Thank you to everyone who participated on the Rector Search Committee Town Hall Update on February 1, and to all who raised questions. A copy of the presentation and a recording of the Town Hall may be viewed here.
The Self-Study & Writing stage is essentially complete. The Parish Profile and OTM (Office of Transition Ministry) Community Portfolio documents are ready for Vestry review. We will let you know when the Profile is available on our website. We have done preparatory work for the Search & Discernment stage, such as developing criteria and key questions, and identifying people to invite to apply when the search goes live. We will report more about the process when there is something to report.
Please continue to speak with Search Committee members and reach out to us on with your thoughts and questions.
The Commissioning of the Rector Search Committee, Sunday, August 24, 2025
On Sunday, February 1, 2026, Liza Page Nelson and Keith Rook, co-chairs, and the Rector Search Committee hosted a Town Hall to share details about the search process for St. Bart's fourteenth rector.
Rector Search FAQ
Additional FAQs will be added as we move through the process.
What is the "pitch" to a prospective rector? Why choose St. Bart's over other big churches?
We haven't developed a "pitch" because we're not "selling" St. Bart's. We're telling St. Bart's story through the Parish Profile: who we are, what we value, the key challenges we face, and the future we hope for. We trust that the right priest will recognize her/him/themself in our story, see opportunity, and sense God already at work among us. It’s about discerning a mutual call rather than choosing us over another church.
What are the big opportunities for the next rector?
We believe that telling St. Bart's story through the Parish Profile invites people to identify the opportunities that resonate most strongly for them, which is part of the mutual discernment in the first question. Rather than present a "top 3 to 5" list, we've left space for people to see and imagine things we did not.
What about the waiting period while we wait and candidates wait? What about their present jobs?
During the search, candidates continue fully in their present roles. They remain committed to their churches while quietly exploring whether this might be their next call. For us, we continue as we have been, with our wonderful team of clergy and lay staff. It’s a season of waiting, praying, and discerning — doing today’s work well while trusting God with what comes next.
What can I do to help the search committee and the vestry?
Please pray for the rector search committee and the vestry. Share the news that St. Bart’s is searching for a new rector with your friends and acquaintances, and encourage potential candidates to apply once the search goes live. Finally, please continue to support the church during this transition period by giving joyously and generously of your time, talent and monetary treasure.
If I have any other questions regarding the search process, whom should I contact?
Please send your questions to , or ask one of the members of the rector search committee directly. The members are: Liza Page Nelson and Keith Rook (co-chairs), Sarah Bessey, David Budd, Scott Compton, Mariel Glover, David Hilder, Bob Kiely, Elizabeth Min, Kari Parks, Karen Raven, Keith Reinhard, Jeremy Russell, and Alice Yurke