Dear Friends in Christ,

Praise the Lord! God has done great things! Father Lonnie Lacy and his wonderful family are coming to St. John’s! This joyful news is the culmination of almost a year of discernment. The Rector Search Committee has been thanked profusely and we are honored that you put your trust in us as we sought God’s guidance. Now it’s our turn to give thanks.

Thank you, God, for leading us to Father Lonnie! We also thank God for leading Father Lonnie to us. Discernment is a two-way process. God can’t simply show us Father Lonnie. Father Lonnie seeks God’s will when deciding if he is called to us. So, to God be the glory!

Thank you, the people of St. John’s! You gave us encouragement and patience, you prayed for us, and you loved us. Father Lonnie will need encouragement, patience, prayers, and love as he begins his ministry at St. John’s and we know you will give him these gifts in abundance.

Thank you, St. John’s staff! Mandy Schnittker provided vital communications between our committee, the church, and the wider world. Lindsay Hardy, Claire Dodd, and Deborah Dugger gave us invaluable support. Alvin Bennett, David Wheeler, and Israel Leonard stayed late many nights waiting for us to finish our work. Fran Doxsee and Vivian Leonard cooked beautiful meals for our kickoff gathering and our applicant interview dinners. Kate Kile and Nancy Barfield reimbursed our travel and food expenses. Angela Shelley guaranteed that we provided regular parish updates at Coffee Talks. Caroline Devitt kept the church Youth active, an important element to rectors who are seeking a healthy parish. Betsy Calhoun, Elizabeth LaJeunesse, and Mike Norris gave the church exceptional music. We can’t tell you how many applicants said they were drawn to St. John’s because of our music! And of course, though not officially a staff member, we have to thank Cindy Sessions, our church treasurer. She’s our “church treasure!”

Thank you, Doug Sessions and Lynn Solomon! Doug was the Senior Warden and Lynn was the Junior Warden when this rector search began. Together they spent countless hours helping to form a search committee of diverse members last summer. After the committee was chosen, Doug selflessly remained with us, attended meetings, and counseled our group wisely.

Thank you, Parish Profile Subcommittee! This subcommittee was made up of search committee members, Corinna Strayer, Brian Arsenault, and Virginia Perkins along with congregation members David Campbell, Cheryle Dodd, Sarah Ball Miller, Pat Peters, and Jennifer Guy. They created a product that told the story of who were are and what we sought in a rector in an engaging and illustrative way. Thanks also goes to Dennis Howard for his incredible photos, Charlie Belvin and Rodrigo Diaz Garcia for the beautiful videography, and Mandy Schnittker for putting it all together. If you haven’t seen the St. John’s profile, we invite you to TAKE A LOOK. So many applicants expressed how excited they were at the possibility of serving at St. John’s after viewing our profile. It certainly impressed Father Lonnie!

Thank you, St. John’s Vestry for your support and faith in our committee. Your leadership through this process helped us feel supported and encouraged. We also thank you for your unanimous vote to call Father Lonnie!

Thank you, Diocese of Florida, especially Canon to the Ordinary, Reverend Allison DeFoor, his assistant, Deanna Peck, Reverend Nancy Suellau, and Bishop John Howard. You trained us on how to interview, supported our process, and approved our call without reservation.

And thank you to Father Bill Trexler, Deacon Joe Bakker, and especially to Mother Abi Moon! You held our congregation together and gifted our committee the space to do our important work in God’s time. Your leadership and love bridged the “in between” time and allowed us to emerge from this search a church united in love.

So, we’ll end this message of thanksgiving with the words of an old hymn,

God has done great things at St. John’s! Praise the Lord!

And the entire Rector Search Committee says, “Amen!”

Martin Proctor, Chair
Laurye Messer, Vice Chair
Gene Adams
Sarah Michael Anderson
Brian Arsenault
Alan Asker
David Grimes
Lina Knox
Cricket Mannheimer
Virginia Perkins
Neil Rambana
Corinna Strayer

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A MESSAGE FROM THE SR. WARDEN

May 17, 2022

Dear St. John’s family,

It is my great pleasure to announce that the Rev. Thomas Alonzo “Lonnie” Lacy II has accepted our call to serve as the twenty-eighth rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Tallahassee.

