Dear Resurrection,

On Sunday, April 19, we gathered to share an important update from our Rector Search Committee.

As you know, we have been in a rector search process for the past eighteen months, during which Father Matt Woodley has faithfully served as Interim Dean, while the vestry-appointed search committee discerned our next leader.

The committee undertook a comprehensive and prayerful process, including a churchwide survey, congregational feedback sessions, development of a parish profile, and rigorous evaluation of candidates.

We sought an experienced leader who would embrace our identity while unifying and mobilizing our congregation into a new chapter of fruitfulness and ministry. Particularly, we sought a leader who matched the priorities listed in the Parish Profile, especially an apostolic leader with a gift for preaching, vision, and a strong commitment to prayer and worship.

After extensive prayer and discernment, the Rector Search Committee, vestry, and Bishop reached a unanimous decision not to hire a candidate as rector at this time.

This decision was made carefully, with a deep sense of responsibility to our church community. One committee member put words to the discernment process: In a typical hiring process, the question is simply, which candidate is best? In this search process, however, we were discerning, Who is God calling to lead Resurrection?

We are struck by the story of Samuel seeking a new king of Israel at Jesse’s house. Samuel was presented with what seemed to be a complete pool of promising candidates, but the Lord called him to extend his search to the boy shepherd, David. We have faith that the same God will lead us to the right rector at the right time.

While this was not the outcome we anticipated, we are at peace in having reached it unanimously. Out of respect for the integrity and confidentiality of the hiring process, we are not able to share specific details regarding individual candidates.

So, what happens next?

In the months ahead, the Rector Search Committee will take a six-month pause to recharge and re-evaluate how we identify and assess candidates moving forward.

In the meantime, we are pleased to share that Bishop Stewart has agreed to a unanimous vestry request to provide leadership and vision to our church family in a greater capacity.

When the rector search began in 2024, Bishop Stewart was unable to provide oversight to Resurrection due to his trial process. Now that the trial has concluded and Bishop Stewart has been fully exonerated, he has more time to serve our church body during this interim season.

In this next phase, Bishop Stewart will preach or celebrate at least twice monthly while providing vision, spiritual leadership, and oversight to our senior leadership team. While not serving as rector or interim dean, he will play an active guiding role following his summer sabbatical. This arrangement will be reevaluated in August 2027 if a new rector is not hired before then.

Father Matt Woodley will serve in a new capacity as Senior Associate Rector focused on mission and Sunday leadership when Bishop Stewart is traveling. Fathers Brett Crull and Will Chester will both become Associate Rector with Father Brett focused on pastoral care and prayer ministry, and Father Will focused on staff leadership and vestry.

As we enter into this next transitional phase, Bishop Ruch likens our situation to a kind of “John the Baptist hinge moment.” We are at the precipice of a new season while still in a time of waiting. We are preparing the way for a new rector and a new era of ministry, drawing from the past while pushing forward to the future. In this moment, how can we renew our Resurrection heritage of prayer, fasting, and crying out to the Lord? We are trusting the Lord for a testimony that we will share with future generations.

If you have further questions, we encourage you to reference our Rector Search Update FAQ.

In Christ,

Amy Patton, Senior Warden
Andrew Merrick, Junior Warden