As noted below, we had our last (huzzah!) Official Rector Search Committee meeting last night. Which means we nominated a candidate to present to the Vestry for their approval.

Next Wednesday, we go to the Vestry (huzzah!) and present the candidate’s credentials and, after many questions, they will hopefully vote to extend a call to the candidate in question, and enter into contract negotiations and all that. Since I’m on the Vestry and the Senior Warden is an ex officio member of the Search Committee, there’s two votes right there. I don’t actually expect any problems or controversy or anything (huzzah!).

After the vote for the nomination, I pulled out a bottle of champagne from a little picnic carrier I’d brought with me. It was a fitting and appreciated moment.

It’s a great group of people — ten of us left after the thirteen-plus months we’ve been meeting weekly. Different personalities, different talents, different goals for a new rector, but all of us ultimately pulling together for the good of the parish and in camaraderie with each other. Where we’ve had hard decisions (and there have been several), they’ve not been as hard as initially feared. Attribute that to good group dynamics, the working of the Spirit, or some combination thereof, as you will. And I believe the reward for our efforts will be what the new rector does for the parish over the next several years.

And … it’ll be nice to have Wednesday nights back. Until the next thing I volunteer for, of course …