

  Respectfully submitted, Team Scribe

• May 7,2025

  Resumes
  The team has received several resumes for the position of pastor for NHBC. There are still a few weeks until the cut-off time to receive resumes. At that time we will notify the congregation that the team is beginning to consider the resumes. Thank you for your patience during this process.

   

  Team Scribe

   

• June 8,2025

  letters to pastoral candidates

  Meeting Minutes Sunday June 8 @ 9:50am Subject: discussion on letters to pastoral candidates Meeting opened at 9:50 by committee chairman. Members decided to send a more detailed letter and copies of profiles and job description to the top three candidates. This letter will include: Salary Part time to full time Size of church Most urgent need (church revitalization) With this letter will be sent the three profiles, job description, mission statement, church budget, information about current ministries and lay leadership, and access to the church website. Another letter will be sent to applicants who are no longer being considered thanking them for their application and wishing them luck in their future endeavors. Respectfully submitted, Team Scribe

• June 28, 2025

  The top 3

   Meeting was called to order at 6:30pm by the Chairman followed by an opening prayer. Minutes from the previous meeting were approved. The Chairman gave us a review of the search process so far. There was a discussion of top 3 candidates. We discussed a letter to these top candidates including salary. Profiles and a job description will be sent with these letters to see if they are still interested in the position of Bi-vocational Pastor. In addition, letters will be sent to the remaining candidates to let them know we have chosen our top three candidates and to thank them for their interest in the position. There was a discussion of a questionnaire for the 3 candidates, if they are still interested. Members were asked to submit 5 questions each to make up a 20 item questionnaire at the next meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Wed July 2nd at 6pm. Closing prayer. Adjourned at 7:20pm

• July 2,2025

  questions to send top 3

  Opening prayer at 6:10 Meeting called to order by Chairman at 6:33 Approval of previous meeting minutes. Discussion of questions to send to top three candidates for bi-vocational pastor for NHBC. Scribe Will collate questions and send to team members. Letters cannot be sent to candidates until Finance Committee delivers information on salary so next meeting will be July 30th after the Finance Committee meets. Meeting was adjourned by Chairman at 7:33. Respectfully submitted, Team Scribe

• August 17,2025

  Discussion of top candidate

  Pastor Search Committee Sunday Aug 17th Meeting opened at 1206 with an opening prayer. Previous meeting minutes were read and accepted with the following amendment: Amendment to PSC meeting notes of July 2, 2025 Meeting scheduled for July 30th was cancelled and rescheduled for Sunday Aug 17th at noon. Discussion of top candidate for bi-vocational pastor of NHBC. Resume was provided to team members. Candidate is in the process of answering questions posed by team members in writing. Chairman will check professional references provided in resume. Team scribe will contact personal references when provided by candidate. Each team member will submit two questions to team scribe for consideration to be asked during in-person interview with candidate. Meeting adjourned at 12:46. Closed in prayer. Next meeting to be determined.

• September 4,2025

  Candidate discussions

  Meeting was called to order at 6:23 pm with an opening prayer. 

  All members approved the minutes from the previous meeting.
  The Chairman gave a report on the resume and education references contacted. All references contacted agreed with the resume given to NHBC by candidate. Background check showed no issues.
  Team scribe gave report on personal references. All references were excellent.
  Committee discussed the answers to the 21 questions given to candidate. All team members felt the answers were thorough and Biblical.
  The team discussed an additional concern.
  Committee voted on continuing with this candidate. All team members were in favor of continuing with the present candidate.
  Chairman sent team members a website with a list of possible questions for the oral interview. There is also a list in the PSC Handbook. All members are to select two questions to ask during the oral interview and send them to the team scribe. A list will be made using these questions for the interview.
  Chairman will attempt to set up a meeting with the candidate the week of September 21st.
  Meeting was closed with prayer at 7:19pm.

  Addendum:
  The in person interview is set for Friday September 26th at 6pm.
  Questions need to be to scribe by Friday September 12th.