Resolutions of thanks for the Rector Search Committee and Mary B. Malhotra:
WHEREAS, this Vestry appointed a Rector Search Committee in April, 2022, and assigned it the tasks of publishing a parish profile and eliciting priest candidates from which to select a slate of finalist(s) for the Vestry to consider, and
WHEREAS, the Vestry directed the Committee to be led by God and to find the right fit—of finalist and parish—for St. James’, and
WHEREAS, the Vestry in its wisdom appointed Mary B. Malhotra as Chair of that Search Committee, believing her to be the best and indeed the only parishioner who could lead the Search with the passion, faithfulness, empathy, leadership skills, and deep of knowledge and love for the St. James’ community necessary to guide the most thorough and successful search of which the parish could be capable, and
WHEREAS, the Vestry appointed as members of the Rector Search Committee Sue Bennett, Richard Brown, Romi Gottfrid, Larry Hunter, Nancy Murray, Ellie Smith, Bob Stinson, Waddell Stillman, Todd Stockdale, Catherine Workman, and originally also Brad Whitehurst who was available to serve during the parish-profile writing phase, and
WHEREAS, under Mary Malhotra’s leadership the Search Committee thrived, coming together in deep commitment and discernment to set forth the parish, its strengths and challenges, with honesty and integrity; and receiving names and prayerfully evaluating the candidates who offered themselves to be considered, honoring each of those candidates with the dignity and respect due them, and
WHEREAS, Mary Malhotra hosted in her home five weekends of semi-finalist interviews, visits, and informal interactions, and the Committee assembled to advance a subset to a slate, but on March 13 the Holy Spirit swept over their deliberations and the new name of the Rev. Zachary Thompson arose, and the Committee resolved to ask the Bishop’s consent for the Committee to interview the parish’s Vicar as a candidate for Rector, which consent the Bishop granted, and
WHEREAS, the Committee applied its due diligence to interviewing and vetting Zack Thompson as rigorously and thoroughly as it had the original thirty-five applicants and five semi-finalists, and it unanimously resolved thereafter to recommend a slate of one to the Vestry, but only after the parish had finished saying its full and grateful farewells to the Rev. Brenda G. Husson, Sixteenth Rector, and
WHEREAS, on April 29, 2023, Mary Malhotra returned to this Vestry with the Committee’s recommendation, and this Vestry undertook its own diligence, in small group and plenary interviews, and met also over dinners with Zack together with his wife Amy, and then on May 6 voted, with all in attendance and a unanimous first ballot, to call Zack Thompson as Seventeenth Rector.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Wardens and Vestry express their thanks and praise to each and every member of the Search Committee for their extraordinary and diligent service, their discretion and care, and be it further
RESOLVED that the Wardens and Vestry reserve their greatest measure of gratitude for the peerless leadership of Mary B. Malhotra, whose fullest talents and devotion and belief were in ample evidence throughout, but at no times moreso than in the twists and turns when personal and sensitive issues emerged with candidates and Committee members, and when the Holy Spirit moved in the room to pivot the Search from its pathway to a new and divinely-inspired end.
