.jpg) Pastor Transition Process
The Rev. Richard Kannwischer, Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church San Antonio since March 27, 2005, left to become Co-pastor of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California in September 2009. The Personnel and Property Committee of First Presbyterian, in conjunction with Mission Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry, is mapping a path of the process First Presbyterian Church will undertake. The process would most likely take at least one year and could be as long as three years.
Format of This Web Page
This section of the First Presbyterian Church website will be updated whenever we receive news from the people involved in the pastor transition process. We place the most recent stories at the top of the page. For the purposes of providing an historical record of the entire pastor transition process, we are continuing to publish older articles in reverse chronological order, similar to a blog, so you can see exactly how this process has progressed.
You can also stay updated with news about the pastor transition process by following FirstPresSA on Twitter or by joining the Facebook group for First Presbyterian Church San Antonio HERE.
The Latest News
A Mid-Summer Update from the Pastor Nominating Committee
July 2010
The PNC is continuing its efforts in the task of finding our next senior pastor. Thus far, we have received over 80 names to consider as possible candidates. To the PNC, this number translates into studying many PIFs (Pastor Information Forms) and listening to their sermons. These names have come from three sources: PCUSA (denomination central office); self-referrals; and friends and former pastors of FPC.
Thanks to the computer, we are able to accomplish our preliminary research on-line. By going to websites of the candidate-pastors’ churches, in addition to hearing sermons, we also glean information about these churches, including types of worship services, classes and Bible studies taught, ministries and outreach. At this point, we then have thoughtful and insightful discussions about each candidate.
We are now beginning telephone interviews, even though we are still receiving additional names to process. Please continue your prayers for the PNC. We cannot over-emphasize the importance of this prayer partnership between the congregation and our committee.
Older Articles
Report from the Pastor Nominating Committe
May 2010
The PNC wants to bring you up to date on what we have accomplished since we began our weekly meetings in February. After conversations with many people—pastoral staff, administrative staff, former PNC chairmen, Presbytery officials—we wrote our Church Information Form (CIF), the form that tells about our church, our ministries, our programs as well as providing any potential candidates with the qualities we specifically want in our new senior pastor. This important document was passed by the Session at their April meeting and was also approved by Mission Presbytery. This CIF can be viewed on our church’s website.
In recent weeks, members of the PNC have met with adult Sunday School classes and also the youth to bring them up to date on the work of the committee and to solicit their input. In addition, there was a Town Hall meeting on May 12 in Covenant Hall for other interested members . We on the PNC are grateful for the views expressed and the suggestions that were offered. The PNC is totally committed to our task of finding the one whom God has chosen to be our next senior pastor.
This brings us to the present. We are beginning to receive Personal Information Forms (PIFs) from pastors who might be considered as potential candidates, and at the same time, we are listening to sermons preached by these individuals as well as others who have been recommended to us.
The request of the PNC is that the congregation remain steadfastly committed to praying regularly for our church and for this committee. Specifically, we ask for prayers for our dedicated pastors during this interim time, and for Divine Guidance for the PNC in every step of the way as we move ahead in the process.
From time to time, we will have on our website an update of our work. Please understand, however, that the issue of confidentiality is quite important, so names and details cannot be given. Thank you again for your prayers. We consider everyone in our congregation to be our partners in this process.
Church Information Form Now Available
CLICK HERE to view the updated Church Information Form (CIF), which enables prospective pastors to see what First Presbyterian Church has to say about itself, its theology, its sense of community and witness to San Antonio and the world.
Town Hall Meeting to Discuss Pastor Selection Process May 12
The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) invites you to a Town Hall Meeting to hear your thoughts, comments and feedback as they search for a new Senior Pastor. The Town Hall Meeting will take place on Wednesday evening, May 12, from 6-7 p.m. in Covenant Hall. Childcare available; reserve with April Kuper at 210.226.0216, ext. 232, or
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
no later than two days prior to the event. Drop-ins cannot be accommodated.
