Wayne Alguire, Senior Pastor of Trinity Church Kelowna, will be retiring in June 2022. A Senior Pastor Search Committee has been established to assist the Board of Elders and the members of Trinity Church in leading the process to locate and engage the most suitable new Senior Pastor for Trinity.
The Elder Board’s desire is to provide transparent and open communication of the process to the church membership by providing regular updates. Our Search Committee’s expectation would then be to have the entire Church Body support this process through prayer.
In February of 2022, the Senior Pastor Search Committee provided a survey that was available to all attendees of Trinity Church. The results were collected by Vanderbloemen, the international search firm facilitating the Senior Pastor hire, and have been provided to aid in the ongoing search for Trinity’s next senior pastor.
1. The Senior Pastor is the sole employee of the Elder Board.
2. The SC (Search Committee) will create a list of qualifications & expectations.
3. The SC will establish a short list and ranking of candidates based on discernment of the Holy Spirit’s direction.
4. The SC will review the list and recommended ranking with the Elder Board. The Board will endorse and approach the candidates based on the agreed ranking.
5. The SC will approach the endorsed candidates to determine if they are prepared to consider carrying out their ministry at Trinity.
6. The SC will conduct an initial interview with the preferred candidate to ensure compliance with the qualifications and expectations, assisting in determining the suitability of the candidate.
7. If the SC believes that the candidate meets the established qualifications and expectations and believes that the Holy Spirit is directing them to seek out this candidate, the Committee will meet with the Elder Board and recommend that the candidate meet with The Board and other church leaders.
8. If the Elder Board is in agreement with the recommendation, the Committee will make arrangements for the interview of the preferred candidate by the Elder Board, along with some other less formal activities.
9. If the Elder Board decides to recommend the candidate to the membership, the Committee will help the Board arrange and carry out the required vote at a regularly, scheduled members meeting, AGM, or special members’ meeting.
10. A vote of at least 66% of the members in attendance is required for the Elder Board to proceed with an offer of employment.
1. The Senior Pastor is the sole employee of the Elder Board.
2. The SC (Search Committee) will create a list of qualifications & expectations.
3. The SC will establish a short list and ranking of candidates based on discernment of the Holy Spirit’s direction.
4. The SC will review the list and recommended ranking with the Elder Board. The Board will endorse and approach the candidates based on the agreed ranking.
5. The SC will approach the endorsed candidates to determine if they are prepared to consider carrying out their ministry at Trinity.
6. The SC will conduct an initial interview with the preferred candidate to ensure compliance with the qualifications and expectations, assisting in determining the suitability of the candidate.
7. If the SC believes that the candidate meets the established qualifications and expectations and believes that the Holy Spirit is directing them to seek out this candidate, the Committee will meet with the Elder Board and recommend that the candidate meet with The Board and other church leaders.
8. If the Elder Board is in agreement with the recommendation, the Committee will make arrangements for the interview of the preferred candidate by the Elder Board, along with some other less formal activities.
9. If the Elder Board decides to recommend the candidate to the membership, the Committee will help the Board arrange and carry out the required vote at a regularly, scheduled members meeting, AGM, or special members’ meeting.
10. A vote of at least 66% of the members in attendance is required for the Elder Board to proceed with an offer of employment.
The Senior Pastor Search Committee, with support from the Elder Board, decided that hiring an external firm to facilitate the search would provide the most objective lens. Based on Trinity’s current culture, history, and vision for the future, it is important to bring the best possible candidates forward. In order to connect with the strongest potential applicants locally and globally, hiring an external search firm with experience and a track record of success in Canada and other North American churches made sense.
Our church is currently facing debt, adjusting to a reduced staff team, completing renovations in our auditorium and working through the challenges of serving two congregations (in-person and online) at the same time. Why are we rushing the process, when the decision for a new Senior Pastor has the potential to change the entire direction of our church?
Our church is working through a lot! However, the timing of this hire has not been adjusted since it was initially announced Wayne would be retiring. Along with the Elder Board, the Search Committee set a timeframe for finding a new Pastor by Fall of 2022. Given the season that our church is currently facing, the Search Committee is working hard to remove any unnecessary burdens related to the hiring process from our Church staff.
The Senior Pastor Search Committee and Elder Board agree hiring a new Pastor to lead our church is one of the most important decisions for our congregation and community, and a decision that will impact the direction of our church for generations to come. Despite the cost, the committee felt hiring an external firm to assist the search would provide the most thorough search.
Yes. All applicants, internal and external, will go through the same process.
This project and fund has been established through the Trinity Legacy Foundation to offset the cost from Trinity Church’s finances as it was decided this was an important step in the search process. As part of the Legacy Foundation’s mandate, they are not able to contribute to the ongoing operating budget of Trinity Church, but can support unique projects, capital projects, or ministries that the Church may not have the capacity to fund.
This particular project was reviewed by the Legacy Foundation to make sure it met their initiative requirements, and has an independent agent to oversee the operation of the project. Donors to this fund have no influence over the outcome.
There are three easy ways! First, pray for our Search Committees, Vanderbloemen and our Elder Board as they work through this process on behalf of our congregation. Become a member to share your voice in the candidate presentation. And, ask questions of our Search Committee and Elders if you would like to further understand the search process.