Steve Awtrey: All right. Where do we start? Here?
Brad Stevens: I have no idea with prayer.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah. Prayer. Good.
Stephen Walker: Yes.
Steve Awtrey: Once you lead us down.
Don Fitzgerald: Father. We are thankful to be together again, and
Don Fitzgerald: it's just a good thing you're you're walking us through this. It gets discouraging sometimes.
Don Fitzgerald: Just pray that you'll bless us as we kind of think through where we are and what we need to do, and how we go forward, and
Don Fitzgerald: we trust that you're still leading us, and that this is where we need to be.
Don Fitzgerald: I just pray that you'll give us wisdom and discernment, and how to move forward from here and
Don Fitzgerald: and thank you again for just being faithful to us.
Don Fitzgerald: Bless this time we have together in Jesus, name Amen.
Dave: Man.
Bret Blackford: Steve Walker, can you allow sharing? I can't. I'm trying to share, and I can't. It looks like.
Stephen Walker: Let's see.
Bret Blackford: Have to turn that on.
Stephen Walker: All right. Let me see here.
Stephen Walker: Oh, shit, hey?
Jeff McGlawn: Hey, Steve Autry? I have a question.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, did.
Jeff McGlawn: The decision. So the one thing that has been going through my mind a lot.
Don Fitzgerald: You're breaking up, Jeff.
Steve Awtrey: You're breaking up.
Jeff McGlawn: Can you hear me? Is that better?
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, started start again.
Jeff McGlawn: Okay. So the one thing that as I was thinking about this whole thing
Jeff McGlawn: as the question about the money, so I wonder if
Jeff McGlawn: gin was only about the money because they he could have if it was enough money.
Jeff McGlawn: Let me.
Jeff McGlawn: Our church Internet is bad.
Jeff McGlawn: Can you guys hear me.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: Right? Now, we can. Yeah.
Jeff McGlawn: Can you hear me now?
Dave: Well, he's I don't. Jason certainly didn't respond to Steve as if it was the money. Am I remembering that right?
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, no, he. His response was not the money at all, and he
Steve Awtrey: it was. You know the money was was not even referred to that when he was here interviewing that he wasn't gonna let salary be something that
Steve Awtrey: would cause him to to make decision, yes or no, and and I didn't get that at all. That money was was even the issue. He just pretty much told us, okay, here's how much I'm making now, is there any wiggle room? There is kind of what he put it
Steve Awtrey: so I think it was. I really think it all came down to his wife.
Steve Awtrey: he said. It was just the timing of everything with his wife, and she's under a lot of pressure right now with finishing up her Phd. Her dissertation and stuff, and then with the foster child, that that's what he said it just the timing wasn't right. And then I brought up. I said so, and also probably just with your wife
Steve Awtrey: and with her moving 10 and a half hours away from her parents.
Steve Awtrey: And he said, Yeah, that was that was a factor, too. So I brought that one up, and I think it was those
Steve Awtrey: that just I mean he was. I think he was ready to come. I think he was kind of disappointed, but his wife wasn't fully in because of moving so far away from
Steve Awtrey: where she's always been. Does that answer your question?
Jeff McGlawn: Yes.
Dave: Yes.
Steve Awtrey: Okay.
Jeff McGlawn: So.
Dave: So I feel like where we're at is simply affirming our previous thoughts that okay, this door has closed. We will now pursue John.
Dave: and let's make sure that's where we are before we make the next step. That's where I feel like we're at.
Steve Awtrey: Yes, I guess probably I'll just go around and let everybody share where they're at on that.
Steve Awtrey: Let's do that.
Stephen Walker: So, Brett, are you? Can you walk me through sharing? I'm not able to? Are you able to share now or not?
Bret Blackford: Hold on. Let me see real quick.
Bret Blackford: I'm not. I put a file in the chat, and maybe you can open it up and share that.
Stephen Walker: Okay, let's see here.
Stephen Walker: Alright, let me do that which I think.
Bret Blackford: You should be able to double, click the file in the chat and then share that.
Stephen Walker: Download it. Okay, let's see here.
Stephen Walker: Okay, is it visible? It's showing on my screen here. I just wanted to.
Bret Blackford: I don't see it. You've got to go down to the bottom, and there's a share button.
Bret Blackford: Yeah, bottom of your screen.
Stephen Walker: Yeah, yeah.
Bret Blackford: You just click that, and you should be able to be able to pick the file you want to share, or the screen you want to share.
Stephen Walker: Okay.
Brad Stevens: It's a p on my computer here popped up under when I click, share twice.
Stephen Walker: Let's see 3.
Stephen Walker: Okay, it's I'm sorry, guys, the
Stephen Walker: I'm not able to get this document up, because when I open the document it takes me out of the zoom, so I have an option to share when I'm out of the.
Steve Awtrey: I I was able to download what was put in the chat, and and I'm able to look at that right here.
Bret Blackford: So I guess if everybody does, I I it would be good if it got on the the screen just for the recording. But I think what Steve says is a good idea. We're on Number 4. The decision point number 4.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Bret Blackford: So you know, we, we, the elders, have selected somebody, which was Jason and Jason, rejected the offer. So then we're in decision number 4, do we have a good second candidate? And I think that's what we're asking about. And we're looking at John Gunter specifically right now.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Bret Blackford: And so I think.
