Guidebook Offers Congregations Advice & Web-Based Resources on the Clergy Search Process

NEW YORK (April 24, 2007) - Through a combination of spiritual reflection and practical advice, Calling Clergy: A Spiritual and Practical Guide Through the Search Process, offers a comprehensive, balanced guide for congregations at the start of the search process to locate the right candidate for their spiritual leadership.

The book includes a web-based appendix that provides everything from sample letters, questionnaire templates, and a handy calendar program for meeting and itinerary planning, to interviewing tips, prayers, and brief liturgies for use by committee members.

Beginning with the establishment of the profile committee, the book covers elements such as committee dynamics, the important difference between confidentiality and secrecy, the care of candidates and their families, and human factors in the calling process, such as the inevitable turndown for some applicants.

Other steps outline preparation of the congregational questionnaire, focus group training, and writing the parish profile. From there, the search committee's tasks turn to interview training, preparing information kits for prospective candidates, writing interview questions, forming visiting teams, conducting telephone and local interviews. The book also offers information for duties performed by the joint vestry and search committee, and the call.

The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Rankin Geitz is Canon for Ministry Development and Deployment Officer in the Diocese of New Jersey. She has extensive experience as the deployment officer in the diocese and is the author of several books, including Gender and the Nicene Greed, and Fireweed Evangelism.

Calling Clergy: A Spiritual and Practical Guide Through the Search Process is available for $12.00 from bookstores or directly from Church Publishing (800-242-1918 or online from www.churchpublishing.org).