Senior Pastor Search Information

Thank you for your interest in the search for a new Southern Gables senior pastor. This page contains general information on the search process and the Search Committee. There is also a link to periodic updates on the search process for the Southern Gables congregation. If you have any questions, comments or input to the process, please contact the search committee listed below.

If you are interested in applying for the position, information for applicants is here.

The Search Process

The Elder Board has appointed a Search Committee (see names below) with Elder John Boyer as Chairman. The committee has received input from the congregation on their desires for the next Senior Pastor and has sought the counsel of various Christian leaders. Potential candidates are being identified through a variety of paths including nominations by the congregation. Applications from prospective candidates are actively being received. The committee will review these applications and will conduct interviews and reference checks, listen to sermon recordings and eventually bring in selected candidates for interviews. When prospects have been narrowed to one person, that person will be recommended to the Elder Board who will conduct their own evaluation of the final candidate. Upon approval by the committee and the Elder Board, the candidate will then be presented to the congregation for their approval. This usually includes opportunities for meeting the candidate, hearing him preach and then a congregational vote at a special business meeting.

Prayer for the Search Process

We are asking the Southern Gables congregation, beginning November 8 and for the next 40 days, to pray:
to take time alone with God to pray, to pray with your family, to pray with a small group, and also to pray together as a congregation. We have prepared a guide to effective praying (keep in mind, the effectiveness is what God will do in our hearts as well as through us when we pray), a daily prayer guide made specifically for our church during this transition time, and also some ideas on fasting should you wish to include this spiritual discipline during this time. This prayer guide was distributed to the congregation in booklet form on Sunday, November 8. Additional printed copies of the booklet are available at the Information Booth in the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings.

We have also prepared an online version of the prayer guide. It is available here.

There are several opportunities for group and corporate prayer. You may pray with a group weekly at Southern Gables at 8:15 am on Wednesdays in the Prayer Chapel. There will also be periodic opportunities to pray as a congregation with the Committee. A regularly scheduled time for congregational prayer is at 6:00 pm in the Worship Center on the third Sunday of the month. Please watch for an announcement in the church bulletin.

Periodic Status Updates

We will post periodic status updates on a separate web page accessible only to the Southern Gables Congregation. To view these updates, you will need the password provided to the congregation. Please enter the password in the box below and click the "View Updates" button.

Senior Pastor Search Committee

The following have been appointed by the Elder Board to serve on the committee to search for a new senior pastor. They will seek, vet, interview and recommend a candidate to the Elders who in turn will recommend a candidate to the congregation. Suggestions, comments and questions of or about potential candidates should be directed to the committee. You may contact them by sending an email to psearch@southerngables.org.

John Boyer (Elder)         Jim Ferrin         Susan Florentine       Virginia Heykoop         Amy Kastenbauer
Chuck Kiker                  Bob Knapp       Pat Laube                 Chuck Porter