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Vacancy Update
April 2011
OUR SOLE NOMINEE - The Reverend Kristina M. Herbold Ross
By now I am sure everyone is aware that the Nominating Committee have recommended the Reverend Kristina M Herbold Ross as our sole nominee and that she will preach at the 11.00 am service on 17 April. Please make a special attempt to attend the service to hear her preach. Immediately after the service members and adherents, whose names are on the Electoral Roll, will be invited to cast their vote in the hall.
By way of background information, Kristina was born and brought up in Germany, and studied language and literature before graduating with a degree in theology in 2004. She worked in various parishes before being ordained by the Lutheran Church of Hanover in 2008.
She moved to Scotland in 2009 with her minister husband who is now in the parish of Cockpen & Carrington, Lasswade & Rosewell - and she has been formally admitted to the Church of Scotland, having worked as Assistant Minister at Greyfriars Church, Edinburgh.
She has been working in East Lothian doing pulpit supply and holiday cover, while seeking a charge of her own. The committee were impressed with her enthusiasm and approach and are pleased to present her as our candidate to lead us into the future here in Chalmers.
When asked to introduce herself to you, Kristina said -
“I am delighted and honoured to be invited to preach as sole nominee for Chalmers Memorial Church. I am very much looking forward to meeting you and to preach in your beautiful church building.”
“I am enthusiastic about worship – in the Sunday service and in our daily lives.”
“Joy” and “seriousness” could describe my approach to ministry. „Joy‟ about proclaiming the love of God to his people and being alongside them, and „seriousness‟ in being aware of the weight of this message and the responsibility which comes with it.”
“I detected the same joy and seriousness in the way the nominating committee went about their task and am confident that I could work well with you in ministering to the people of Cockenzie & Port Seton.”
The Nominating Committee firmly believe that Kristina was by far the best candidate who applied for the position and having met with her on a number of occasions we were impressed with her enthusiasm and commitment and accordingly the Nominating Committee commend her to the Congregation.
John Murdoch
October 2010
What`s happening? - Quite a lot! Here`s an update.
We all want the process of finding our new minister to go smoothly and as quickly as possible so your nominating committee has been meeting with Rev. Robert Simpson to get the framework right. By the time this newsletter is published, we will have a new person as our interim moderator and we thank Robert and wish him well.
We have a timescale and when possible will keep everyone informed as we follow through on it.
Firstly, the parish profile and the advert are complete. Both will be put on the church web site when November`s Life and Work is published.
We should have applications to consider and be able to draw up a long leet in December. During January and perhaps February 2011 interviews can be held. Obviously, applicants will want to visit and ask questions as they too try to find if God is calling them to our parish.
After this part of the process, we should be able to draw up a short leet which leads us to go and hear them preach. Only after this stage will we be able to bring a sole nominee to the whole congregation.
So, you can see that it will be late spring or early summer before we have our new minister. This is assuming everything goes to plan!
The nominating committee is very conscious of our need for wisdom, guidance and support as we carry out what we know to be a task entrusted to us to represent the congregation. We need your prayers, encouragement and understanding as we take each step of this journey------it`s not just our journey but our prayer is that with God`s help, together we will reach his destination.
August 2010
At the meeting on 3rd June, Presbytery gave us the go ahead to call a Minister, as Robert Simpson has written above. As I explained in the Church on 6th June, the Presbytery Plan is being replaced. There is to be a reduction of Ministers and Lothian Presbytery are set to lose 6 full time Ministers over the coming years. Presbytery wish to keep their longer term options open and are unable, at present, to allow vacant or about to be vacant congregations to call a Minister on an ‘Unrestricted’ basis. They agreed we can call under the ‘Conformable Reviewable Tenure’. We do owe a debt of gratitude to Robert Simpson who has worked tirelessly on our behalf. I will be updating the Electoral Roll soon, and will keep you posted on the progress via the intimations.
Presbytery ratified the decision taken at our AGM to change our Constitution to the Unitary Constitution. This will take place over the coming months when the Deacons’ Court will be stood down.