Congregation approves Pastor Nominating Committee members at January 31 meeting
February 1, 2010 - The congregation of First Presbyterian Church San Antonio approved unanimously a slate of church members to serve on the Senior Pastor Nominating Committee at a called meeting Sunday, January 31. This committee will select its chair and begin work immediately to seek a new senior pastor for this historic Protestant church in the heart of San Antonio.
Committee to Recommend Overview
Barbara Anne Stephens, Chair of the Committee to Recommend, submitted this report with the proposed slate of PNC members. It is included here for the sake of completeness.
The members of the Committee to Recommend (CTR) were suggested by the Personnel and Property Committee and approved by the Session. Members of the Congregation were encouraged to place names of FPC members before the committee for consideration. CTR employed the same process that is used for nominating officers for the church. The process included a nominating form on the church website, printed forms in the Mauze Lobby and delivery to Barbara Anne Stephens’ personal e-mail. Approximately 100 names were brought to the committee for consideration. Each committee member received copies of every nomination form and every e-mail for review.
The CTR also developed the following list of spiritual traits and personal skills that will be helpful in a PNC person—one who
- Is committed to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
- Trusts God and seeks his kingdom
- Is humble and open to the leading of the Holy Spirit
- Worships regularly, grows intentionally and serves generously
- Is able to surrender their personal desires and preferences
- Is available to meet two–three hours every week for an extended period of time (e.g. 18 months)
- Is willing to read extensively outside of meetings
- Is devoted to personal prayer
- Will travel, listen to sermons online and on CD, and will communicate via e-mail
- Possesses strong administrative, written communication, and leadership skills
- Welcomes God's surprises
In our deliberations, the CTR members were very conscious of the following demographics: gender, residential zip codes, age, worship attendance, spiritual growth and service both to the members of FPC and to the greater community. We considered those who attend traditional worship and those who attend contemporary worship. We looked for those who are passionate about Christian education, those who work with the nursery and children, those who teach Sunday School, those who participate in Presbyterian Women, those who devote themselves to mission work, and those who have the spiritual gift of administration.
We bonded as a committee and we were respectful of each other’s opinions.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Anne Stephens, Chair
Members: Court Allen, Virginia Beeler, Jeanne Douglas, Barry Kruger, Billy Lyons and Willie Willming.
You can download a PDF of the names, photos and biographies of the PNC members HERE.
.jpg) Called congregational meeting January 31
January 14, 2010 - The Committee to Recommend (CTR) a slate of people to serve on the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) has solicited input from the congregation concerning the membership of the PNC and has finalized its recommendations. It is now ready to present nominees for the PNC to the congregation for its approval. You are therefore requested to attend a called congregational meeting Sunday, January 31, in the Sanctuary, following the 10:45 and 11:05 a.m. services, for the purpose of receiving a report from the Committee to Recommend (CTR) people to serve on the Senior Pastor Nominating Committee. A reminder that although this meeting is open to everyone, only members of First Presbyterian Church may vote.
.jpg) Jim Capps to Serve as Interim Senior Pastor at First Presbyterian Church San Antonio
December 15, 2009 - In July the Session appointed a committee to serve as the Interim Pastor Search Committee (IPNC). The IPNC met weekly—and sometimes more often— to review resumes, listen to sermons, talk to numerous references, discuss and pray about who they believed God was calling here to serve as our Interim Senior Pastor. In late November a Special Session meeting was called to receive the report of the IPNC. They enthusiastically recommended that the Rev. James (Jim) A. Capps be contracted to serve as our Interim Senior Pastor. The Session voted unanimously to invite Jim to serve in this capacity and the Committee on Ministry of Mission Presbytery has concurred.
Jim Capps was born in Michigan City, Indiana and grew up in Southwestern Michigan. His faith journey began in a little country church when he was nine years old. He graduated from a small high school where he served as the president of his class as well as president of the student council and won letters in four sports.