Fr. Lonnie was the unanimous choice of our Rector Search Committee, a diverse group representing a wide range of St. John’s parishioners. Bishop John Howard recently affirmed the call, and today, Fr. Lonnie received a unanimous vote of approval from the St. John’s Vestry. We are delighted to welcome Lonnie as our next rector. His first Sunday of ministry at St. John’s will be August 7, 2022.

Lonnie is currently the rector of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Tifton, Georgia, a parish he has led since 2009. Before being called to his current position, Lonnie served as Assistant Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church, Statesboro, Georgia and as the Episcopal chaplain for Georgia Southern University. He is a congregational development trainer through the Church Development Institute, has served as Chair of the Diocesan Examining Chaplains, and often serves as a chaplain for diocesan youth programs such as Happening and New Beginnings.

After earning a Master in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary, Lonnie was ordained as a priest in 2006. His undergraduate degree is a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Reinhardt University. Lonnie and his wife, Jay, have two wonderful children, whom we look forward to welcoming to St. John’s.

We are so grateful for the year-long discernment process that helped us discover more deeply who we are as a parish and what we needed in our next rector. When our search committee met Fr. Lonnie, they heard the call with clarity. Lonnie loves God and he loves God’s people. He expresses his faith with such joy that you can’t help but feel thankful for God’s love and saving grace. Lonnie’s energy and welcoming personality are balanced with vision, a pastoral nature, and a passion for preaching about the love of Jesus. He will meet everyone right where they are and guide us in conversation with God. We are looking forward to the beginning of an exciting new chapter together. Following this letter, please find a special written message from Fr. Lonnie and some family photos.

Finally, please join me in expressing our deep appreciation to the St. John’s Rector Search Committee: Martin Proctor, chair, Laurye Messer, vice chair, Gene Adams, Sarah Michael Anderson, Brian Arsenault, Alan Asker, David Grimes, Lina Knox, Cricket Mannheimer, Virginia Perkins, Neil Rambana, and Corinna Strayer. We put our trust in them, and they saw us through and kept us engaged throughout the discernment process. We are so grateful for this dedicated group!

We are working with the Diocese to appoint a short-term interim who will see us through Mother Abi’s last day in late June and Lonnie’s arrival in early August. We will share that information with you as soon as possible. In the meantime, please keep Fr. Lonnie and the Lacy family, St. Anne’s, and St. John’s in your prayers as we move through this exciting time of transition.

Sincerely,

Mahaska Whitley
Senior Warden 

A MESSAGE FROM FR. LONNIE:

Dear People of St. John’s,

Alleluia, Christ is risen! In this blessed Eastertide as our Lord continues to make all things new, I am overcome with joy to be called to serve as your new rector.

St. John’s is a special place. Through your gifts for beautiful music and liturgy, your stalwart dedication to outreach, your love for Jesus, and your genuinely winsome, welcoming spirit, God has made St. John’s a beacon of grace, hope, and love to countless souls for nearly two centuries. With so many great days behind you, I am excited to walk with you through the even greater days to come.

My family and I come to you from nearby Tifton, Georgia where I have served thirteen happy years as the rector of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. St. Anne’s is best known for its vibrant liturgy, strong youth programs, and a profound commitment to the love, healing, forgiveness, and grace of Jesus Christ. As a priest, my passions lie in liturgy, teaching scripture, cultivating strong lay leaders, and—above all—preaching the timeless message of God’s grace. In my off time, I enjoy cooking, camping, art, graphic design, and anything else that allows me to be creative.

My wife Jay works in the insurance industry and enjoys playing an active role in the life of our church and diocese. Jay and I will celebrate our eighteenth wedding anniversary on August 7, which also happens to be our first Sunday at St. John’s. Our children Kendall and Dean are rising seventh and ninth graders. Both are dedicated acolytes and have a passion for choral music. Our entire family is eager to meet you!