Presbytery paid tribute to Bob, recognising all his years in the Ministry as he was dragged shouting and screaming from the building!!
John Murdoch, Session Clerk
From the Interim Moderator:
Dear Friends at Chalmers
As you all know, it is my privilege to serve as Interim Moderator during the imminent vacancy. It has, indeed, been my privilege to work with Bob Glover during the 13 years he has spent among us. He has been a valued colleague, confidant and friend. I am particularly glad to be covering the vacancy because I know in what a fine state he leaves the church. You have worked hard and well together to build a friendly and effective outpost of God's Kingdom.
At its June meeting, Presbytery gave permission for Chalmers Church to call a minister. It has (obviously) been a more complicated journey thus far than we all expected when Bob intimated his retirement back in January. There are a number of reasons for this, involving the particular situation in Cockenzie and Port Seton, the recent General Assembly and the national background. There are still a few formalities to complete, but the lights are turning green.
Where we are now is that Presbytery is in the process of drawing up a new Presbytery Plan. While this happens, there must be some flexibility in how ministers are deployed. During this period, all ministers will be called on '5-year Reviewable Conformable' tenure. What this means is that after 5 years Presbytery may reassess the need for a given ministry, or the form (e.g. part of a team, or part of a group of parishes) it will take; however if in the meantime the Plan decides that the ministry is in the right place and form, then the ministry may be 'conformed' to the Plan without the need for a review.
So Chalmers will be the first charge granted permission to call on that basis. Within the next few weeks I hope that we will be able to appoint a Nominating Committee who will begin, on behalf of all of you, the search for the right minister to join with Chalmers Church in the years ahead.
A vacancy is a challenging time. I don't know of a church better placed than Chalmers to thrive under the challenges that will face you. I know that God will stretch and strengthen us all if we carefully seek his will. I am looking forward to getting to know you better in the months ahead. I hope you will not take me wrongly if I say that I hope our acquaintance will be a short one!
With best wishes, Robert Simpson
Robert Simpson has stepped down as Interim Moderator as he has relocated outwith the parish, we thank him for all the guidance he gave us and wish him well in his new ministry. He has been replaced by Christine Clarke, we look forward to her guidance and support over the coming months
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It is safe to say that Bob leaves us in better fettle than when he arrived. It seems a lifetime since he became our Minister and it will take some getting used to him not being in the pulpit Sunday by Sunday.
Bob can frequently be seen speaking to anyone passing by and he is perhaps one of the best known faces in the village. Throughout his ministry here, he has taken an interest in the community, particularly with his involvement at the school, power station, harbour and John Bellany Centre with everyone appreciating his friendship and pastoral support.
Bob has fulfilled the role set out in the last Parish Profile throughout his 13 years with us. The style of worship has changed for the better – amongst other things we have changed hymn books twice and established an early morning family service. Office bearers have been trained to lead worship and frequently do. All in all it’s been a team Ministry with everything set in place for a new Minister. Music plays a large part in Bob’s life and through his efforts we have benefited from that as well.
Bob’s has had a successful Ministry at Chalmers and I have greatly enjoyed working with him, as have all the other office bearers and the members of the Congregation. We are all sorry that he has decided to retire, but when you reach your 65th birthday you are entitled to want to take it easy.
Bob retires with all our best wishes and thanks for all his hard work during the past 13 years. We should not forget Elizabeth who has also worked tirelessly for the Congregation and we wish them well in the future. I am sure we will see them both around the village as they settle into their new home having migrated to Cockenzie.
When Bob came to us he wanted to be just a parish Minister – that role was certainly fulfilled. Bob and Elizabeth thanks for everything and all the best for the future.
John Murdoch
(Adapted from the tribute paid at Presbytery Meeting 3 June 2010)
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On Sunday 25th July the Nominating Committee was chosen. We trust God’s blessing during the vacancy and that the team are guided throughout the process. Please pray for the committee:
Joyce Buchanan
Ian Bulloch
David Cooper
Mary Gordon
Amanda Johnston
Moyra Kaminski
Alison Mack
Lyn Marshall
Duncan Morgan
John Murdoch
Alastair Sutherland