Jim is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Indiana Central College, Indianapolis and the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He has done doctoral studies at LPTS as well as Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California. He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri. Jim took interim pastor training at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
In more than 40 years of ministry, Jim served as a youth director of a church in Indianapolis while attending college and his first year of seminary before becoming the student pastor of a small church in Southern Indiana his last two years of seminary. He served as an assistant, associate, and co-pastor of the First United Presbyterian Church, Belleville, Illinois before serving as the Senior Pastor of the Bonhomme Presbyterian Church, Chesterfield, Missouri and the Southport Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis.
Elected to the first national Board of Directors of Presbyterians for Renewal, Jim served as both vice-president and president during those early years. Jim has served on the Board of Kairos Prison Ministry International and was a spiritual director on two Kairos events in Maghaberry Prison just outside of Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has served as a spiritual director on approximately 80 “Cursillio” type weekends. Jim has helped give leadership to 13 building campaigns in the churches he has served.
Jim and his wife, Alice, a graduate of Indiana University, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in the summer of 2009. They are the proud parents of Becky, who is a graduate of Wheaton College, Princeton Theological Seminary, and has been an associate pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Spartanburg, South Carolina for nearly six years. Becky will be married in Spartanburg on April 24, 2010. Jim and Alice are also the proud parents of Minnie, a 5½ pound Yorkie they inherited last summer from Alice’s mother.
As an avid sports fan, Jim served as president of the Board of Directors of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in St. Louis. He did chapel services for the St. Louis Baseball Cardinals and the then St. Louis Football Cardinals. From his boyhood he has been a loyal fan of the University of Michigan Wolverines and has become a die-hard Indianapolis Colts fan. Jim also enjoys reading and movies.
Many thanks to the IPNC (Charles Smith – Chair, Cynthia Robinson, David Rogers, Ron Tefteller and Jane Watson) for their hard work on behalf of the Session and for the congregation. Please welcome Jim when you see him at First Presbyterian.
Committee to recommend Pastor Nominating Committee slate named
September 29, 2009 - At a September 28, 2009 called meeting, the Session of First Presbyterian Church appointed seven persons to serve on the Nominating Committee that will eventually present to the congregation a recommended slate for the Senior Pastor Nominating Committee.
The members are: Barbara Anne Stephens (chair), Court Allen, Jeanne Douglas, Barry Kruger, Bil Lyons, Willie Willming and Virginia Beeler. The Session moved to allow the committee to select its own chairperson and to use its own best good judgment to select members of the PNC. Members of the Nominating Committee and their spouses are not eligible to serve on the PNC.
The Nominating Committee will solicit input from the congregation concerning the membership of the PNC. Once the Nominating Committee has finalized its recommendations, the names of those nominees for the PNC will be presented to the congregation for approval.
The committee can begin its work now, but the recommended names of potential PNC members cannot be presented to the congregation until an interim pastor is in place.
The PNC will need to be small enough to work effectively yet large enough to be representative of our congregation—perhaps six–12 members.
Please be in prayer as we seek the person God has already chosen to be the new senior pastor of First Presbyterian San Antonio.
Or download a PDF of the printed form and return it to the church no later than October 29, 2009.
Interim Pastor Nominating Committee members named
August 11, 2009 - At its August 10, 2009 meeting, the Session of First Presbyterian Church appointed five persons to serve on an Interim Pastor Nominating Committee.
The task of the IPNC is to conduct a search for, and ultimately present to the Session, a candidate to serve as Interim Pastor until such time as a new Senior Pastor is called by the congregation. (The Rev. Robert Shelton and the Rev. William Bryant previously served as interim pastors prior to First Presbyterian's calling of the Rev. Richard Kannwischer.)
The members of the IPNC are Charles Smith (chair), Cynthia Robinson, Ron Tefteller, Jane Watson and David Rogers. The IPNC will begin its search right away, but it is not yet possible to estimate when it will complete its work.
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