Steve Awtrey: Gotcha.
Bret Blackford: You know. I think your your thoughts are good ones, you know. Let's go around the Horn and kind of get feedback on that.
Steve Awtrey: Well, I will go in alphabetical order. I'm an a so I'll go. I'm
Steve Awtrey: I'm really. I'm just really disappointed in the the no. We got from Jason.
Steve Awtrey: Second girlfriend that broke up with me, and I and I'm torn just to be real honest.
Steve Awtrey: And I went back and listened to his sermon just while ago this afternoon, and you know
Steve Awtrey: he's he's good a little more traditional than what we are. I wonder about the fit.
Steve Awtrey: But then I come down to. We prayed about this.
Steve Awtrey: and this is where I'm toward us. So we prayed about this, and when we initially talked.
Steve Awtrey: we thought both are good candidates.
Steve Awtrey: And so so I'm really torn. But I still think he's a good candidate.
Steve Awtrey: Whether it's a good fit for us. I don't know.
Stephen Walker: But then.
Steve Awtrey: Is God active? Of course God's active, and is he?
Steve Awtrey: Is he active and say, Well, Jason was not good for us, for some reason, I think.
Steve Awtrey: And so maybe it is, John. So that's where I'm torn and questioning this.
Steve Awtrey: That's kind of where my, I'm at. That's okay. I'm a who's.
Bret Blackford: So I guess Blackford's next, and then it goes.
Steve Awtrey: Okay.
Bret Blackford: Yeah, I I think I'm feeling some of the things. Same things you are, Steve is, is.
Bret Blackford: you know. I listened to his sermons, and and you know, I think John
Bret Blackford: did a good job. I think that we got a lot of good feedback. And and so I just
Bret Blackford: was thinking about some different things. And so
Bret Blackford: you know. So the question is, should we wait for the perfect candidate? And it's kind of like when you're
Bret Blackford: a young man or woman dating, you know. Should you wait for the Perfect spouse? And does that person even exist, you know, so you can wait for Mr. Right forever. Right? So
Bret Blackford: is it a unicorn? Are we? Are we waiting for a unicorn?
Bret Blackford: And so that was one of my thoughts. And
Bret Blackford: I think about our faith, tradition, and so
Bret Blackford: to me. One of the more important things we do every Sunday is the communion.
Bret Blackford: So that's the focal point of our worship time together. And who do we have do communion?
Bret Blackford: It's just the congregation, and so
Bret Blackford: do we expect them to be perfect in their presentation. Do we expect them to be theologically sound and have the ideal presentation. And the answer to that, I think, is no. And so
Bret Blackford: you know, how perfect do we expect things to be for communion, and how perfect do we expect things to be for a sermon? So
Bret Blackford: you know, I'm just trying to level set
Bret Blackford: in my head, you know reality. Am I looking for a unicorn, or what do I want here?
Bret Blackford: And so I was also thinking.
Bret Blackford: do we expect our minister to be the end, all be-all and the savior of Mcknight church.
Bret Blackford: And I think some respects we're hoping again for
Bret Blackford: this perfect person. That's gonna do amazing things, and hopefully we can find that. But
Bret Blackford: is that fair to whoever this person is, and is that
Bret Blackford: taking responsibility off the congregation that the congregation needs to have
Bret Blackford: or should we look for somebody that's just capable and a good fit? So not the perfect person.
Bret Blackford: but somebody that's capable and good.
Bret Blackford: And again, that's subjective, right? And
Bret Blackford: so again, I'm running through all this in my head, because.
Bret Blackford: you know, you can look for a unicorn forever. And again. It's like when your your daughter's looking for somebody to marry.
Bret Blackford: You're not going to find the perfect person. And so, E.
Bret Blackford: You know again, I I think I like Jason, but I think I also like John. And so.
Bret Blackford: thinking through all this, I think I thought John would be an acceptable
Bret Blackford: candidate, given what I saw and kind of what I've heard, and some of the feedback that
Bret Blackford: And again, I'm trying to have reasonable expectations that I don't expect this guy to come in and be
Bret Blackford: the savior of Mcknight, and just to whip everybody into a frenzy. I think he can help us as elders do that, but I don't know that that's a fair
Bret Blackford: a requirement for this individual. So that's a long way of me saying, given
Bret Blackford: my thoughts at the time and given the feedback, I think he would be an acceptable candidate.
Bret Blackford: So, Ross, I think it goes to you now.
Ross Brown: Fellas. I've
Ross Brown: got kids leaving for Theo in about 10 min, and then I'll be free to talk out loud, so I'll let other people go.
Dave: Thank you. Ross.
Steve Awtrey: Don. You're up.
Don Fitzgerald: It's me
Don Fitzgerald: Well, you know, I think in our last meeting I think
Don Fitzgerald: I voiced my concerns, but you know again I feel very
Don Fitzgerald: unsure. I guess this is the word just because after
Don Fitzgerald: John's weekend I was very, very high on John, very pro John.
Don Fitzgerald: and I'm not anti John at all, but I just felt like
Don Fitzgerald: it came to feel like that. Jason was the better candidate.
