What's Going On? Staffing Story - May 26, 2022

What is Going On? Staffing Story

As we are about to say good-bye to Brandon and Peter in a formal way this coming Sunday, we are looking at the proposal for our next staff additions.

First, let me clarify the adjustment we are making, or at least restate it. Where we used to have a children’s ministry person, a youth/young adults/small groups person, and a pastoral care person, we are looking to call an ordained discipleship pastor who will cover “cradle to grave” discipleship.  This is a large and broad task and as such is designed to require that the person leading in these areas works through members of the congregation as much as possible.

This is a summary of the process.  We formulated a job description (it is on our website), gathered an interview team, and advertised that we were looking.  We received about a dozen resumes and inquiries, eight of those were viable candidates, four received first interviews, and two were given a second interview.  The natural pattern would be that at this point I tell you that one of the candidates stood out and that is who we will call.  However, here there is a little twist, because we are looking to welcome one and a half candidates.

Rebecca Hall is the proposed candidate for full time discipleship pastor.  She is a Calvin Seminary graduate as of last weekend and will go before Synod in June to be declared eligible for a call.  At that point, if our congregation votes favourably to do so, we can send her a call letter and should she accept that call her first ministry charge will be here in Grimsby.  You will receive more information about Rebecca including a video introduction in about a week.  At the congregational meeting on June 14 at we will discuss the motion to extend a call.

The other “half” candidate is Brady DeBoer.  Brady is entering seminary this fall and will be taking courses on-line (just like Pastor Peter has been doing) and will need an internship.  As such, he is considering coming to Mountainview part-time to take the lead in the youth and young adult parts of the discipleship role while also engaging in a broader experience of ministry training to round out his intern experience.  Brady is familiar to many in our community.  As an intern, his role does not require a congregational vote or a letter of call.

The interview team saw the strengths and styles of Rebecca and Brady as different and complementary.  Because of that, and in light of the internship opening, we thought the best way to move forward was to bring them both on board.  To do so adjusts both job descriptions slightly, but that is apparently a regular way of doing things at Mountainview – most of us on staff here have added, deleted, or changed responsibilities along the way based on the need at the time.  We sense that this addition of Rebecca and Brady would put us in a place where we can move forward preparing people to live out the mission Jesus gave us to make disciples.

We will discuss the call (and the budget) at the congregational meeting and vote on the call at the following Sunday service.  We look forward to your questions and to the discussion.  We are hopeful to have a full staff team in place for the next ministry season.

Thanks to Erin Van Driel, Peter Heersink, Dylan Huinink, Alice Posthumus, Josh Scholman, Jordan Stuive and Hannah Zondag for being part of the interview team along with me.

Pastor Erick Schuringa