I want to thank your wonderful search committee and their co-chairs Martin Proctor and Laurye Messer. It was through Martin and Laurye’s gentle invitations that I began to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice, and that voice was confirmed as I met the members of your search committee. Their trust in one another and love for St. John’s were evident from day one, and they have been exquisitely honest, thorough, supportive, and kind through the entire process. Please join me in offering your deepest gratitude for their months of discernment and hard work.

I know it has been a long wait, but don’t worry: the Lacys are coming! We’ll make our move over the summer, and by the time August begins we’ll be firmly planted at St. John’s where we hope to lay deep roots for years to come.

In the meantime, God bless you. I am praying for all of you, and I cannot wait to see you soon.

Grace and peace,
Lonnie Lacy

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RECTOR SEARCH UPDATE – April 2022

Martin Proctor, Search Committee Chair
Laurye Messer, Search Committee Vice Chair

St. John’s Rector Search Committee has been hard at work, narrowing the field of candidates and bringing us one step closer to finding God’s choice for our new parish leader.

DISCERNMENT PHASE. The last of our first interviews was conducted by Zoom on Monday, March 28. From an initial field of 16 applicants, the committee has now whittled the search down to three individuals. Second interviews, which last three to four hours, have been conducted with two of the final candidates, The remaining candidate has a second interview scheduled for May.

CALL PHASE. This means our committee is still in the Discernment Phase but, with every interview, we are getting closer to the Call Phase, the time when the Rector Search Committee discerns that they have found the priest God has chosen for St. John’s. The committee will recommend this priest to the Bishop and once approved, the candidate will be presented to the Vestry for final approval. We are prayerful that a priest will be called by the end of June. We do want to stress that God’s time may not be our time. We can’t divulge any information about the three candidates because we want to protect their confidentiality, but we tell you that all of them are servants of God and St. John’s is blessed to have such quality people apply to be our rector.

PRAYERS NEEDED. Up until now, we have asked for you to pray for your Rector Search Committee. Now that we are nearing the Call Phase, we ask that you keep these three candidates in your prayers as well. Transitioning from the Discernment Phase to the Call Phase is a critical step in the search process and both your committee and the candidates need God’s loving guidance.

GRATITUDE. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Rector Search Committee for its dedication to seeking God’s will for St. John’s. It involves countless hours of work and it couldn’t be done without the kind support of the parish. So, thank you, St. John’s. We feel your love and support and we thank you for your patience, encouragement, and faithfulness!

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An Update from Your Rector Search Committee Leadership

Martin Proctor, Committee Chair
Laurye Messer, Committee Vice Chair

Your Rector Search Committee continues to work hard to seek God’s choice for our next priest. The application window closed on February 28, by which date 16 applicants submitted materials for consideration. Since January, the committee has been meeting candidates via Zoom for informal first interviews. These first interviews are scheduled to end on March 28, and then the committee will meet to discern who will be chosen for the second round of interviews. Easter may pause this phase of the process, but as soon as Easter is over, second interviews will resume.

SECOND INTERVIEWS:
A second interview is a major step. First interviews are casual, “get to know you” meetings and only involve talking with a candidate via Zoom. Second interviews are conducted by a team of three or four committee members. Depending upon the prospective rector’s location, the team will fly or drive to a candidate’s city of residence, and conduct an interview with the candidate at a neutral location. This interview will last three to four hours.

Afterwards, the search team will take the candidate and his or her spouse, if applicable, out to dinner. The following day, the rector search team will attend the candidate’s church to observe the campus, the priest’s preaching style, and the priest’s interaction with his or her congregation.

THIRD INTERVIEWS:
Once second interviews have been completed, your Rector Search Committee will meet again to discern who will be invited for a third interview. Third interviews involve a visit to St. John’s by the prospective priest. It’s an opportunity for the candidate to meet the entire committee in person, and it also allows him or her to see St. John’s and the city of Tallahassee. For the sake of the candidate, all interviews are done with the strictest confidentiality.

TIMELINE:
The committee’s hope is that we will have a priest by the beginning of the summer, but we realize God’s time may not be our time. As your Rector Search Committee navigates through our timeline and the “Discernment Phase,” please continue to pray that we seek God’s guidance and hear His voice so that we have a new priest that fulfills His will for St. John’s. We appreciate everyone who joined us last month for a Coffee Talk with the Rector Search Committee. We also thank you for your prayers, patience, and faith.

