St. Paul’s Rector Search:
Where We Are and What's Ahead
St. Paul's is seeking a new Rector following the retirement of The Rev. Susan Bek in January 2026.
The transition and search process is a collaborative, prayerful journey of mutual discernment — one that involves our congregation, our diocesan staff, and prospective clergy. While guided by the Bishop's office, the responsibility for the search and hiring belongs directly to St. Paul's Vestry and Search Committee.
This spring, the Vestry appointed a Transition Committee to lead the first phase of this work. The Committee is tasked with leading a parish self-study — gathering feedback from the congregation about who we are, what we value, and what we hope for in our next Rector. We will also collect data about our wider community. From this input, the Committee will produce a Parish Profile and an Office of Transition Ministry (OTM) Portfolio, which is the diocesan standard for information about parishes that is shared with potential candidates, The OTM Portfolio documents St. Paul's demographics, ministries, finances, and goals.
The Transition Committee
The Vestry appointed a Transition Committee in April, which is meeting regularly to move the transition process along. The members are:
Roger Crow
Rose Hayden-Smith — Co-chair and Vestry representative
Heidi Trevisan
Wendy VanHorn
Dan Wakelee — Co-chair
Please feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you!
The Process
Input from the congregation is vital to the transition process. There will be multiple opportunities for people to participate and contribute. In early June, we contracted with Holy Cow Consulting to help us survey the congregation about the qualities and abilities we seek in our next Rector. The survey runs through July and August, and will be available via an email link and as a paper survey. During this time, the Transition Committee will hold listening sessions with parish groups and staff. Using this input, the Committee will produce the Parish Profile and OTM Portfolio, which are required by the Diocese.
All of this work is supported by The Rev. Tom Quijada-Discavage, Canon for Formation and Transition Ministry, who will help us host St. Paul's Story Day on September 13th — a congregation-wide event to celebrate our parish's historical milestones and share our visions for the future. We hope you’ll join us for this celebration of our past…and our future.
When the Transition Committee's work is complete, it will disband. The Vestry will then appoint a Search Committee to carry the process forward — engaging in active search and recruitment and ultimately presenting candidates to the Vestry.
You can expect regular updates throughout the summer and fall via email, the Sunday bulletin, and in person at services.
Timeline at a Glance
January 2026 The Rev. Susan Bek retires after faithful service to St. Paul's
April 2026 St. Paul’s Vestry appoints the Transition Committee
Early June 2026 St. Paul's contracts with Holy Cow Consulting to conduct a congregational survey
July – August 2026 Congregational survey (via email & paper) · Listening sessions with parish & staff
September 13, 2026 St. Paul's Story Day — congregation-wide storytelling and listening event
Fall 2026 Target completion for Parish Profile and OTM Portfolio · Transition Committee disbands
Fall / Winter 2026-2027 St. Paul’s Vestry appoints Search Committee · Active rector search begins