Interim Search Committee Report

Important Abbreviations:

PIF     Persona Information Form

ISC     Interim Search Committee

IP       Interim Pastor

COM   Committee on Ministry

ISC Members: Kathryn Quickert, Melinda Jones, Richard Holt, Tamra Hollenbeck and co-chairs Ellen Kross and Lavonne Bullis.

Now that our job is complete, the following is a review of all that happened.

Nick Raisis, our liaison with the COM, acquired four PIFs of prospective IP's from Presbytery in the second week of July. Roberta Henry made copies for each member of the ISC and they were in our hands Sunday, July 8th. Tuesday, July 10th, we first met to discuss the information in the PIFs and to plan our work. Four committee members each took a PIF. They contacted the pastor listed regarding his desire to work with a church such as ours and checked out as many references as possible by email or phone (co-workers, parishioners and pastors who followed their internships).

Next, we met to discuss our findings and the questions that arose from that. We listened to or watched CDs and tapes from sermons from three of the candidates. The next Sunday, three ICS members went to Portola Valley Presbyterian Church to hear the fourth candidate in person.

Next we met to discuss our reactions and experiences. We planned which candidates we wanted to interview in person. Two interviews were set up. We drew up a list of questions to ask the candidates. our ingenious Ellen compiled a job description especially for an IP. It included requirements from the Book of Order and those portions of the current session approved job description for our regular pastor that were applicable to an IP. Roberta supplied copies of our last Mission Study and other information requested by the candidates.

The interviews were amazing as the candidates were interviewing us as well, each vitally interested in our past history, what is currently happening, as well as where we hope to go next.

The second interview was followed by a discussion of the attributes of each and which would fit our church the best. Reverend L. Don Smith was our unanimous choice. The final steps were 1 - to meet with him one more time after he accepted our invitation (this is not considered a call of a pastor, but is instead an invitation to be hired by the session) to discuss the details of his contract with us.

Bill Quickert, representing the Financial Trustees, met with us. The terms are the same financially as we had with Reverend John Lee with some changes in vacation time, etc. and 2 - to be approved by the Session on August 19th, 2008.

We find Reverend L. Don Smith to be a kind, wise, calm and caring man with extensive experience as an IP, whom we feel will be an excellent fit for our church as we prepare for a new permanent pastor.

Many thanks to Nick Raisis, not only for acquiring the PIFs but also for continually gathering information from Presbytery during the process, and for being at all of our meetings to offer advice as needed. We couldn't have done it without you, Nick!

And many thanks to all the committee members for their avid interest and tireless energy put into this project! The COM was amazed that we could accomplish what we did in the short time it seemed to take and to be so sure of what we wanted. I am positive that God was guiding our actions and decisions - we felt it all the way.

Respectfully submitted,

Lavonne Bullis

Another committee will be needed to review and refresh the Mission Study and our Church Information Form (CIF), and then a Pastor Nominating Committee will begin the search for a permanent pastor for Bethany. The session is committed to moving this process along as quickly as possible, and we will keep you updated on the progress of the various steps. If you are asked to serve on one of these committees, please prayerfully consider saying yes.

Let's keep the spirit moving!

Keep checking back here for progress updates.

Hello, I'm Glad to Meet You

My name is Don Smith. I'm an Intentional Interim Pastor. My work at Bethany will be the tenth time of ministry in the "in-between" period. That's in-between installed pastors.

There were two regular pastorates over 20 years in Northern California and then in 1983, I went to Mono County for my first experience of Interim Pastoring. Since then I've been in Southern California, Lincoln, Nebraska and Brooklyn, New York.

It's been a great ride. Sometimes I've wondered what Christ was doing with me, but it's always been the right place at the right time.

There's more to me than work. I have two children in the Chico area, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren that I love to visit. My wife Lori will stay at our home base in Tracy (Central Valley) until we can decide where to settle in for the long haul as I continue my specialty. I'm sure you'll have a chance to meet her form time to time. I'll go to Tracy on my days off and Lori will visit me in San Bruno, so it won't be a usual long-distance marriage.

I was born in Oakland and so being in the West Bay is almost like coming home. Looking at rentals over the last weeks made me remember the house I grew up in with  the basement, the garage on one level and the living space on another. There was also a difference. We used to sit out on the front porch in the evening, saying hello to the neigh ors as they walked by heading home after work.

I love libraries and collect stamps. One of my favorite authors is Stephen King. I hold membership in two professional Interim Ministry organizations, have gone through Presbyterian Interim Training twice and I am a member of the Company of Pastors, a group that accepts a study strategy of daily reading of scripture, review of the Book of Confessions and Book of Order and daily prayer.

Over the next few months, my articles will center on what the interim period is all about, the five developmental steps that form a type of curriculum we'll follow while I'm here, and will include answers to questions you raise with me about this time we're together.

The first week of September, I will be moving my library into the office and getting settles. After that, my office hours will ordinarily be from 9 am to noon Monday through Friday. Again, ordinarily, I will be off from Friday noon through Saturday, but you will have a cell phone number with which you can contact me during that time if there is an emergency.

Afternoons are generally used for calling, hospital visitation and meetings. I do want to know when someone goes to the hospital. I have found in other parishes that often people don't assume that and are surprised to hear it. I hope that's not the case in San Bruno. If you don't want me visiting you at home, say so and we can arrange to have coffee at a restaurant or maybe go to a park for a visit. But I am a pastor that is not content just to meet people on Sunday mornings. If I am going to be your pastor, we need to know each other.

I am very easy about who I marry, but expect to have at least three counseling sessions with both partners in the ceremony beforehand. After the first session I will say whether I'm willing to officiate.

I prefer Memorial Services to Funerals, but in the latter case I expect the casket to be closed while the service is in progress.

This may be more information than you want, but I find it's best to get everything out in the open rather than have it come up as a surprise.

Now, how do I learn about you? We'll have time to talk at Fellowship time, but I would be glad to come to dinner, or if you want, to arrange a Sunday afternoon coffee time in your home and invite a few congregants to come, that would also be a way of getting to know you all.

Now that we've started the process, let's look to see what the Lord will do with us.

L. Don Smith
Pastor for the Interim