Don Fitzgerald: and then I guess it was based upon some of the feedback we got.
Steve Awtrey: Enjoy.
Don Fitzgerald: Just you know I didn't like his preaching, or I didn't.
Don Fitzgerald: I mean it was some some pretty deeper than that that made me just a little concerned.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: And I guess just maybe stop to think that
Don Fitzgerald: I don't want us to be in a position where we just we settle, or we, you know, based upon 2 good candidates.
Don Fitzgerald: But then, on the other hand, I think if we have 20 candidates come in.
Don Fitzgerald: there's always going to be some.
Don Fitzgerald: Some negative is, we're not going to get that unicorn, you know, we're going to get. And I think I mean, I felt like, I really like John's preaching. I really like John as a person
Don Fitzgerald: and I still think that, you know. Maybe this is
Don Fitzgerald: where God's leading us. That's what we're asking him, and we've got 2 good candidates, and
Don Fitzgerald: one didn't work out, so do we pursue the other. So
Don Fitzgerald: I'm still not feeling as good about John as I did about Jason, but
Don Fitzgerald: I don't know that I'd want to say let's start over again, either. So.
Brad Stevens: Who's next?
Steve Awtrey: Mcglon. I think you're next.
Jeff McGlawn: We'll see if my Internet works or the Church's Internet works.
Jeff McGlawn: It's unstable, is what it's telling me so hopefully you can hear me. So I think I'm
Jeff McGlawn: with John. I don't see any concerns with we. I think we made the
Jeff McGlawn: maybe helping us to see that we should go with the option, too. So
Jeff McGlawn: it's sort of one of those strange things that
Jeff McGlawn: we had. Lots of people complain. But the thing is that the fact
Jeff McGlawn: they suggested us moving with option one, and we did hang.
Jeff McGlawn: or Jason said, No, however, you want to say it, and so it's like, now now go to the next, and that's the
Jeff McGlawn: my thinking, whenever he turned us down, that there were things as he
Jeff McGlawn: and I started feeling, this is not going to happen.
Jeff McGlawn: So the same thing like with the
Jeff McGlawn: the 1st week, and he was not excited, and he was not really pushing towards moving.
Jeff McGlawn: At that point I was like, there's something up. And so that's what happened with.
Jeff McGlawn: that's at the last minute. Same thing then happens here with halfway
Jeff McGlawn: these conversations. It was like, this is not going to work. There's something up, something's going on.
Jeff McGlawn: no matter how much we offer him. I started feeling, and I was like
Jeff McGlawn: again. So so this whole thing about it's the wife. It's the wife. Ethan was the same way
Jeff McGlawn: the kids, the family, which is okay. I think that everybody has to to live their life the way they.
Jeff McGlawn: I think it's God, sort of pushing us a different direction, which is not necessarily the direction I was thinking.
Jeff McGlawn: I was all about hiring an evangelist of some sort.
Jeff McGlawn: and John is not the biggest.
Jeff McGlawn: But maybe this is where God wants us for this season.
Jeff McGlawn: So.
Brad Stevens: Jeff, we got to get your Internet fixed. You clipped all through that. I didn't hear everything. But Hello!
Brad Stevens: Just so you know, whatever we gotta do. You need to get it fixed for you?
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Brad Stevens: I think everybody's different on your own
Brad Stevens: computer. That's why we're sitting here wondering who's next, and.
Steve Awtrey: Hmm.
Dave: It's you, Brad.
Brad Stevens: Okay.
Brad Stevens: my thought is, I was very happy to go with Jason. I was thinking John was fine, too, and
Brad Stevens: I was concerned about some of the ladies in the congregation who, you know.
Brad Stevens: It took some shots, I think, at John, that were probably pretty harsh of, you know
Brad Stevens: his weight, and you know other things which
Brad Stevens: I feel bad that that kind of stuff's already out there.
Brad Stevens: But I thought John sounded like he was excited to come here, start over again, refreshing.
Brad Stevens: being free to be more of a congregation that he saw that he seemed to like.
Brad Stevens: and I thought that was a very good positive thing.
Brad Stevens: So
Brad Stevens: my thought is, I don't want to start over again, either. I think that's not settling, but you know we prayed about it. And this is where we're at. My thought is, let's hire him and see what happens, just because we hire. Somebody doesn't mean that, you know, if it doesn't work out. We can't make changes down the road, but, on the other hand.
Brad Stevens: there's nobody else right now that we have, you know, to throw out there, and I think
Brad Stevens: between those 2 situations, I think moving ahead is probably
Brad Stevens: the best thing to do at this point.
Brad Stevens: So, Dave, you're up next.
Brad Stevens: Oh, well, oh.
Stephen Walker: So I think I expressed my thoughts earlier in terms of Candidate John.
Stephen Walker: And I said this earlier that I thought of the 2 candidates for me in terms of the one that I connected with.
Stephen Walker: probably in terms of and envision, being able to work with the person it was John.
Stephen Walker: and but that didn't necessarily mean that he was the best candidate for Mcknight Cross, just because us maybe connected with him a little bit better than I did, Jason, and it may be because I interacted with John More, and being the point person that he just kind of were able to gel a little bit. So I like John a lot.
