On Sunday, April 15th after the 10:30 service, a congregational meeting will be moderated by Rev. Emily Chudy and Rev. Tim Black, co-pastors of Central Presbyterian Church, Downingtown. The congregation will be required to vote on whether to extend a permanent pastoral call to Rev. Hagler, as he is coming to the end of the 4-year Designated Pastor call. As a Designated Pastor, he has been performing the functions of a Pastor, while allowing him and the congregation the time to determine if this relationship will become permanent.
As reported at the Annual Congregational Meeting, the Session decided on a timeline for the process leading up to our vote on whether to extend a long-term call to Rev. Hagler or whether to move on to a new search process while Rev. Hagler does the same. Here is that timeline, from beginning to end, as well as some thoughts on why the vote is being conducted in this manner. Questions about this process may be presented to Session at any regularly scheduled meeting on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
January 28th: Lew Osterhoudt reported to the congregation on the progress of the Coaching and Equipping Team over the past year and explained that it would now become an ongoing accountability group for the Pastor as a sub-committee of Personnel. Kevin Carrabine then presented this timeline to the congregation with some explanation and invited any initial questions anyone might have.
February 21st: The Coaching and Equipping Team will meet again, this time focusing on discussion of the Designated Pastor job description and any related issues.
February 24th: Rev. Hagler will lead us in the annual Leadership Retreat for Deacons and Elders. Among other things, we will look at the position description for Designated Pastor. We will also, as always, have time to learn about and discuss FPC’s past, present and future ministries.
February 27th: The Session will meet to vote upon a final position description for Pastor. Session will also vote on a recommendation to bring to the congregation in April, either to extend a long-term call to Rev. Hagler or to move forward with a new search process while Rev. Hagler does the same. (This discussion will be moderated by a representative of Presbytery)
March 1st: This timeline will be published in the March Perspective.
March 11th: Session will host a congregational forum on the future of the congregation, after a meal together. At this forum, the Session will share our recommendation that was voted upon on the 27th.
April 1st (Easter Sunday): The Perspective monthly newsletter will include an article written by the Session, presenting the recommendation for the congregational meeting to be voted upon. We will also share some of our deliberation and the reasons behind the recommendation we make.
April 15th: At a congregational meeting moderated Rev. Jane DeFord, our Presbytery liaison, the congregation will vote on Session’s recommendation.
Please plan on attending and having your vote count!