We are honored to serve in this very important ministry.

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Our Coffee Talk on Sunday, February 27, featured an update from our St. John’s Rector Search Committee. This group of dedicated parishioners is hard at work searching for St. John’s next rector. We are currently in the “seeking phase” of our process. Martin and Laurye discuss the pending deadline for applications, and what you can do as a congregation to support our search team.

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At our most recent Coffee Talk, our Rector Search Committee Chairs shared a sneak peek of the St. John’s parish profile. The Parish Profile Subcommittee, headed by Corinna Strayer along with her fabulous team, created a publication that will allow potential candidates to see “Who We Are” and “Who We Seek” in a rector. It’s actually an interactive webpage, which means we are able to showcase the sights and sounds of our wonderful church within the web-based publication. Applicants can also apply directly from the site.

We’re providing this link to the parish profile so that you may take a closer look. We also hope you’ll share it with anyone and everyone whom you think might be called to St. John’s.

As we said at Coffee Talk, you have chosen a search committee, but discerning who God has chosen for our next rector is the entire congregation’s job. Sharing this link is one of the ways you can help. Another is to continue to pray for your search committee.

We are now embarking on the “Seeking Phase” of our rector search, and expect to start receiving applications soon. With your assistance and God’s guidance, we are one step closer to finding His choice for St. John’s.

Your Rector Search Committee thanks you for your support, prayers, and love!

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Your Rector Search Committee has an update!

PARISH SURVEY:

• 366 people responded to the Holy Cow survey.
• This represents 83% of our average weekly attendance rate.
• We are very pleased with this incredible response. Thank you!
• The Rector Search Committee met with Holy Cow Consulting on October 20 to review the survey results.
• Holy Cow reported that St. John’s is a high energy and highly satisfied congregation.

PARISH PROFILE:

• During this part of the Self Study Phase, we are working to incorporate the survey analysis into the parish profile.
• The parish profile is essentially a job description.
• Once the parish profile has been completed, we will begin the Seeking Phase of our search.
• This means we’ll begin taking applications for the role.
• The congregation will have access to the parish profile.

INTERVIEW PREPARATION:

• In preparation for the Seeking Phase, your Rector Search Committee took part in a three-hour “Search Committee Interview Skills” training session on October 23.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

• Pray for your Rector Search Committee.
• Know a priest you love? Share their name with the Rector Search Committee and encourage that individual to apply during the Seeking Phase.
• If you have any questions or comments, please fill out a feedback form found on the St. John’s Rector Search webpage or contact a member of the Rector Search Committee.

Thank you for your support as we seek God’s choice for our next rector.

Martin Proctor, Chair
Laurye Messer, Vice-Chair

Date published: October 28, 2021

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The St. John’s Rector Search Committee is busy laying the groundwork to find God’s choice to be our next parish Rector. However, before this search can begin, our congregation must first discern who we are and what we are seeking in a Rector. To do this, we need you!

St. John’s has contracted with Holy Cow Consulting to conduct a parish survey. The results of this survey will essentially provide a Rector job description designed specifically for St. John’s. Please complete the survey on or before October 6, 2021. See the tips below before you begin, then click the button on this page to get started!

This survey will help our search committee collect and understand the range of views that exist within our parish, and the possibilities, capacity, and energy for moving our ministry into the future. The more people who take this survey, the more accurate it will be. Finding the person God has chosen to become the next rector of St. John’s is our entire congregation’s responsibility. By completing this survey, you are doing your part to ensure our plan is God’s plan.

Questions?

Martin Proctor, Chair
martin_proctor@proctorcars.com
850-509-9513

Laurye Messer, Vice Chair
LauryeMesser@gmail.com
850-510-0941

HELPFUL HINTS:

• Set aside 30 minutes to answer all of the questions.
• You must complete the survey in one sitting.
• All survey responses are strictly anonymous.
• Each person in your household, age 18 or older, should complete the survey.
• Only one member of the household should complete the last seven questions of the survey (family demographics).

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Dear Friends,

I am pleased to announce that the following individuals have graciously accepted the call to serve as members of our Rector Search Committee.

