[Magdalen] Please pray for Ascension, Chicago

[Raewynne Whiteley]

Amen.  I inherited a choir director and an administrator who were both
parishioners.  Both of them actively undermined me for years, and both were
barely adequate at their jobs; the administrator is paid well above average
for someone in her type of position and her (lack of) computer skills. But
it was made very clear to me that to let either of them go would result in
a split in the parish.  In other words, they were permanent and I was
temporary.

Thankfully the choir director has moved away, and the administrator has
become (finally) more supportive, though she still has huge gaps in her
skill set.

I fully support the idea of employees having to offer their resignations
when a new rector is called.  As well as the issue of how well they work
together, it gives them an incentive to actively support the rector.

Raewynne

On Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 5:15 PM, Lynn Ronkainen <houstonklr at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Prayers for sadness... And adjustment. AFAIK every employee including
> assisting clergy submit letters of resignation when a new rector is called.
> The good and tactful ones give it some time. Perhaps some educating is
> needed that this is often de regiur (sp?)
> Lynn
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jan 16, 2015, at 2:17 PM, Scott Knitter <scottknitter at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Our rector has done some housecleaning, firing the parish
> administrator (immediately) and the longtime organist and choirmaster
> as of Feb. 15. Heard from a couple of parishioners who plan to leave.
> Lots of hurt and anger. The reason is to refocus funds toward a
> full-time curate and full-time organist/choirmaster (one person) and
> aim at goals like greater ministry to the immediate neighborhood and
> to younger folks.
>
> I was shocked and angry at first but do agree with the goals. I just
> wish we could do these things in a way that doesn't match the style of
> corporate America. Seems cold and abrupt. But apparently it's the
> standard thing.
>
> Please pray for Charley Taylor, David Schrader, and Thomas Wikman. So
> many years of faithful service (which it seems to inappropriate to
> reward with an abrupt termination). My fear is for the fallout among
> parishioners. This may end up being a good change to make, but right
> now it hurts.
>
> We do not plan to leave.
>
> --
> Scott R. Knitter
> Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA
>