With the success of the Campaign for Kids in the spring, this congregation literally put our money where our hearts are, confirming our desire to create and maintain a vibrant and faith-filled environment for our children and youth. A Search Committee was selected and, after getting organized with the assistance of Bill Bentley, was co-chaired by Jim Brown and Krista Karlson. Other members of the committee are Rachel Abrahamsen, Mary Chicoine, Aurelle Lock, Seth Reinhardt, Rick Santasiere, Laura Segar Horan and Linda Smyth. After drafting and posting the Position Description for the job of Leader, Children and Youth Ministry, the committee spent many hours over the past three months reviewing resumes and talking to candidates.

The Search Committee received a dozen and a half resumes for the position. After initially meeting with five candidates, three were invited back for in-depth interviews. Each of the three led worship with the committee, presented their views on how to grow a high school youth group, participated in a two hour interview, and (best of all) went out for ice cream with some of our kids!

Following a thorough discussion of each of the three finalists, the Search Committee unanimously selected Rebecca Brown as the most outstanding candidate, and she has accepted our invitation. Rebecca will be joining us by November 1st, or earlier if she can.

Rebecca's worship service was thought-provoking and insightful. Her approach to the "grow the youth group" exercise was thoughtful and filled with common sense. Her responses to our questions showed she was actively listening to our concerns. And her obvious interest in interacting directly with the younger members of the committee, and the even younger ice cream crowd, was enlightening and reassuring.

Rebecca initially came to our attention because Ginny had worked with her in Florida, and many of you will recall Rebecca from her visit to Granby last fall. (We invited her to work with the ad hoc committee on Children and Youth Ministry to begin to dream outside the box.) During her visit, Rebecca shared her experiences working with youth in a variety of settings, met with parents and other interested adults, presented a sermon on Sunday morning, and led a meeting of G-Crew that evening. (She also participated in the impromptu concert Sunday evening to raise funds for typhoon relief.) In Florida Rebecca founded and led Searchlight, a program which focuses on adolescents with chronic or terminal illnesses. Previously, she founded and directed Sonlight Youth Ministries in Gainesville. She has an MDiv degree from the Pacific School of Religion.

A foundational aspect of our collection Vision - the Big V - for FCC is effectively coordinating the education and church life of our children and youth. The Search Committee is confident that Rebecca Brown is the right person to lead that effort. We are equally confident that Rebecca will need, and that she will enjoy, the congregation's support and assistance in that work.

We will provide more information about Rebecca's start date and plans in the coming weeks.

(Click to see a copy of Rebecca's bio, and a copy of the Reflection she shared with the congregation last fall.)

Contacts 

Jerron Jorgensen (Music Director)