Transition Information & Timeline
November 2024
Bob Bourne and Andrew Christopherson co-chairs

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the recently published Parish Profile and give feedback to the Vestry.  
The transition process has been moving very quickly. Our profile committee (thank you to Linda Apmadoc, Elena Brubacher, Andrew Christopherson, Hopi Hayes, Judith Hunt and Jerry Mihld for their diligent work!) completed the profile in September, the Vestry approved it and met with Canon Tom Quijada-Discavage, the Diocesan Canon responsible for “transformation.”  We reviewed our options moving forward, and learned that in addition to a traditional search, we could petition the bishop to allow us to call our current Priest in Charge, Very Rev. Canon Bill Dunn as priest in charge under special circumstance (PICUSC), in essence bypassing the rest of the search and putting Fr. Bill on the fast track to become rector. 
Some of Trinity’ recent rectors have been chosen by this method and some by the traditional search process. Both methods have been successful in some instances, and both have seen failure. If mistakes have been made in the past, it may well have been in choosing a priest who did not match our needs as outlined on the then current Parish Profile. 
The vestry therefore asked the members of the congregation to review the profile very carefully, and advise the vestry whether, based on the profile, we should embark on a broad search for a rector, or petition the bishop to allow us to use the PICUSC track.
The congregation responded!
Decisions like this are never unanimous, and the vestry appreciated and listened carefully to all opinions. We also reviewed the profile ourselves, carefully reviewing Fr. Bill’s qualifications and our knowledge of him and comparing them with the qualities outlined in the profile. Congregational responses were overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward with Fr. Bill as PICUSC.
At the vestry meeting on October 20, after continued review and discussion, and of course ascertaining that Fr. Bill was willing, a motion was unanimously passed to petition Bishop Taylor to allow us to call Fr. Bill as PICUSC.
The diocese moved very quickly, and on October 26, we heard the bishop had responded favorably, and we were able to move forward.
After completion of required paperwork and formalities, Fr. Bill was officially appointed as our PICUSC on October 26, 2024
The PICUSC process traditionally is a yearlong journey including at least two “Mutual Ministry Reviews” conducted with the Vestry, the PICUSC and the diocese. We anticipate this process will be shortened because of the time Fr. Bill has already spent leading our parish, and that in a relatively short period of time we will be able to welcome him as the new rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, Redlands.
As I am sure you are aware, the vestry is extremely pleased with this decision, and Fr. Bill’s acceptance. Please congratulate Fr. Bill next time you see him. We are looking forward to completing this process quickly and if all goes well, appointing Fr. Bill as rector in the relatively near future.

If you haven’t had a chance to review the profile, it is available at the church office, or online at https://www.redlandsepiscopal.org/rectorsearch

Please see our Timeline. It represents an abbreviated review of what has already happened in the transition process, and where we are going. It has been modified since our last update. (Green is what we have done, and blue is what’s next.)

Please review the previous reports which are archived and easily accessible on this page. The Pentecost 2024 report contains a review of the HolyCow! and Small Group findings presentation made to the congregation after our Pentecost service by Andrew Christopherson.

If you have questions about this process, please contact Kathleen in the office, (office@tec-redlands.org ) Bob (drbobbourne@gmail.com) or Andrew (andrewchristopherson@gmail.com )