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Clergy Search Manual

Assessing Skills and Discerning Calls

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What Clients Say

Rob Voyle was invaluable to making our search process a success. He led the committee members in Appreciative Inquiry exercises to build up the relationships of the team members and to begin to articulate some common understandings of the core values of our diocese.

Rob coached us to keep a clear perspective of what we had discerned as the skills and gifts necessary for our next bishop and to let this guide our work. He was also at the other end of the telephone or email when specific issues came up that would be helped by his experience and knowledge.

Joanna Shreve, Co-Chair Diocese of El Camino Real Bishop Search Committee

Rob's combination of organizational savvy, teaching skills, theological & spiritual integration, and ability to rapidly build supportive, learning communities is quite simply the best in any of the churches today.
Gray Temple, Episcopal Priest, Author & Coach

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Assessing Skills and Discerning Calls

Clergy
Search
Resources

380 pages of:

  • Templates and Worksheets
  • Skills Assessment
  • Interview Guides
  • Discernment Strategies
  • Congregation Size Based Prices!
       Purchase Subscription to the Online Search Resources 

Assessing Skills and Discerning Calls

Save Time While You Empower Your Search Committee

Content with active links provide samples of what you can expect from the resources.

Table of Contents

The underlined headings are links to previews of the content within that section

Overview of Assessing Skills and Discerning Calls

 Time-line for the Search Process
 An Overview of the Search Process
 Theological Perspective of the Search Process
 Creating a Culture of Love and Hope
 Prayers and Blessings for the Search Process

An Appreciative Inquiry Approach to the Search Process

 Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry
 Assumptions of Appreciative Inquiry
 The Appreciative Way and the Search Process
 The A to B Appreciative Way Change Fractal
 Locating Resources to Modify Performance
 Appreciative Inquiry 5D Spiral of Development

Rector/Pastor Exit Interview

Ministry During the Transitional Time: Creating a Foundation for the Search

 Are You Ready to Start a Search?
 Designing A Transitional Ministry: One Size Doesn't Fit All
 Responding to Grief
 Responding to Traumatic Events
 The Ministries of Forgiveness and Reconciliation
 Growing Collaboration in Times of Conflict

Congregational Self-Study and Visioning

 Define Phase: Designing an Appreciative Inquiry Summit
 Discovery Phase: Creating a Summit Interview
 Dream Phase: Exploring What Might Be
 Design Phase: Determining What Needs to Be

Clergy Compensation

Establishing the Search Criteria

 Choosing A Search Committee
 Creating the Parish Profile and Web Site
 Parish Feedback Session

Assessing Skills: The Work of the Search Committee

 Establishing an Initial List
 The Assessment of Skills and Abilities
 Crafting Questions
 Meeting the Candidates
 Typical Parish Visit and Interview Schedule
 Interviewing Principles
 Designing and Assessing a Simulated Work Product
 Assessing Worship Leadership
 Checking References

Discerning a Call

 Creating "Clear Space" to Discern
 Preparing to Engage in Discernment
 Simulated Vestry/Church Board Retreat Discussion

 Purchase Subscription to the Online Library of Search Resources