Conference Minister Search Continues In Person

Jim French, Search Committee Member

The Conference Minister Search Committee has been engaged in the most difficult part of the entire process: narrowing down from our field of selected candidates for an in-person interview round. This phase of discernment is challenging because our initial group of candidates were all gifted, faithful leaders in our church, and all quite different from one another as well. At this time, after a lengthy process of prayerful deliberation, we have released all but two candidates from our search.

In these months, as we are bound by confidentiality not to report many details, we'd like to offer reflections from each of our Search Committee members about their experience of serving. This month, we hear from Jim French of Partridge Community Church in Partridge, Kansas.

- Rev. Rachael Pryor, Committee Chair

Jim writes: Other than a 7 year hiatus while pursuing university degrees, I have had a relationship of sorts with the Partridge Community Church UCC and the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference. In the 1960's I attended camp and was a member of the Conference Youth Council. In the 80's I served as a delegate and once as music leader to the Annual Meeting. Twice during the past 40 years, I had the opportunity to be part of our local church pastoral searches working closely with the Conference Minister. Now, I have the privilege of being part of the search committee for a new Conference Minister. It is such a pleasure and honor to be part of this process. I love working with such committed women and men listening closely for the "still-speaking" voice to guide our decisions.