A New Rector Has Been Called
The Reverend Matthew D. Wahlgren will hold his first services as our new Rector on March 10.
We will be holding a casual brunch after the 10:00 a.m. service on March 10 to welcome Father Matt and his family, Melanie, Isabel, Emily, and Hannah, to St. Tim's.
Welcome to The Reverend Matthew D. Wahlgren!
Upon the unanimous recommendation of the search committee, the vestry voted unanimously to extend the call to be our new rector to The Reverend Matthew D. Wahlgren. The Rev Matt has accepted our call. We anticipate that his first services among us will be on Sunday March 10th. His formal installation by the bishop will follow on a date yet to be determined.
Prior to his ordination, Matt+ served at St. Tim's as a seminarian intern. While some of the search committee knew him from that time, the entire committee worked hard to get to know him in the present before making their unanimous recommendation. Here is a quote from the search committee, "We are all very enthusiastic about Matt+ joining St Tim’s!"
The Rev Matt and his family, originally from the Toledo area, embody a journey of faith, service, and a profound connection to the communities they touch. After seven years of dedicated service at St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Fremont, they are answering a call to return home, bringing with them a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to community engagement. With training and experience in both Asset Based Community Development and Leadership Coaching, Matt+ brings a dynamic skill set to his ministry, empowering individuals and communities to discover and utilize their strengths.
Matt+ holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute and a Master of Divinity degree from North Park Theological Seminary.
The Rev Matt's influence extends beyond the parish through his impactful membership on the Commission on Ministry for the Diocese of Ohio. He will complete a three-year term on on Diocesan Council at the 2024 diocesan convention. Matt+ was honored to serve on the Community Relations Commission for the city of Fremont. His dedication to social justice was further underscored by his roles as an Executive Board Member and Chaplain for the NAACP. Matt+ and the parish introduced groundbreaking events to Fremont like the Transgender Day of Remembrance and the Guns to Gardens initiative. Matt+'s visionary leadership fosters meaningful dialogues and transformative experiences that align with the principles of justice and inclusivity.
Matt+, Melanie, Isabel, Emily, and Hannah are excited to begin this next chapter of their lives with St Tim's!
Rector Search Update!
Meet St. Tim’s!
We welcome you and invite you to be a part of Saint Timothy’s
St. Tim’s parishioners believe that “God Loves You – No Exceptions”® and we truly wish to welcome all so that together we may seek, know, and share the love of God. We invite you to learn more about our Parish and community.
Rector Search Updates
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The job description was posted by the diocese. Applications for the rector position are now being accepted.
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On these three Sundays, there will be a single service at 9:00 AM, followed immediately by the meetings. Brunch will be served - please RSVP to Diana in the office so that we know how many will attend. Childcare will be provided, and we will be asking the children some questions as well, so that we also get their thoughts on life at St. Timothy's.
We are asking that you attend all three meetings. Each meeting has a different focus as we seek to discover the most authentic and truthful picture of parish life, building on our past, our present, and our future.
In preparation for the first meeting on April 23, please consider the following questions:
How long have you been a member of St. Timothy’s?
When you were looking for a church, what was it that first drew you to St. Timothy’s?
Given that you could go to church anywhere, what is it that keeps you at St. Timothy’s?
During your time as a member of St. Timothy’s, how have you been fed mentally, spiritually, emotionally?
During your time at St. Timothy’s, how have you and the parish mentally, spiritually, emotionally fed the City of Perrysburg & Wood County?
Again, we are hoping that all members of the parish participate in all three meetings - the discussion focus will change each meeting, and God's will is best ascertained through a diversity of voices.
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A Note from the Rector Search Committee:
Work is underway! A first step in the process is to prepare a Parish Profile so that potential rector candidates can get to know us. To create that Profile, we need to hear from ALL members of our parish: regular attendees, and those who only pop-in occasionally; 8AM or 10AM; next door or streaming from across the world; 50+ year members and those who joined us only recently.
ALL voices are valued. We invite you to participate in upcoming all-parish meetings on:
April 23rd
April 30th, and
May 7th.
On these three Sundays, there will be a single service at 9:00 AM, followed immediately by the meetings. We also are working on options to allow our livestream community to participate in creation of the Profile.
Please feel welcome to attend all three meetings. Each meeting has a different focus as we seek to discover the most authentic and truthful picture of parish life, building on our past, our present, and our future.
Again, please participate in all three meetings - the discussion focus will change each meeting, and God's will is best ascertained through a diversity of voices.
Gingi Rothman, Chair
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On March 12, 2023, at the 10:00 a.m. service, the members of our new rector Search Committee were commissioned:
Gingi Rothman, chair
Natalie Dielman
Sara Ebright
Blade Frisch
Dave Kleeberger
Mary Smith
Amy Wilburn, vestry representative
Please keep our Search Committee members in your prayers as they seek to ascertain the future of St. Tim's.
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At its September meeting, the vestry met with the diocesan search consultant to learn more about the steps of the search process. The search consultant said that a key element of any successful search is prayer. It is God who will ultimately bring together a rector candidate and a congregation, and God will do this on His timeline (not ours). During this time, we will not be without spiritual guidance. Rev. Sarah will continue with our parish until we find a new rector. Please remember to include our rector search and everyone involved in your daily prayers.
As part of the search process, each vestry member was asked to independently rank 27 demographics describing groups within our parish who might have different or unique interests. There undoubtedly are descriptors which were not included, but the goal was to ensure that as many different views as possible would be represented on the nine member search committee. The results were collated, and potential search committee members will be identified based on this priority list. Most search committee members will represent more than one demographic (as well as potentially unlisted demographics), with the hope of including as many of the 27 as possible. Although there will be one vestry representative on the search committee, the search committee will not be composed of vestry members.