Stephen Walker: and I think he has. And when we were looking at the candidates I envisioned John having a very strong Sunday, meaning that the preaching and teaching
Stephen Walker: we thought he would do well there, and he did. He did do well there. I thought it would be stronger than Jason, because Jason just didn't have the experience.
Stephen Walker: But then, as we were going through the weekend, as I was getting to know John and his family. I still like John a lot, but it made me wonder. Is he the best fit for Mcknight crossing
Stephen Walker: and and I'm I'm not sure. And as I was looking at the 2 candidates, it just seemed that Jason was a better fit
Stephen Walker: for what we were envisioning for us as a congregation and for our future. Then, John, I think we all agree to that. And so
Stephen Walker: so the next thought is, now we bring candidates in, so we can evaluate them based on a you know, some arbitrary parameters, some some a certain objectives and
Stephen Walker: and when we bring them in, I think at the end of the day we say, Okay, is this person a good fit or not? Is this person? Is this person the person that we see leading us from, you know, in terms of the lead minister in the future. And I said, Well, there was some intangibles about Jason that I was
Stephen Walker: thinking that he can grow into become that first.st I wasn't expecting him to have all those gifts in the first, st you know, the 1st day, but you know it was a risk, but it was a risk that was like. Seemed like it was worth taking with Jason. John.
Stephen Walker: I'm not sure if he still, if he fits that bill, you know, in terms of being able to the vision that I have for us as a congregation. I'm not sure if John is the one that can that can lead us in terms of the next chapter in our evolution as a congregation. And so I do have some reservations about John.
Stephen Walker: but I'm setting those aside because I believe that God answered a prayer.
Stephen Walker: It is not Jason. But I'm not sure. Does that mean we default to John?
Stephen Walker: Okay, so I'm a little bit, you know, hesitant there. But I am going to also submit to the collective wisdom of this group, because God brought us together as a group to make this decision. So I'm going to submit to the collective wisdom of this group. But I just wanted to say that I don't feel confident that John is the person for us. Moving forward.
Dave: Well, I still feel I want to affirm our previous thinking that John is a viable candidate. Strong lots of gifts different than Jason. And
Dave: you know, this week of Jason making the decision, I continued to pray
Dave: a, and felt like, you know, the preference I felt for Jason was valid made sense, and all of that. But
Dave: We've also been praying that both of those guys land at a place where they will thrive, and that's good for their families, and I think John brings he was a strong candidate still is brings gifts different than Jason, but he is gifted, and I think he'll change and evolve over time, and I think he'll thrive in our congregation.
Dave: I think that's an answer to that part of the prayer.
Dave: because we'll probably have as much influence in him as we were hoping to have on Jason.
Dave: And so the gifts and strengths he brings. I think we'll enjoy, and you know he'll get the lay of the land and get his footing. And right alongside us, you know. Help us grow.
Dave: I'll admit. You know. Okay, the evangelistic bent. There was a reason for Jason's preference for Jason, and with the attractiveness for young families coming in, there was a reason for that preference for Jason, and so but I do think God is answering our prayers here. We had 2 strong candidates.
Dave: So John is viable, and I'm supportive of offering to John.
Dave: I think the original offer of, you know, 65,000 or so. I think we're back to that range, and that what was originally a fit for us is probably a better fit for John. So my financial hat says that's a plus. But that's certainly like we prove with Jason. That's not a deal breaker either way. We'll see what kind of back and forth we get if we make him an offer of that
Dave: 65 number with a full package. And so I'm supportive of John. I am sensitive to the fact that it's the 15th of December. And so, you know.
Dave: if we move quickly to talk to him, there's I'm not sure what timing is going to be best for their family. Hopefully. Still, maybe early January, or something with the change of semesters, but I don't know what that looks like for them.
Dave: But if we do go forward with John, I've got a a couple of things related to that, but
Dave: I'll talk about them. So I'm a plus for John is the way to say that now I did want to affirm. If I'm remembering right, I think we got real strong references for John. Wasn't he the one who the one gentleman said. You know. I wish he was the lead minister at my congregation. Am I remembering that right, Steve?
Stephen Walker: Yes, Dave, that's that's correct.
Dave: Okay. And then I also wanted to just make sure. Now our staff had a preference for Jason, just like we did. But I don't know that anybody was cringing or afraid of a John offer. Am I right about that? In reading the staff.
Stephen Walker: There may been one person that was
Stephen Walker: not really favorable about John, as far as being the next minister.
Dave: Okay.
Dave: So the majority of the staff. Then, you know, it's not like a deal breaker. We're gonna have a mutiny, or whatever you're gonna.
Stephen Walker: No, no, you know the majority of the staff, actually, I think.
Stephen Walker: for Jason was just maybe a hair or 2 better in terms of because they were. They were fluctuating a little bit back and forth, and then eventually landed on Jason.
Dave: Finally, the number of individuals that did give us feedback and thought John was the one.
Dave: I was a little surprised by how many that was. And so the congregation was definitely divided. But that was not a tiny number of individuals that gave us a direct hey? They preferred John.
Dave: So with all those factors weighed together, I'm a i'm a plus moving forward with John.
