Currently we are still early in this search process. Determining who will be our interim priest is underway. We continue to have supply priests each Sunday and appreciate so much that they share their time with us. Please give your thoughts and comments to the Vestry. We need your feedback during this time.

I stay in contact with the diocese for questions, advice and suggestions. Canon Michell has been helpful. He stated he will come to Denison on a Sunday shortly after the Search Committee is formed in order to meet with them. He will lead our services the Sunday of his visit.

Please continue your prayers for our parish. The positive outlook of the congregation and the encouragement has been wonderful.

The vestry and the wardens have all had meetings with Canon Michell, our diocesan contact for the rector search. The diocesan flow chart of the process will be on the church bulletin board this week. Canon Michell indicated the average time for calling a new rector is about one year.

The vestry will select an interim priest to assist us while our parish is moving through the process of calling the new rector. Except in special circumstances the interim is not a candidate for rector.

In coming weeks we will have supply priests leading our Sunday services. Please give feedback to vestry members because some of the supply priests may be under consideration as interim.

Next steps: Forming the search committee and selecting an interim rector.

Thanks so much for your prayers. The Daughters of the King are praying for our parish, too. Prayer and patience will get us through this just fine. St. Luke's has an amazing group of people! We will find a rector that will be a blessing to us.

I'm happy to let you know that Canon Neal Michell will be here for both services on Sunday, 8/9/09. After the 10:30am service he will attend the vestry meeting to discuss the rector search process with all members of the vestry.

Canon Michell is the diocesan liaison during this time we spend on our path to selecting a new rector. David Gibbs, the Diocesan Administrator, who was a member and acolyte at St. Luke's will be with Canon Michell on this visit.

The Jr. Warden, Keith Whiteside, and I will meet with Canon Michell on Tuesday, August 4. At that time we will discuss selection of an interim priest for St. Luke's. We also plan to talk about the search process and how we move forward.

While we are all sad to bid farewell to Fr. Curt and his family, I feel very positive about the future of our parish. Stay tuned!