Dear Redeemer Family,
I have exciting news! Our search team has unanimously voted to extend an invitation to a very wise and talented woman, Lane Cowin, to join our staff as Senior Director of Ministries. (Click to view a video interview with Lane.)
Lane holds an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and comes to us from Charlottesville where she has served for years as Director of Spiritual Formation at Trinity Presbyterian Church and before that as Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Women at the Center for Christian Study at UVA.
Lane is a gifted Bible teacher, counselor, spiritual director, and leader. One of the things that I have had the opportunity to observe about her ministry over the years is that people tend to thrive under her care.
If you are wondering, “What exactly is a Senior Director of Ministries? I thought we were searching for an Associate Rector.” Then you’re not crazy! Here’s what the position is and here’s how we got there.
When we began this search process, I thought an Associate Rector (pastor) was the next staff position our parish most needed. Our little church is not so little anymore and there is more pastoral care and leadership needed than I alone can offer. However, as we began the search process, two things became clear:
Most of the things we would be asking this new staff person to do did not necessarily require the person to already be ordained. Therefore, they could be a ministry leader and perhaps not be clergy. We decided that ordination would help the person do the job more effectively, but was not essential to the job.
Most of our top candidates were not already ordained in the Anglican Communion; therefore, no matter who we hired, it would be at least 2+ years before they would be ordained.
So, our search team decided that ordination was not a prerequisite for this role and we switched the job title to Senior Director of Ministries.
What does a Senior Director of Ministries do? Think of this position as having two primary “buckets” or areas of responsibility.
Responsibility #1: Assist me (Dan) in leading our staff. This means overseeing both individual staff and ministry teams. Many of our staff will now report directly to Lane instead of to me. This will, undoubtedly, be a positive change for many of our staff!
Responsibility #2: Provide care and spiritual direction for parishioners. A significant part of Lane’s job will be to meet with anyone in the church who is in need of counsel, care, direction, or simply a listening ear. As you have likely already guessed, there are many folks in our parish and in our city that will find Lane more approachable than they find me! Our hope is that, in hiring Lane, we are expanding our shepherding care for people both inside and outside the parish.
Of course, along the way, Lane will do a host of other things as well. She will lead us in the Sunday liturgy from up front, she will teach classes, lead discussions, organize events, preach the occasional sermon, and much more.
Lane plans to move to Richmond this summer and her official start date is September 1.
Welcome Lane!
We are grateful for your willingness to join our parish and share our mission.
In the Father’s love,
Dan & the Search Team
Andrew Smith — Personnel Committee Member
Rose Estes — Personnel Committee Member
Matt Morgan — Senior Warden
Jim Reynolds — Junior Warden
Hallel Basco — Vestry Member
Bethany Lansing — Vestry Member
