wfn.org | UCC - Associate General Minister search underway

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> Associate General Minister search underway

> Written by Gregg Brekke
> December 17, 2009

The UCC's Executive Council has begun the search for the
denomination's new Associate General Minister (AGM.) Considered the
lead administrator for the UCC's national offices and architect of its
General Synod gathering, the AGM is a called position limited to two
four-year terms.

A 14-person committee was appointed in November to oversee the nearly
two year AGM search process. Their work will culminate in the
presentation of a candidate for vote at the 2011 General Synod 28 in
Tampa Bay, Fla., immediate next steps are focused on establishing
processes and guidelines as the search moves forward.

A review of the existing position description in light of the unified
governance proposal, involvement of UCC national staff, communications
and review protocols, and involvement of an input panel will lead to
the Executive Council report and recommended job description April 16-18, 2010.

Following the announcement of the vacancy and posting of the position
description May 1, 2010, the committee will receive applications
through Sept. 1. Candidate evaluation and phone interviews will take
place during the fall of 2010 with off-site interviews being completed
in the first months of 2011.

A final candidate recommendation is expected by the Executive Council
in March of 2011. The recommended candidate will advance to the
General Synod for vote pending the approval of two-thirds of the
Executive Council.

"During these transitional times in the life of the United Church of
Christ the position which we will be filling is of crucial importance
as it oversees much of the infrastructure necessary to make the
overall mission and ministry of the UCC possible," said the Rev. John
R. Deckenback, search committee chair and Central Atlantic Conference
Minister. "This will take a multi-talented person with an intimate
knowledge and appreciation of the intricacies of the United Church of Christ."

Members of the search committee are: UCC General Minister and
President, the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black; COREM representative, Carol
Brown; Central Atlantic Conference Minister, the Rev. John R.
Deckenback; Director of the UCC Pension Boards, Mike Downs; former
President of Central Atlantic Conference, the Rev. Ralph France; CYYAM
representative, Kelly Forbush; Executive Council, the Rev. Ruth
Harvey; COREM representative, the Rev. Luther Holland; PAAM
representative, Hyo-Jung Kim; Executive Minister of Wider Church
Ministries, the Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte; Office of General Ministries
board member, Susan Rotblat-Walker; former chair of Wider Church
Ministries board, Curtis Rueter; and UCC staff liaison, Kimberly
Whitney. The consultant who will guide the process has yet to be named.

Outgoing Associate General Minister, Edith Guffey, has held the
position since the UCC's national offices were restructured in 1999.
After an initial shortened term designed to stagger the five officers'
departure dates, she served two full terms in office and is not
eligible to seek re-election. Guffey previously served the national
offices as elected secretary from 1991 to 1999.