Steve Awtrey: Ross, I think you're next.
Ross Brown: Yeah, I need like, 2 more minutes.
Steve Awtrey: Okay. 1 1 thing is we're stalling.
Steve Awtrey: I I hope that we don't make the decision because we're desperate and we're tired. I think
Steve Awtrey: if if this is not the one, I think we can move forward. And
Steve Awtrey: right now somebody was mentioned the other day. The average time going without a minister is 2 years, so we've we've only gone
Steve Awtrey: 4 months.
Steve Awtrey: It seems like we've been going a year because we have been working on this longer. But I don't want us to make this decision
Steve Awtrey: because we just we're we're exhausted. I hope we that doesn't be. That's not the factor for us.
Stephen Walker: You know. While we're stalling. Also kind of related to that
Stephen Walker: is that I I would like for us to think about communicating to the congregation something. I think it's been a enough time, and we need to let them know kind of where things are. Things stand and and that that probably can be in the letter of some sort, but I think it's time for some communication to the congregation.
Stephen Walker: They, you know they they deserve to hear something from us.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Steve Awtrey: Well, I'm thinking that if if we offer it to John we'll probably know by next Sunday, wouldn't we?
Bret Blackford: Think that's about right?
Stephen Walker: Yeah.
Bret Blackford: Yeah.
Brad Stevens: I hope so.
Jeff McGlawn: Yeah. And this is where we had talked about, possibly
Jeff McGlawn: during class like, we won't have class next week, but we could have a ing
Jeff McGlawn: since we'll have more time after church on.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, I think it would be good to.
Stephen Walker: Hmm.
Steve Awtrey: When we make the decision to have a little Congregational meeting
Steve Awtrey: right like like, if it's next week afterwards, just to kind of talk through with him. What's not on.
Steve Awtrey: it's not being recorded just to kind of just talk with them through it, because I think we we have
Steve Awtrey: several
Steve Awtrey: significant members, and to find that, however you want that were pretty clear, you had the well you had the the Kreiders, the Grimshaws, the Mcpherson's, or 3 that said, if Jason does not take it, they recommended us moving forward now, and I don't think that's enough weight to just go ahead and do that. But I think if we do go with John, I think it would be good for us to go personally, talk with some of those that had that
Steve Awtrey: strong language to say, Hey, okay, here's what where we're at on this. And we feel like
Steve Awtrey: this is where God God's leading us here because of you know, whatever.
Dave: I think that's a good point, Steve. Some one-on-one communication for the individuals like that.
Dave: you know. It's probably a really good good thought.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Bret Blackford: Did I mention this once before? I just want to mention it again, is I?
Bret Blackford: You know, with with the John. It to me. It.
Bret Blackford: I would almost like to go back to like a Michael Santiago or Ethan Laster, so there's a lot of water that's gone under the bridge. Since we've talked to them last.
Bret Blackford: It's like Michael, you know. We've talked to a number of people, and you still seem to be a good candidate, you know. Where are you at right now? You know. What are you thinking? Or you know, same thing with Ethan Laster? And so I just want to throw that out there that I think poking somebody and calling them doesn't give me any grief at all. But I just again a couple of good candidates, a lot of waters under the bridge, and I wouldn't want to start all over. But I would prefer to poke one of those guys.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah. And you know, to be be honest.
Steve Awtrey: I think I would pick John over Ethan's.
Steve Awtrey: I think he offers much more. And then, with Michael Santiago, you know, in my discussion with him. I think he's
Steve Awtrey: where he feels like he needs to be right now, and it's and I'll be with him in January.
Steve Awtrey: And so I'm really not sure if if he is legitimate candidate right now.
Brad Stevens: While we're killing time here. Had an interesting situation after church with.
Brad Stevens: I went up to
Brad Stevens: Mexican place to get something to eat, because I was hungry, and the entire Beecham family walked in, sat down close to me.
Brad Stevens: And yeah, I, you know, let's see, I think one of the kids came this morning. Yeah.
Bret Blackford: Fun.
Steve Awtrey: Dylan was there this morning?
Steve Awtrey: Yeah, right?
Brad Stevens: But anyway, when I got ready to leave, I walked over and you know said Hello, and I just kind of said something about, you know, wants you to know you're loved and missed. And Steve said, Thank you. And you know that was about it. But
Brad Stevens: you know it's kind of to me, just, you know. Think, okay, God put something right in front of me. What am I gonna do with that, you know. But
Brad Stevens: it it was nice to see Dylan coming back, and you know, wanting to be, you know.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Brad Stevens: Part of us. And yeah.
Dave: Well, I'm really encouraged by that, Brad. Thank you for doing that and sharing.
Steve Awtrey: Hmm.
Bret Blackford: And I guess also, when you know, just over the break, just while we're waiting for Ross, is I? The other thing I thought about is.
Bret Blackford: you know, I've kind of kept
Bret Blackford: a list of all the people we've talked with, you know we've and you know Steve and Steve, you guys have talked with more people than we have, and
Bret Blackford: you know we've talked with 20 plus people. You've got more resumes than that, and
Bret Blackford: you know you compare John to some of the other people we've talked to, and he's like head and shoulders above some of those. So maybe you know, he, you know.
