JULY 8–14

• We conducted our “practice” interview with a local pastor, which was a valuable way of preparing for the “real thing.” The pastor was able to evaluate our interviewing technique and give us several helpful suggestions.
• We interviewed our first candidate. Afterward, we were able to meet with the candidate over an informal dinner.

JULY 15–21

• We attended a worship service and heard Candidate #1 preach.
  We interviewed Candidate #2. We hope to be able to hear Candidate #2 deliver a sermon in the near future.
• We met for a “debriefing” session to compare our reactions to the first two interviews and to discuss our impressions of the candidates.

JULY 22–29

• We attended worship services and heard Candidate #2 preach.

JULY 30–AUGUST 5

• We met to compare and discuss our impressions of the sermon that we heard Candidate #2 preach.
• We also received a third candidate’s name and began studying the candidate’s mobility papers. We will schedule an interview with Candidate #3 as soon as possible.

AUGUST 5–11

• We conducted a first interview with Candidate #3. We will not be able to hear this candidate preach until after Labor Day, but we are looking forward to having that opportunity.
• We also received a fourth candidate’s name. We met to study and discuss this latest candidate’s mobility papers. We will schedule an interview date with Candidate #4 as soon as possible.

AUGUST 12–18

• We conducted a first interview with Candidate #4. We are also scheduling a second interview with one candidate.
• We continue to be impressed with the quality of the candidates provided by Synod. We believe that with each interview, we are a step closer to finding the right pastor for Lord of Life.

AUGUST 19–25

• It was a busy week for the Call Committee. We met twice—once for discussion and preparation, and once to conduct a second interview with one of the candidates we had seen earlier.
• We also received the name of a fifth candidate, and began studying the mobility papers.
• Committee member Jan Stage will be having hip replacement surgery on Monday, August 27. We do not expect this to cause any significant delays in the Call process, but prayers are for Jan’s complete and speedy recovery.

AUGUST 26–SEPTEMBER 1

• We met to evaluate last week’s interview and to compare our impressions of the candidate. This had been a second interview, and the individual remains a strong candidate.
• We also reviewed the mobility papers of Candidate #5, and agreed that we would like to interview this candidate as well. Later in the week Brian was able to contact the candidate and arrange a date for an initial interview.

SEPTEMBER 2–8

• Jan’s hip replacement surgery was a success and she is recovering well. She hopes to be home again soon.
• The rest of the Call Committee members met to interview Candidate #5. We also have made arrangements to hear this candidate preach.

SEPTEMBER 9–15

• We attended worship services and heard Candidate #5 preach.
• Later in the week, we met to discuss our impressions of Candidate #5, and to bring Jan up to speed. She is home and doing well.

SEPTEMBER 16–22

• We decided (reluctantly) to eliminate one of our candidates from further consideration. However:
• We are in the process of arranging a second interview with Candidate #5.
• Within the next few days we expect to receive the name and mobility papers of a new candidate (Candidate #6, if you’re counting).

SEPTEMBER 23–29

• We received the mobility papers for Candidate #6. We met to discuss the papers, and agreed to contact the candidate regarding an interview date. However, the candidate declined the interview, stating that Lord of Life was not the “right fit” at the present time.
• We have a second interview scheduled with Candidate #5.

SEPTEMBER 30–OCTOBER 6

• We conducted a second interview with Candidate #5.
• We have also arranged for another “field trip” to hear a candidate preach.

October 7–13

• A few members of the Call Committee have been out of town, so nothing new to report this week. But we’ll be back at work next week!

October 14–20

• After much prayer and thought, Candidate #5 asked to have his/her name removed from consideration. As a result, the Call Committee has a temporary “break in the action” while we wait to receive more names from the Synod.
• We do know that our congregational profile has been given to three more candidates. We request the congregation’s continued prayers.

October 21–27

• We received the names of two new candidates this week. We have scheduled a meeting to begin studying their papers.

October 28–November 3

• We received the name of another candidate, so we currently have three candidates under consideration. (We will refer to them as Candidates #7, 8, and 9.)
• We already have interviews scheduled with Candidate #7 and Candidate #9.

November 4–10

• We conducted initial interviews with both Candidate #7 and Candidate #9 this week. We will be meeting again soon to discuss our impressions of these two candidates.

November 11–17

• We attended worship services conducted by Candidate #9 and heard the candidate preach.
• Because of the schedules of everyone involved, we will not be meeting again until after Thanksgiving.

November 25–December 1

• We met to discuss our impressions of Candidate #9, and also to interview Candidate #8. (We have decided not to continue any further with Candidate #7.)
• We are now planning second interviews with both Candidates #8 and #9. We are hoping, if possible, to schedule these before the end of the year.

December 2–8

• No meetings this week, but we do have dates arranged for second interviews with Candidates #8 and #9. Both are scheduled to take place before the end of the year.

December 16–22

• We conducted a second interview with Candidate #9. We also received a videotaped sermon from Candidate #8, and have begun to circulate it among members of the Call Committee.

December 23–29

• We all had an opportunity to view the videotaped sermon that we received from Candidate #8. We then met with the candidate in person for a second interview, and continued our conversation over an informal dinner.

December 30–January 5

• We attended worship services at an area church and heard Candidate #8 preach. Later in the week we met to discuss our impressions of Candidates #8 and #9, and to talk about what our next steps should be.
• Our sincere thanks for the many expressions of support and encouragement we have received from members of the congregation.