VESTRY NOMINATIONS - WHAT IS THE PROCESS & HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE
Introduction
Every year, our church prayerfully enters into a process of identifying gifted leaders from among our membership we believe would make great candidates to serve on our Vestry. During the month of November, we will have a 2-week window in which every member of our church is invited to nominate other members to serve on the Vestry. That window will open on Wednesday, November 6th and close on Wednesday, November 20th. Nominations can be submitted digitally through an online form that will go live during that window. What follows is everything you need to know to participate meaningfully in the nomination process.
What is a VESTRY?
Historic churches in England had a room called the “vestry” where priests would put on their robes prior to leading worship services. The church’s lay leadership would host their meetings in the same room, and over time the leadership group became known by the same name as the room in which they met. A vestry therefore, is our church’s chief lay (i.e. non-ordained or staff) leadership team, who advises the Rector (priest in charge), models and protects our church’s vision, and oversees the finances and operational life of the church to ensure missional clarity and good stewardship.
Who Serves on a Vestry?
Any members of a local congregation who have completed Mission Pathways, officially joined the Mission as members, have been confirmed into the Anglican Church (or would be willing to be confirmed at the bishop’s next visit) are eligible to serve on the Vestry. Vestry candidates should be known as mature believers and exemplary members of the church by others in the parish , known for their maturity in the faith, their love for Jesus, their service to others, and their robust commitment to the vision and mission of the church. A full list of our Vestry member eligibility requirements can be found a bit further down on this page.
How Are Vestry Members Selected?
Each year, our church’s members nominate other members to serve on the Vestry. We have an online Vestry nomination form you can fill out to nominate someone to serve on the Vestry. You do not need to ask a person if they are willing to serve prior to nominating them. In fact, it is best practice to nominate someone to the vestry without their knowledge. There will be a 2-week window in which Vestry members can be nominated. After the window closes, our Rector & People’s Warden will review nominees to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements. Those that do will be presented to the full Vestry and will then be contacted to see whether they would be willing to serve. Those who are willing, submit a short application and share a short interview with the current Vestry members. The Vestry then determines which candidates are the best fit to serve on our Vestry at this time. These final candidates fill out and submit short biographies along with pictures to be shared with the congregation in preparation for the annual congregational meeting where the congregation’s members will vote to elect the new Vestry members.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Vestry Candidates?
To serve on the Vestry, you must be an active voting member of The Mission Cincinnati, and confirmed into the Anglican Church. 2025 vestry candidates must have completed all 3 stages of Mission Pathways by December 2024. A candidate may still be considered if they have not yet been confirmed into the Anglican Church, but would be willing to be confirmed as soon as possible. Vestry members must also live out the 4 core commitments of our membership in an exemplary and enthusiastic way. They must:
1) Visibly demonstrate a mature and robust faith in Christ & live lives of exemplary moral character that are above reproach.
2) Consistently attend Sunday worship gatherings and be active participants in the community life of the Mission.
3) Joyfully serve within the church
4) Be able to commit to a 3-year term of service and attend 4-6 Vestry meetings per year + the annual Vestry retreat in March.
5) Demonstrate great communication skills & be able to thoughtfully review meeting materials a week prior to each meeting.
6) Give generously of their finances to support the church’s vision and mission, and participate in this year’s pledgeship process.
Are There Any Specifics You are Looking for in Vestry Candidates for this year?
We are looking to add up to 2 new members to our Vestry in 2024. Ideally we would love to add two women to our Vestry this year but are open to adding 1 man and 1 woman. We are also looking for candidates with board experience and would love to add candidates over 40 years in age. We are open to considering whoever is nominated, and God may direct us in any way He wishes. We are intentional about balancing male and female voices on our Vestry, ensuring our Vestry is comprised of people from different life stages whose presence on this team will help us consider the needs of all members in our congregation, and that the Vestry has the relevant skills and experience it needs to serve the church well.
What Are Vestry Members’ Responsibilities?
Vestry members, if elected, commit to a 3-year term of service. To serve on a Vestry is a MINISTRY calling. At present, the Vestry meets 4-6 times/year beginning with a Vestry retreat which will take place the evening of Friday March 15th - the afternoon of Saturday March 16th 2024. Typical meetings involve the Vestry and Rector praying for the church, approving and reviewing church budgets, and advising the rector on key strategic and operational items in the life and ministry of the church. There are also specific roles within the Vestry such as Treasurer, Secretary, and Junior & Senior Warden which involve specific work in certain areas of gifting and experience. These special roles will be elected during the Vestry retreat. Broadly speaking, Vestry members have 5 key responsibilities. They
1) protect the vision of the church,
2) support the methods & means of fulfilling the churches vision and mission,
3) uphold the financial integrity of the church and ensure other legal & procedural safeguards are in place for our community,
4) support and advise the rector as a spiritual leader, and
5) model a strong commitment to generosity.
In the unlikely event that something were to happen to the Rector and he/she would need to be replaced, the Vestry would work with our Bishop, Mark Engel, to find a suitable replacement. Serving as a part of the Vestry will involve helping to put into place many key systems and processes that will help our church grow and mature in our love for Jesus, service to our city, and effectiveness in living out our vision and mission.
Why Is It Important to Have a Strong Vestry & Why is Robust Congregational Participation in the Nomination Process Important?
Maturity as a church plant involves growing to a place of Self-Sustainability, Self-Governance, and Self-Replication. A healthy vestry represents godly self-governance in the local church. It is a major benchmark of our progress along the path of moving from church plant to established congregation. A healthy Vestry also increases the clear leadership voice of our laity, i.e. our non-ordained and non-staff members, which is an important visible reminder to our congregation and a watching world that we take seriously the priesthood of all believers. As a faithful congregation of Jesus Christ, we desire to equip all our people for works of ministry. A healthy vestry is an indication that we are empowering our people to lead and serve. It is also a team that will help us increase our capacity to raise up and release more leaders and works in the future. Therefore, having as many people as possible in our congregation prayerfully involved in the nomination process is vital. It helps ensure that as many great candidates as possible are identified and put forward. It also demonstrates that we, as a church, are engaged together in our shared work of mission for Christ’s sake in our city.
How Should I Prepare to Nominate Someone?
Read over this description. Pray for God’s direction, and for His provision of wise and faithful leaders for our church. As you read over this description of a Vestry member and pray, consider whether there is anyone in our congregation who comes to mind? Anyone who meets the Biblical qualifications of an elder as established by the Apostle Paul in Titus 1:6-9? Anyone who you think of as an exemplary member of our church? Someone who truly goes above and beyond to live out the 4 core commitments of belonging, growing, serving, and going? If you sense the Lord placing a specific person (or multiple people) on your heart, that may be an indication that they are a good person to nominate. When you feel confident they would be a good fit to serve on the vestry, fill out the Vestry Nomination Form on our website during the nomination window. The link to access & complete this form will go live at the bottom of this page on Wednesday, November 6th.
Have Questions?
Great! We’d be happy to answer them. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to email our People’s Warden, Sarah Love at smzorko@gmail.com.
Pray!
Finally, to everyone who calls our church home, even if you don’t plan to nominate anyone, please PRAY for God to provide faithful, teachable, and exemplary leaders who will love and serve our church and lead us into increasing fruitfulness and faithfulness to Jesus and His Kingdom work in our city. We are so excited to see what God does in and through this process and how He moves to raise up the team we need!