St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Hartwell, GA

Priest-in-Charge Job Description

St. Andrew’s is seeking a priest-in-charge who can inspire, engage, and connect people to the living Word of God. Located in northeast Georgia near the region’s largest lake, our parish draws people from a variety of denominational backgrounds. Many in our congregation have retired to the area, drawn by Hartwell’s small-town charm and exceptional quality of life. We are also within a short drive of the vibrant cultural communities of Athens, Georgia; Greenville, South Carolina; and the greater Atlanta area, offering rich opportunities for the arts, education, and civic life.

Though our average attendance is about 60, our impact in the wider community far exceeds our size. We are an intellectually curious, energetic parish committed to serving our neighbors—particularly those facing challenges related to housing, food security, and isolation.

We are looking for a priest with a lively faith—a visionary and compassionate leader who is present both within the parish and in the broader community. Our ideal candidate brings warmth and depth to worship, values pastoral care, and helps others feel genuinely seen and heard. Following a rewarding and collegial relationship with our recently retired priest-in-charge, we now seek someone who will guide us forward with wisdom, grace, and hope.

Our view of the key attributes of our future priest:

As a part of the process to find a new priest, St. Andrew’s Vestry was asked to provide detailed responses to various questions describing our parish. One of the questions asked us to describe the gifts and skills essential to the future leaders of our worshipping community. (Our formal submission to the Diocese had to be narrowed down to only four 1 or 2-word phrases.) In discussing those skills and gifts we viewed as the most important, the Vestry narrowed down our list to these key considerations.

- Collaborative visionary

- Compassionate leader

- Effective communicator

- Inclusive community

- Passionate motivator

- Relationship builder

This narrative summarizes our collective thinking:

In order to continue St. Andrew’s positive momentum and growth, future leaders should have these gifts as they care for their church community and reach out with compassion and vision to the world around us. Future leaders must have a passion for relationship building and spiritual growth, taking the life of Jesus into the streets and into the congregation; meeting and motivating people where they are; advocating for and supporting them when they struggle, when they fail, and when they flourish. Compassion unites us as a community, defines us, and gives us the vision for our church life.

The initial brainstorming efforts of the Vestry included additional output regarding our wish list of potential skills and gifts for our future leader, and these are listed below.

• Adaptable

• Creative

• Decisive

• Enlightening sermons

• Go-getter

• Good steward

• Growth mindset

• Innovative mentor (teacher)

• Intellectually curious

• Interlocutor

• Networker

• Optimistic

• Social

• Strategic planner

• Thought-provoking

• Well-rounded

While the combination of both lists is not intended to be exhaustive, the Vestry plans to consider these and other items in the search for our next Priest.

For additional information, potential candidates can contact our Senior Warden, Rhea Dignam:

(telephone or text) 917-710-1360, or

via email: rhea.dignam@gmail.com.