Our Search Nears the End!

Saint Paul's Search Committee first met last July 2004. Members selected for the search committee were:
Courtney Brockman (now Mrs. Courtney Warner), Bob Clunie, Anne Hubbard, Barbara Marks, Carol Schutz, Linda Turner and Bill Baker.
    Originally The Reverend Jim Thomas  was appointed as their advisor, by the diocese of El Camino Real. Jim worked faithfully with the committee for several months and then the task was turned over to our new Assisting Bishop, Sylvestre Romero, who had just arrived in  December 2004.
    Early in 2005, The Reverend Nancy Miller was employed by the diocese as the Deployment Officer of El Camino Real. Nancy Miller was a thorough, consistent and compassionate advisor throughout our search.
    One of the major tasks of the Search committee was to write and publish profiles for our parish, community and prospective rector. This essential task required many hours over many weeks.
    The committee then registered with the national deployment office of the Episcopal Church in New York City and the church's computers generated names of potential priests that seemed to meet the requirements of our profiles. The names of candidates were sent to the diocese and then delivered to the committee by our advisor, Nancy Miller. We likewise had many candidates that heard of our opening through our web site and friends, who also applied.
    Next the committee spent many hours and meetings researching the nominations and narrowing the field down to the prospects that we felt were best suited to St. Paul's needs.
    Many factors came into play. The small community and cost of living in Cambria, and the size of our church and it's needs. The committee also determined, from our Parish neighborhood questionnaire meetings, what we thought our members wanted in a new rector.  Eventually we narrowed our search down to four candidates.
    On Friday, July 8th, our deacon, The Reverend Gay Blundell, officiated at a well planned and thoughtful Thanksgiving Communion at which time the Search Committee offered the four candidates to the Vestry. Following the communion, the search members and the vestry met in the Library where the packets of the candidates were given to each vestry member and informal discussions followed.
    Regretfully search member Bob Clunie left our committee because of his 24/7 obligations at his Moonstone Beach motel. The committee appreciates the time he was able to devote to us.
    The committee worked tirelessly and were sincerely devoted to their task. The church was blessed to have Courtney, Anne, Barbara, Linda, and Carol serving the church's needs so diligently, for the past year. It was my pleasure serving as their Chairman. I also thank my friend Richard Moratin for his endless snacks and lunches that he surprised us with and on occasion his suggestions when he felt we might be wandering off course.
    We wish our candidates the best of luck and ask your prayers for our Vestry during their important decision making time on behalf of all of us at St. Paul's.

                    ~Bill Baker, retired chairman