And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all,
show which of these you have chosen.” Acts 1:24

Dear Fellow St. Philippians,

Through the work of the Holy Spirit and prayerful discernment, the Vestry Nominating Committee is pleased to nominate four candidates to serve as the Vestry Class of 2029. Each nominee possesses a mature faith, has served in leadership positions in a variety of areas, and is well qualified to represent our congregation in a position of spiritual leadership. A congregational vote at the Annual Meeting on March 1 will elect our four new Vestry members.

The four candidates were selected through a deliberative process that began last October. First, our congregation submitted a total of twenty-three names for consideration by the Nominating Committee. Through prayerful discernment, discussion, and reliance on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Nominating Committee narrowed the list to a smaller group of potential candidates. The candidates were contacted and invited to move forward in the process. Those who discerned a call to serve on the Vestry filled out discernment questionnaires and participated in personal interviews conducted by the Nominating Committee. The Committee then held three additional meetings during which they prayed
and actively sought God’s wisdom. The Committee clearly felt the Holy Spirit’s guidance in its unanimous selection of the final four candidates.

Those names were submitted to the clergy for approval and then to the full Vestry on January 13 for a vote. The vote was unanimous.

Each of us has gone through this process as a candidate, and it is deeply humbling to experience it as a member of the Nominating Committee. It is truly a Spirit-led process. We are so grateful to all who took the time to submit nominations. The names we received illustrated the breadth of gifts with which our church is blessed. Even with the Lord’s guidance in each step of the process, it was very difficult to reach a final decision. Thanks be to God for his guidance and blessing of St. Philip’s Church!

In Him,

Ashley Davis, Polly Dickson, Lowell Grosse, Jayne Gurley,
Jeff Rink, Alan Runyan, Ann Hester Willis (chair), and David Wright