The committee members, in alphabetical order, are:

• Gene Adams
• Sarah Michael Anderson
• Brian Arsenault
• Alan Asker
• David Grimes
• Lina Knox
• Cricket Mannheimer
• Virginia Perkins
• Neil Rambana
• Corinna Strayer

These individuals join our Chair and Vice Chair, Martin Proctor and Laurye Messer, on the Rector Search Committee.

On behalf of the entire Vestry, I would like to offer my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to all of the St. John’s members who put their names forward to serve in this capacity. The final committee was established after prayerful consultation between me and Lynn Solomon, our junior warden, along with Martin and Laurye. I am pleased to share that the Vestry approved this slate unanimously.

You can learn more about the Search Committee members and find other important information about this process on the Rector Search section of our website. This is an exciting time in the life of our parish, and we look forward to sharing it with you!

Change can bring anxiety, but it can also provide an opportunity for transformative growth. As we face this time of change, let’s be mindful that St. John’s is not alone. God is always with us!

Blessings,

Doug Sessions, Senior Warden

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“Behold We Are Doing A New Thing”

July 1, 2021

A LETTER FROM ST. JOHN’S WARDENS:

As St. John’s Episcopal Church begins a new chapter of discernment, we are pleased to announce our Rector Search Committee Chairs. Martin Proctor will lead the team as Chair, and Laurye Messer will serve as Vice-Chair. Both are active, long-time members, former senior wardens, and gifted leaders. Each is familiar with our parish, our congregation, and our ministries, and both share our longing to discern who God will call to lead St. John’s forward as our new rector.

Now, we need your input! The next step in this process is to appoint a search committee comprised of a representative cross section of St. John’s members. The nomination period is now open! If you are a communicant in good standing, we urge you to nominate yourself, using the form below, by July 23. If you require assistance, please call the church office at (850) 222-2636 and our staff will be happy to complete the form on your behalf. You are also invited to nominate fellow parishioners whom you believe possess the desired skills, qualities, and leadership style required to work and pray with a diverse group of parishioners to live out this next important step in our parish’s mission and ministry.

SEARCH COMMITTEE CHARACTERISTICS:

Those serving on the search committee should be committed to St. John’s and should:

• be a member in good standing
• regularly attend worship and be a person of prayer and faithful living
• have served in leadership capacities in various St. John’s ministries
• have financially pledged or given regularly to St. John’s mission and ministries
• be able to collaborate with others and be part of consensus decision making
• have demonstrated mature commitment to St. John’s vision, mission, and values
• have demonstrated the wisdom and capacity to hold in confidence sensitive information

The search process begins and ends with prayer in Jesus’ name. If God is calling you to serve as a member of the Rector Search Committee, we lift you up in prayer and give our heartfelt thanks for your consideration. Please rest assured, we will continue to keep the entire parish up to date with the process and we promise you will all have the chance to have your voices heard through a parish survey that will be conducted this coming fall.

Doug Sessions, Senior Warden
Lynn Solomon, Junior Warden

After you have submitted your nomination(s), learn more about the timeline and process for our search for our new Rector on our RECTOR SEARCH WEBPAGE.

Nominations are now closed.

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On May 25, 2021, Senior Warden Doug Sessions shared a video message with parishioners announcing the appointment of Mother Abi Moon as Interim Rector of St. John’s. Mother Abi will begin her new role on July 1,2021 after Fr. Dave Killeen steps down to pursue a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Florida State University.

Please see the video for more details about Mother Abi’s appointment after 10 years with St. John’s. Additional information will follow in the coming weeks as we begin the transition process and search for a new rector. Rest assured, parishioners will be kept informed at each step along the way.

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On Tuesday, February 2, 2021, Fr. Dave shared this message with parishioners announcing that he will be stepping down as rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church this summer. His last Sunday will be June 27, 2021.

The video above shares details about Fr. Dave’s 11 years of ministry at St. John’s and what this means for the future of our parish. More information will be shared at St. John’s Annual Meeting, which is being held exclusively by Zoom at 11:30 AM on Sunday, February 7.

More information, including a link to join, can be found on our church calendar.

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