Bret Blackford: wasn't like our a number one pick. But, boy, he is sure a good candidate compared to some of the other people we've we've looked at. So I think you know, just
Bret Blackford: kind of looking at that way. Helps give some perspective to it as well.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Ross Brown: I could talk now.
Steve Awtrey: All right.
Ross Brown: All right. Okay. Alright, Zeke, go back to your computer headphones back on, please.
Steve Awtrey: So.
Ross Brown: Yeah, I've got to watch Willow since they're gone. So that's why I'm not in the basement. But
Ross Brown: so I'm I'm for John.
Ross Brown: And on the the topic of him being strong on Sunday and kind of weak outside that, or we're not very confident in what he'll he'll be outside that I do want to
Ross Brown: point out that he he started with prison Prison ministry, working with prison ministry.
Ross Brown: and, like my uncle, did prison ministry for
Ross Brown: more greater than a decade, and so he talked about it a lot like every time we were we saw him a
Ross Brown: Thanksgivings, or whatever we he would be talking about it, and
Ross Brown: it's a very difficult ministry. It is not for the weak of heart, and it it show. It's when I hear that someone did a prison ministry. It makes me think about how resilient he was to to do. Be willing to do that.
Ross Brown: I think he's not someone who
Ross Brown: is necessarily stuck in a box, and if he was, he would still be in it. He wouldn't have transitioned to ministry. That's a person who's willing to do the hard thing because his heart is pulling him to that. So I think he's someone who we will be able to.
Ross Brown: He, he will be able to grow, and it'll just be a matter of you know us guiding his heart in a direction, and then I think he'll have the gumption to to pursue changes.
Ross Brown: Also. Yeah, perfect is the enemy of good.
Ross Brown: and I don't feel like we'd be settling.
Ross Brown: I agree that like when we met Jason, it was like a little love at 1st sight, because, like personality, wise, really messed with us, and his sermon was so personal.
Ross Brown: I think that's it's rare that you can have that, you know, with one meeting feel so close to someone.
Ross Brown: But I think about the
Ross Brown: I, an Indian guy that I worked with, who had an arranged marriage, and he talked about how
Ross Brown: they were a good fit. They did not love each other when they got married, and then, after about 6 months, he fell in love with her, and then, after about 18 months, she fell in love with him.
Ross Brown: But they were together, because.
Ross Brown: you know, they had the same goals, and they were ready to work together, and it and and that that emotional connection came. And it's not exactly the same thing. And we're not. It's different than marriage, because we're not.
Ross Brown: We're not trying to never get divorced. We're we accept the fact that, you know
Ross Brown: it might not work out. So it's it's less commitment than that.
Ross Brown: But I think he has very good potential, and
Ross Brown: my vote would be go forward with John.
Bret Blackford: So I put some stuff in the chat, but I understood everybody to say.
Bret Blackford: Let me know if I've misstated anything.
Dave: I can't see that I'm sorry.
Bret Blackford: It's pretty much says yes, I said. Don Fitz gave a soft Yes, Steve Walker gave a soft Yes, or undecided, but everybody else was, yes, and
Bret Blackford: just a few other minor comments.
Bret Blackford: Okay, so I don't know if that captured it appropriately. So I just wanna make sure.
Brad Stevens: Well, I'd like to recommend that somebody call him and see if he's interested.
Bret Blackford: The one thing that I think with John that we need to be clear in the Memorandum of understanding is things like office hours, and cause I. My understanding is we want somebody to be there
Bret Blackford: more often than not, and I think he was used to not having office hours. I don't know if there's anything else that we need to discuss with him. But I think there's some things that we just
Bret Blackford: kind of say. Here's what our expectations are.
Steve Awtrey: A good minister will not.
Steve Awtrey: We'll resist the idea of always having office hours
Steve Awtrey: because they're out with people. I think we gotta be careful how we how we state what we expect. And I think in the mou we have on there, having expected to spend time in the office as far as leading this. This the team.
Jeff McGlawn: Yeah. And I think office hours issues isn't about him being with people.
Jeff McGlawn: It's about him not being.
Steve Awtrey: Get home by himself.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah. So so that's where we definitely need to make sure that it's.
Jeff McGlawn: Because it's it's okay. To have office hours or meeting with people is, I would think.
Dave: So well, let me make a recommendation and and add a little bit.
Dave: something else. To this I recommend that we offer John the position with a $65,000 salary, and we can fine tune an mou to follow up, you know, like we did edit it. But if we could call him either today or tomorrow, we should move that quickly and see what he needs. And I also wanted to make you guys aware.
Dave: You know the logistics of them moving here might be a little bit tricky, and you know, how quickly can that happen? Well, the rental house that Amy and I have is vacant right? Because Nathan moved out at the end of his lease here in December, and it's ready to go, and we don't have anybody else lined up. And so Amy and I were talking about this scenario.
Dave: and that's a 3 bedroom home that is, can be available to them very quickly to move into.
Dave: and we can make it a very attractive arrangement, like a thousand dollars a month, utilities included, because we've just switched all the utilities to our name, and whether they're there 3 months or as much as a year that could work for us, and make it easy for them to move here.
