search for our
new priest

Our parish is in the process of searching for our next permanent priest.

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Rev. Rondesia was hired as our interim rector to help our parish prepare for and work through this time of transition. We have her full support as we look ahead to the future of St. Stephen’s. 

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The Episcopal Diocese of Washington is working with us in this process. The vestry serves as the formal search committee, but it is committed to making this a transparent process, involving the entire parish. The diocese has set up these steps for our search process:

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1. The first step was working through hurt and conflict in the healing and reconciliation process. It also involved getting our finances fully audited and starting conversations about who we are and who we want to be as a parish.

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2. The diocese worked with us to do a financial review of the church that included our compensation package for the prospective priest.

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3. We offered the diocese a detailed job description that includes our must-haves and our negotiables.

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4. The diocese worked with us on a “parish vitality assessment.” We evaluated ourselves along vital signs like “mission and vision,” “discipleship,” “financial practice,” “ministries,” “worship,” and “blessing our community.”

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5. The diocese reviewed our website to make sure it matches our assessment of who we are. 

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6. We produced a "parish profile" about who we are and how we worship. It’s what prospective priests will read as they’re getting to know us. 

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The vestry has met with the diocese’s transition teams to review everything we’ve put together. We have now been able to post a job description and start taking applicants and interviewing for our next rector.