Senior Minister Search Committee Update | December, 2021

December, 2021:

Dear Riverside Family,

During the Senior Minister Search Committee “Summer Listening Tour,” you readily shared your sincere hopes and broad-ranging opinions pertaining to the functioning and needs of Riverside as it is currently and shall be, going forward. We listened, carefully noted, and synthesized the many points of view and subsequently identified themes.

Our work continued into its next stage during the late summer and early fall. In frequent meetings, informed by your thought, existing documents, careful analysis of vital aspects of Riverside and with the guidance of the American Baptist Church and the United Church of Christ, we were thorough in the development of a framework and began crafting the essential, definitive Riverside Church Profile.

Fine tuning the “Profile” continues. Upon completion, it will be presented with the Senior Minister job description, via Riverside’s various communication methods to the Riverside Family and publicized to a range of denominational associations as appropriate. Following that, we expect to receive resumes for confidential review. The review process will be time consuming and will initiate the next stage of our spirit led search. Notwithstanding, this blessed Advent Season gives us renewed hope and confidence to bring our work to righteous, timely, long sought fruition.

You chose the Senior Minister Search Committee to design a process to facilitate discernment of the one whom God has chosen to be the next Senior Minister of our beloved Church. You did not choose us to do the work and simply leave us to it. Instead, you have informed, encouraged us, and prayed for the success of our mission. We thank you and ask your continuing prayer.

We pray the hope and renewal of this Advent Season to All.

Alexa, Andrea, Annie, Beth, David, Emily, Hylda, Karissa, Lee, Lisa, and Mark