When a church is faced with the fact that their present minister is retiring, changing to a new position, or making a career change, and they must find a replacement, it is a confusing and frightening phase of the church's life. Churches in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches give the difficult job of finding a replacement minister to 8 - 12 members of their church. The average span of time it takes to complete this work is 12 to 18 months.

So, how does the search committee go about their work? They must first elect a chair. The chair's first duty is to call the NACCC office and speak with the administrative assistant, Tressa Stein, in the Division for Ministry to set up access to the church’s profile. Along with setting up a profile for Ministers to view, she will give you access to many helpful documents for your committee, the Search Committee Handbook written for NA churches, and an extended list of interview question for your committee to choose from. You will also be able to access a list of available Interim Ministers.

If you need assistance from the Executive for the Division for Ministry you can contact the Rev. Dr. Thomas Richard. Dr. Richard will discuss your church's needs and situation with you by phone or e-mail. The office phone number is 414.764.1620 and his e-mail address is listed on the staff page. A personal visit may also be arranged if your search committee needs assistance.

The next step for your committee is to complete a Church Information Form (CIF). The CIF is completed securely online and posted to the www.naccc.org website on the Pastorates and Pulpits page. Only persons with NA Ministerial access can view the full Church Information Form. A fully completed form is an excellent way to introduce yourself to seeking ministers and help them to prayerfully decide if they feel that you and they would be a good fit.

Ministers in our Association also create their own online profile form. Interested candidates can submit their Minister’s Information Form (MIF) to your search committee members through the secure online process along with an introduction letter. The need for confidentiality is great to protect the lives of those candidates that apply. This information must not be shared outside your committee.

The church vacancies are listed in three avenues. On our NA website on the "Pastorates and Pulpits" page located at http://www.naccc.org/DFM/MinisterialOpportunities.htm, ministers can also choose to be notified about church openings through e-mail notifications, and open positions in churches are published in the NACCC magazine "The Congregationalist." 

The church should respond to the candidates that show interest in their vacancy. The handbook has suggested letters to let the candidate know whether or not there is interest in them as a possibility for candidacy.

For many churches, this is a good time to take stock in what changes have taken place in the lives of the congregation and in the church. Surveys should be sent out to the congregation to see what the most important attributes are in the new minister and what direction they want the church to head. This information is very helpful to the search committee in verifying that the candidates match up to the needs and desires of the church.

At the NACCC Annual Meeting each year, there is a Pastoral Interview Office available so churches can schedule interviews with candidates that are also attending the annual meeting. It is beneficial for both the church and candidate because they can each have the freedom to interview with many without added time and expense. Many churches have found their minister in this way. The office is available by appointment throughout the entire annual meeting. To schedule an appointment you would contact Tressa either before the annual meeting or once you arrive for available time slots. You can also have posted on the Division for Ministry display that your committee is present and would be available to meet interested candidates for an informal interview session.

Search Committee members give a great deal of time and energy to the search process.  It done well, the entire search may take twelve to eighteen months.  It is important that the congregation remain patient and trusting during this confidential process.  If the congregation and committee let the process work it will work well for you. 

Remember: Help is a phone call or e-mail away to the Division for Ministry Office of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. Tom and Tressa are happy to help you throughout your entire search process.