Report From The Field: A Priest Reports On The Rector Search Process In One Parish

from Stand Firm by Sarah Hey:

[Received via email & posted with permission, on the occasion of a search committee visit to a parish in a land far far away]

You see, it really is all about different gospels. One gospel of either cannot allow the other to be a part of leadership or influence. This is a war between two gospels and both sides well understand the antithetical natures of the other. Note that the search committee has liked this priest enough to visit -- which means he's in the next to the last section of candidates. But this one thing -- it's a show stopper.

Knowing this priest as I do, they don't deserve him.
Report on Search Committee visit:

Standard Operating Procedure. They thought I was wonderful until we got to THE question. Introduced by, "As we've said in our material, we value the diversity in our parish. We'd like to know how you would navigate the divisive issues that occupy the Church today." My boilerplate response: the Church is the place for the sick, sorrowful, broken; not the folks who have got it all figured out. The inclusive nature of the Gospel call: all have sinned, and all may recieve forgiveness in Jesus Christ. The great mistake of reserving our "pet" sins from that forgiveness: be it pride, greed, thievery or alternative lifestyles.

They thought [spouse] was beautiful and sparkling, children smart and obedient, dinner choice perfect, sermons preached with command, liturgy led with aplomb.

But they wanted a few minutes after the last service to express their surprise at my response given above. Shocked that I would have described alternative lifestyles as "sick". I reminded them that I had used that word as it related to Jesus' own parabolic statements to the Pharisees. They confessed that they were unaware that Jesus had said anything like that. They also acknowledged the fact that they may only have 2 or 3 in the congregation, but were sure that an answer like mine would "blow the parish apart". When I asked them what kind of answer they had hoped for, the best they could do was that I "should dance around more".

They said that it was likely that they would have to schedule another conference call with me and the whole Search Committee to discuss this question at greater length.