Island Chapel searches for its new minister

Longboat Island Chapel may be in transition, but it has continued to offer Sunday morning services to its members. Since the resignation of the Rev. Kenneth Gill, Friday, Jan. 27, the congregation has been hearing guest ministers each Sunday morning.

“We’ve had some very interesting ministers come in and talk to us, and we expect quite a few more,” says Pat Joyner, co-chairwoman of the pastoral search committee.

The Rev. Charlie Shook, a retired minister and member of the Longboat Island Chapel, has led some of the Sunday services since Gill’s departure.

“He has given us some continuity, along with Katherine Alexandra, who is the pianist/organist,” says Pat Joyner.

Guest speakers are determined by the worship committee, and some of them could, potentially, interview for the open position. But the chapel hasn’t started the interview process and is still looking at a variety of options.

The position hasn’t been announced publicly, which will be the first step. The process to select the right person is open-ended, and there may even be an interim minister in place first. In late February, the Pastoral Search Committee was formed and is made up of nine individuals who are involved in the church, as chosen by the board.

On Feb. 4, the Rev. Donald H. Ashmall, council minister of the International Council of Community Churches, the umbrella organization for the church, talked to the congregation about how to heal and how to proceed.
Ashmall gave the congregation a manual, called the Pastoral Leadership Guide, that it is following almost exactly.

“One of the first things we did was send out a questionnaire as to what the congregation wanted, and we got a pretty good response,” says Hugh Joyner, co-chairman of the Pastoral Search Committee.

The questionnaire evaluated what the congregation sees as the most important attributes of a future minister. The response suggested that the congregation values a person who will deliver a high-quality sermon each week. Also ranking high on the list were qualities such as leadership and inspiration.