Pastoral Transition

As you know, Highlands is in the midst of a pastoral transition following the death of Dr. Dave.  We have been blessed by the leadership of Rev. Bev to walk with us during time.  It is our desire to share as much information as possible during this process and you can find updates and information here. 

The Process

The PC(USA) has a very structured process for discerning who will be called to become the next pastor at Highlands. You can see the steps in the process to the left.  

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In February 2022, Highlands commissioned the Mission Study Team to begin their work. The Team will present their work to the congregation on June 12, 2022. At this congregational meeting, the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) was elected and commissioned to begin their work. 

Mission Study Report

The Mission Study Team conducted this study from February 2022 through May 2022. Our mission study process involved thoughtful listening, careful and prayerful reflection, and deep conversations. 

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The Mission Study Report summarizes our findings. 

Pastoral Nominating Committee

The Nominated Slate for the PNC is as follows:

David Bauerlein

Linda Bohling

Charles Grabill

Bill Hart

Sue Heckler

John Morrison

Mark Morrison

Karen Prewitt

Audrey Regnier

Laura Sambito

Bonnie Vanderberg​

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The congregation approved this slate at the Congregational Meeting on June 12, 2022. 

Ministry Information Form

The first job of the PNC was to study and review the Mission Study and congregational gathering information to draft our Ministry Information Form (MIF). It outlines information about our congregation (location, size, curriculum, attendance, demographics, etc.) and then asks narrative questions about the vision and mission of the church, the desired qualities in a new pastor, and outlines expectations for their role. This is a very important step in the process because it is the first impression of our congregation for potential candidates. It requires honesty but also needs to showcase what is great about Highlands.  After many, many meetings, countless prayers, and revisions, our MIF has been completed.

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The MIF was approved by both the Session and the Presbytery Call Commission, and is now posted on the Church Leadership Connection (CLC) website. Once this happens, our MIF is matched with the Pastor Information Forms (PIF) of potential candidates. Highlands' MIF is also posted on the Presbytery of St. Augustine's website and can be viewed along with other open positions at www.staugpres.org/classifieds/​