Dave: so I don't know when we share that with him. You know. I don't know that that's a big enough carrot. We want him to make a decision to be here. But that's a that's a very conducive scenario. If if they, you know, given that, it's mid-december, what's best for their family. So.
Brad Stevens: Sounds like a nice sweetener.
Stephen Walker: I think we share it with them early on, I think we when we say we want to make them an offer, we also say we have a housing strategy that we've been thinking about, that we can share with you to make the transition hopefully, we'll smoother for you. I think we share it with them pretty quickly.
Bret Blackford: And I've added that to the chat just read through that. Make sure that that captured that correctly.
Dave: Again. I can't see what you wrote, so help me out.
Bret Blackford: Dave Weiler recommends. We offer John Position at 65,000 a year. We should call today or tomorrow to move quickly. Dave Weiler has a vacant rental house that can be used for shorter long term if needed. 3 bedrooms available now can make an attractive arrangement like a thousand dollars a month, plus utilities.
Steve Awtrey: With so including utilities, yeah.
Dave: Yeah, a thousand a month, including utilities.
Dave: And so, you know, I can imagine it's a Lindbergh school district.
Stephen Walker: Thank you. So.
Dave: They wanted their boys to hit the ground running. That's not gonna harm them to be there a semester while they figure out what part of the county to live in, or.
Stephen Walker: So, Dave, is that an offer for the Admin Minister too?
Stephen Walker: We can talk.
Bret Blackford: So, Steve Walker, are you the contact for John.
Stephen Walker: If you guys want me to be, I'll be happy to do that.
Brad Stevens: Second thing's motion.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Steve Awtrey: So those of us
Steve Awtrey: and I'm 1 that was I wasn't a strong. Yes, I was kind of hesitant, but wondering if this is what God's
Steve Awtrey: has been answering our prayers.
Steve Awtrey: I, because the wisdom of the whole group says, Yes, I'm I'm in there with everybody.
Don Fitzgerald: Yeah, as we leave this meeting, I'm a i mean, I'm a strong yes, just based on.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: The this group so.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: I don't wanna.
Don Fitzgerald: I don't want to come across as not being supportive of the group decision. Absolutely 100%.
Stephen Walker: Yeah, I think I reiterate those same sentiments earlier on, too. So.
Steve Awtrey: Yes.
Brad Stevens: Well, if he says no, we're gonna know it's God.
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Dave: I
Stephen Walker: What?
Dave: I do think it's appropriate, Steve. When you talk to him it's okay to let him know that the timing wise we had made a job offer to Jason, and he said, no, and that, you know we're we've always seen him as a good candidate. There's plenty of support behind him, but I think he deserves to know that just like.
Stephen Walker: Great.
Dave: It makes sense that we're going to share that with the congregation when it's communication time. And so, you know, full full trust and transparency is good.
Stephen Walker: Absolutely.
Steve Awtrey: That we be alive. He's God's answer to our prayer.
Dave: Yeah.
Don Fitzgerald: If he says yes, it's God's answer to our prayer, not just if he says no.
Steve Awtrey: Yep, ow!
Steve Awtrey: Are we meeting Monday night.
Bret Blackford: Well, I had a
Bret Blackford: question about that. If we want to meet tomorrow or a week from tomorrow and the agenda items I have.
Steve Awtrey: You know, tomorrow there's probably not going to be any more to talk about on this. If we wait a week there'll be more to talk about. So I think there might be that. But the other agenda items and none of them are extremely pressing. I have. This is hospitality.
Bret Blackford: I would like to have a better understanding of the 2025 preaching schedule
Bret Blackford: kind of what Steve Autry has planned on that. I know you've talked about that a little bit. I just need to get a better feel. We talked about communion guidelines. I don't know where we are with that. And then
Bret Blackford: I've just got I've been working on a document. That kind of summarizes various decisions from prior meetings, and it's kind of like, what do we believe, or who are we as a church? And I just wanted to share that with the group of
Bret Blackford: different things that we've talked through? And and it doesn't mean that we're done talking through them. But we've at least spent some time. And here's what I understand us to believe as a congregation.
Bret Blackford: It's funny.
Stephen Walker: Can answer that. Your community guidelines. So.
Bret Blackford: Okay.
Stephen Walker: There were some edits that were made. I think specifically you made some, and Jeff made some edits and I included those with some minor tweaks, but really kept them pretty much what you guys had recommended, and I didn't get any feedback from anyone else. So those are submitted as the guidelines. So the guidelines are.
Stephen Walker: yeah. Copy, Steve.
Stephen Walker: I will.
Bret Blackford: Great, and do those get?
Bret Blackford: Is Kaylin given those to everybody on a weekly basis?
Stephen Walker: This this week should have been our 1st week to start doing.
Jeff McGlawn: So, Steve, one thing that happened today
Jeff McGlawn: into that guideline is that they need to wait until complete with communion, because today Colleen tried to
Jeff McGlawn: before the communion servers were even in the back and
Jeff McGlawn: sound, until all the communion servers are finished.
Jeff McGlawn: Because of all the clinking and all those
Jeff McGlawn: distracting. So we probably need to put something in there about that.
