After his final service on September 29th, St John's Senior Warden made the following remarks: "Since 1992 Peter has worked with many Senior Wardens. It is my honor as his last Senior Warden to say a few remarks today, trusting that his retirement is in no way connected to my being his most recent Senior Warden.
What does it mean that Peter has been serving as rector at St John’s for over thirty years? It means that the parish really likes him. And it means that he likes the parish. It means that St. John’s has been blessed with a stability unmatched by any other Episcopal church in Maine in recent memory. It means that he has shared the lives of many of us form youth (or at least relative youth) until we’ve gotten on in years. He has seen our journey through life, sometimes at its worst and sometimes at its best. For many of us he has been a rock to hold onto when the current was perhaps a bit too swift.
For all of us he has been a neighbor. A very good neighbor. One who served as a volunteer fireman, helped launch the Trekkers program, hosted a ratio show, and acted in several community plays. In my case he is my actual next-door neighbor… and I’m sorry about the male guinea fowl crossing your fence and bugging your female guinea fowl whenever they can. But I’m not sorry bout crossing to one side of the yard or the other for an evening glass of wine and a chat.
Peter is someone who lives and acts locally. First you help those around you and then you move out to help others as you’re able. I like that. It’s consistent with my Coast Guard training. You come up on a disaster and you help those you contact first. Then you expand. Can you imagine a world if we all did that?
Something else that makes Peter a good neighbor and a good rector is his humility. He jokes about himself. He likes to talk as all good priests do… but he also likes to listen. And instead of grand goals that collapse, he sets reasonable goals and then cheers on those of us who are working beside him. That makes it easy to be a Senior Warden. And I will miss him… as a rector, but thankfully not as a neighbor. He and Emily are staying here after he retires… at least for now. And that is a good thing.
In conclusion, it has been a pleasure and an honor. The Senior Warden serves the parish and the priest. These two are not always aligned, but here at St John’s they usually are. I will sty on until we find and call a new rector and he or she is on solid ground, but I will remember the things that Peter has taught me. The list is long, and I am grateful. Thank you Peter."
Initially
- Until the end of the year regular services will be held with the support of visiting supply clergy.
-In January an interim priest will join our parish for a term of approximately a year.
Discernment Committee
-In November and December the vestry will nominate two members plus an additional four other members of the church to a Discernment Committee.
-In January the Vestry will appoint and charge the Discernment Committee.
-Over the course of January through April the appointed committee will complete the discernment process.
Search for a Rector
-May-August: Position shared with the Transition & Deployment Officer at the dioceses will be posted.
-September-November: Candidates will come through the Transition & Deployment Officer and two to three will be interviewed by the committee via Zoom.
-November: One candidate will be invited to meet the committee, interview in-person, and tour the parish.
-December: The committee makes its recommendation of one finalist to the vestry, or falls back as far as needed in the process to "call" another candidate.
-The vestry will discuss the candidate with the bishop and Transition & Deployment Officer accept that candidate or send the issue back to the committee for further work.
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