The Search Committee tasked with hiring a Conference Minister has been hard at work over the past six weeks. We have advertised in the Mennonite press, and reached out to constituency groups, seminaries and conference leaders to collect names and contact potential candidates.

One of the challenges for our recruitment process is that many have not heard about the exciting Gathered and Sent initiatives we’ve been working at over the past few years, particularly our intentionality in healing relationships and developing a sense of mission together. The impression that we often encounter is that our primary energy is directed towards internal conflict rather than our joint mission. This is where you come in: Please spread the word on social media and in conversation that good things are happening in the Conference right now, and this is a good place to be! Paula Snyder Belousek , chair of the committee, spoke about this on an episode of Ohio Conference Cast and encourages you to share this with others:  https://ohiomennoniteconference.org/2018/04/getting-the-word-out-ohio-conference-is-a-great-place-to-be/.

We are currently collecting Ministerial Leadership Information (MLI) forms and letters of interest through June 30, 2018. We have already received some but would like to receive even more. If you know people that the search committee ought to be in conversation with, please submit their names. At the beginning of July, we will be moving as quickly as possible to begin the interview process. After interviews are complete, the Search Committee will make a recommendation to the Leadership Team about a candidate for hire, and the Leadership Team will make the final hiring decision. Our goal is that an offer for the position will be made before the end of summer with an anticipated start date no later than Nov. 1, 2018.

We invite you to be in prayer for the search process. Please invite your congregation to pray as well as mentioning this request publicly during Sunday morning worship. Additionally, Dan Hooley, our Conference prayer coordinator, is providing two opportunities for online prayer meetings: May 31, 11 a.m. and July 7, 10 a.m.  You can access the online link to these meetings here: https://ohiomennoniteconference.org/2018/05/online-prayer-meetings-planned-for-conference-minister-search/.

If you have additional questions or ideas for recruitment, please contact a member of the committee. Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers for this process.

Paula Snyder Belousek, Search Committee Chair

Robb Esh

LaVonne Hartman

Jeff Hochstetler

John Rohrer

Bob Sauder