Jeff McGlawn: Get the communion servers also to be a little quicker in their turnaround.
Jeff McGlawn: But we
Jeff McGlawn: it's too disturbing to have somebody up there trying to yell and scream because they can't get the microphone to work.
Stephen Walker: So, Jeff, can we talk about that, Susan? You're breaking up a little bit.
Jeff McGlawn: Yeah, definitely.
Bret Blackford: Okay, yeah.
Bret Blackford: And I was a little disappointed that Brian pumped up the music and turned down the mic when she was up there. I think the the speaker should
Bret Blackford: carry the day, but I do agree that there should be some guidelines on that, but I know there's different reasons why people handle it differently. So I was a little disappointed in Brian for doing that, but I understand that
Bret Blackford: we should probably put more structure in it.
Stephen Walker: Okay.
Ross Brown: It's a bad look to turn the music up.
Bret Blackford: Yeah, I didn't like that.
Ross Brown: I'd rather have confusion than have that. Yeah.
Bret Blackford: Yeah, so I again, I think, meeting tomorrow, we don't
Bret Blackford: have a lot of time, and I don't know if there's a need. Should we wait a week, and then maybe Steve Walker can have some answers for us, and we can kind of talk through the next steps of what what happens? Given yes or no.
Brad Stevens: I vote that we wait a week.
Bret Blackford: Okay. And I can.
Steve Awtrey: Sounds good.
Bret Blackford: Schedule.
Dave: Is everybody around on the 23.rd
Brad Stevens: I'm here.
Steve Awtrey: I am. I'm here.
Dave: I can. I don't have a board meeting so that can work.
Bret Blackford: I'm good, and again I'll try to keep it brief. I don't
Bret Blackford: like this, did. I'll try to keep it
Bret Blackford: pretty terse, and and I'll just have maybe 4 or 5 bullet point items, and the the main one will just be what we're talking about with the candidate.
Brad Stevens: Hey, Brett, add another item for the meeting at the bottom for 5 min about truck parking on our parking lot. Got some.
Bret Blackford: Okay, I can add that.
Steve Awtrey: And I'll with
Steve Awtrey: January. I'm preaching the 5.th I'm looking at some ideas of getting the elders involved at the hospitality thing starts our series on standing firm.
Steve Awtrey: Logan Whalen is the next week.
Steve Awtrey: and then the next week after that I have Matthew Barterwell.
Steve Awtrey: and then the week after that I've asked Travis
Steve Awtrey: Myers. I haven't heard anything from him, and then I need somebody that February second, and then on the 9, th I'm hoping to get Jim Martin, who's going to be doing the the Elders Conference
Steve Awtrey: so, and I've been kind of waiting to see
Steve Awtrey: the minister we get coming in, so I've kind of waiting on that. Once we know that, I'll then start filling in.
Brad Stevens: Steve Kudos Eric's decision that you had the best of, you know
Brad Stevens: sermon that he had ever heard at Mcknight. I thought, Wow, yeah.
Steve Awtrey: I don't know, and and what the reason, he said is because of talking all the stories of the people in faith.
Steve Awtrey: That was about 3 or 4 min worth, so I don't know
Steve Awtrey: if, if, as far as I remember, so I don't know.
Bret Blackford: Talk through the the preaching schedule, and and again given what John's looking at. If, again, if we went, if things were going to go to June, you know, I just.
Bret Blackford: There's there's a lot of things to consider that I've jotted down. But hopefully we don't have to deal with those things. And so we can talk about that next week.
Steve Awtrey: Right? Yeah, so we can do that. I'll I'll give you some stuff, and we'll see great.
Stephen Walker: Okay.
Brad Stevens: Motion to adjourn Steve Walker. You ought to
Brad Stevens: make that call tonight. I think.
Stephen Walker: Oh, as soon as we finish here I'm making a call.
Steve Awtrey: Right? Right?
Steve Awtrey: Yeah.
Steve Awtrey: Well, Brad, once you lead a prayer for us.
Brad Stevens: Father God, we feel affirmed that
Brad Stevens: we're going in the direction that you're guiding us in, and if we're wrong, father, just turn it around, and
Brad Stevens: we're going to put all our faith in you and know that
Brad Stevens: what we've prayed and asked for has been put before your throne, and we simply look for
Brad Stevens: an affirmation coming to let us know how to proceed.
Steve Awtrey: We ask this in the name of your son Jesus. Amen. Amen.
Stephen Walker: And all right.
Dave: All right.
Steve Awtrey: All right.
Steve Awtrey: Good night.
Dave: Back on the road. I'm in Indianapolis, so.
Brad Stevens: Very safe, Dave, you got.
Dave: Yeah, drive safe. Thanks for taking for stopping for us.
Dave: Good. This has been good. Appreciate you guys.
Steve Awtrey: So let Amy back in the car, Dave.
Dave: Actually she's driving in from Nebraska we went our separate directions. This weekend she had a funeral to go to of a high school friend's mother. So so yeah, we're both on the road here till late. So.
Stephen Walker: Okay, yeah. Safe travels for both of y'all.
Dave: Alright! Thanks.
Steve Awtrey: Alright!
Steve Awtrey: See ya.
Dave: See ya.