Pastor Nominating Committee

Morningside Presbyterian Church has been seeking a Senior Pastor due to the retirement of Rev. Joanna M. Adams, and the Pastor Nominating Committee has written us with wonderful news — there will be a Congregational Meeting after worship on Sunday, November 28, to learn about — and vote on — the candidate the PNC is recommending to be our next Pastor (watch your email on Monday, November 29 for a special edition of eNews@Morningside with information about the candidate). As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year, join us in thanking God for leading and guiding us in every step of this process. As the Psalmist said, "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" Hope to see you on November 28 as we take this next step into Morningside's future!

Throughout the process, information on this page has been provided as a way to keep our members and friends informed of our process and progress, and you may still find reading about the process interesting and informative. You will want to read the Minute Message delivered by Martin Dunlap, PNC Chair, to the Congregation on Sunday, June 27, and either read or listen to the update provided by Jennye Guy, PNC member, on Sunday, October 24.

The chart below (click here for larger and clearer copy) details the steps in our search for our Senior Pastor and where we are and have been in the process. While we couldn't use it to estimate how long the search process would take (some steps took longer than others), it kept us aware of the ongoing process.

PNCStep7Chart

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q:	*What does PNC stand for?*
A:	Pastor Nominating Committee. The Morningside PNC was elected in November 2009 by the Congregation to search for a Senior Pastor to be presented to it at a subsequent date.
Q:	*What is a CIF and a PIF?*
A:	CIF is an abbreviation for the Church Information Form. This is the document that describes MPC to potential candidates for our Senior Pastor vacancy, and also describes the qualities and characteristics we are looking for in a pastor. A PIF is a Personal Information Form and contains the information that a traditional resume would have. It is the document that we will receive from candidates interested in the position or who have been matched to us through the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Church Leadership Connection.
Q:	*How long will this take?*
A:	The Presbyterian Church (USA) determines the process we must follow in selection our next pastor. Throughout the process, we must follow the guidelines provided by the Book of Order and consult with our local presbytery. In fact, the PNC is assigned a representative from the Committee on Ministry (COM) to aid us through this process. All of this is designed to allow a fair and open search process and allow sufficient time for prayer and discernment. As a result, there is no set timetable.
Q:	*Can I email suggested candidates to the PNC?*
A:	Yes. Suggested candidate names can be emailed to the PNC at morningsidepnc@gmail.com.
Q:	*Will we be able to find out who the PNC is considering?*
A:	Due to the confidential nature of a pastoral search, the PNC will only present one candidate to the Congregation and cannot disclose other candidates that may be considered. If the candidate presented to the Congregation is not acceptable, the PNC will continue the search process.
Q:	*What can I do to help?*
A:	The most important thing you can do to help is to pray for the members of the PNC, as they discern God’s will for MPC and consider potential candidates. Also, you can email the names of suggested candidates to morningsidepnc@gmail.com.

Contact Us:

To contact the Morningside PNC, email the entire committee at morningsidepnc@gmail.com.

PNC Process Timeline We are on step 5							8	INSTALLATION: MPC holds an installation service for the new Senior Pastor. Thanks be to God!
						7	NOMINATION: Call Congregational Meeting and vote on recommended candidate. Obtain approval from Presbytery of Greater Atlanta on call.
					6	INTERVIEW & SELECTION: Personally interview top candidates. Confidentially visit top candidates at their churches or other locations where they may be preaching. Make reference calls on top candidates. Conduct multiple in-depth conversations and visit with finalist(s). Pray and discuss candidates. Confer with Presbytery of Greater Atlanta to extend a call to one candidate.
				5	REVIEW: Prayerfully evaluate each Personal Information Form (PIF) received. Review additional information on select candidates including attending sermons or reviewing audio/video sermons. Conduct telephone interviews of select candidates.
			4	SEARCH: The CIF is posted on the national Presbytery website and the search is advertised to potential prospects. Recommendations are sought from the Congregation and other external sources. An e-mail address is set up for recommendations from Congregation and others. Follow-up contacts are made on referrals and further networking for recommendations.
		3	DRAFT CIF: Write Church Information Form (CIF). This document will state the mission of MPC as well as describe the accomplishments of the church. The CIF also sets forth the qualifications and characteristics that are sought in our next Senior Pastor. At the end of this step, the CIF will be presented to the Session for approval and to the COM.
	2	CONSULT & LEARN: Begin regular meetings. Receive and review report from Transition Team. Meet with members of Morningside staff to discuss priorities. Review and discuss PCUSA Handbook On Calling a Pastor.
1	ORGANIZATION: Committee members are nominated by the MPC Transition Team and elected by the Congregation. Initial meeting with representative from the Committee on Ministry (COM) of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta.