Senior Pastor Transition

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Celebrating a great summer

Thanks for praying for us as we search for the next senior pastor of Centre Street Church. God has been so good to us over the summer! We saw:

  • record attendance at CSCamps this weekend, hosting 520 kids for a week of fun and learning about Jesus. 44 of these children made first time commitments to Jesus!
  • a record number of river baptisms, with 141 people choosing to take this important step in their discipleship journey.
  • more people than ever before join us for Campouts, building community and deepening their relationship with Jesus.

These things are a reminder that this is all God’s work. We need to remain faithful and alert for His work, but the good things that are happening are the result of what He is doing, not because of the work of any individual or group.

Questions about the Senior Pastor Search? Click here.


Update on the Senior Pastor Search Process

The process of identifying our next senior pastor is a prayerful one. Everyone involved; candidates, the Board of Governors, and the Pastoral Search Committee (PSC) are seeking God at every step. Please be praying with us! You can find some specific prayer requests here.

This process is guided by a set of values, including confidentiality. All members of the board and the search committee will keep the details related to applicants strictly confidential and will depend on God’s guidance, Pastoral Search Committee Values.

The search process includes a few steps:

  • Review and finalize the Senior Pastor Job Description [Complete]
    • Post the job description internally (to CSC staff) and invite staff members who feel called by God to apply. [Complete]
    • Applicants have been asked to submit a resume, cover-letter and a recording of a recent sermon.
    • We’ve highlighted that applicants will be asked to submit a statement of theological positions to be certain of alignment between CSC and the candidate, and ensure Biblical faithfulness.
    • We’ve noted on the posting that applications close on September 6.
  • The search committee will review all applicants and identify who will be invited to a confidential first interview with the PSC.
  • The PSC will then determine which candidates are invited to the next round, which will include further conversations and a process for learning more about the candidates’ theological positions, leadership style and personality to ensure a good fit. This will likely include additional conversation, written submissions, and personality/leadership assessment tools.
  • The PSC will identify one person who they believe is God’s choice for our next senior pastor and forward that person’s name to the Board of Governors.
  • At that point, the board can meet with the candidate to get to know the person better.
  • Ultimately, the prayerful decision to call the candidate is made by a vote of the Board of Governors.

Read about our congregational meeting in July Here.

Senior Pastor Search FAQ

You can find a list of the committee members and a bit more about them here.

The search committee has been selected and have begun their work. However, we’d love to have the people who are passionate about what God is doing at CSC join the Board of Governors. The qualifications of search committee members, including being a committed and involved member of CSC and having the Biblical qualifications for an overseer (Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Tim. 3:1-7), are the same as those for a member of the board. If you are interested in serving, please click here.

The senior pastor is called on the basis of qualification for ministry and fit with Centre Street Church. At a high level, our next senior pastor will have the education, experience and spiritual maturity to serve in the following key areas of responsibility:

  • Chief Overseer and Chief Executive Officer of CSC – Establish and execute the vision, direction, and oversight of/for CSC
  • Primary spiritual leader for CSC – Leadership in the development of deep and robust God-centered relationship among CSC attendees (overall spiritual health of the church)
  • Responsible for overall corporate practices
    • Strategic/annual planning
    • Prayer and evangelism
    • Staff and leadership development

First and foremost, we are looking for a person of Christian character (in accordance with biblical attributes expressed in Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7) with God-given leadership gifts.

Please be praying that God will bring the right person, anointed by Him, to fill this role.


Right now, Pastor Henry does the majority of the teaching, and we expect that to be the case until a new senior pastor is in place. Based on the gifts and abilities of the new senior pastor brings to the table, they can then lead the process of discerning how the teaching ministry at CSC will be approached, including the possibility of hiring a teaching pastor or developing a teaching team.

The traditional model in churches often has seen the teaching/preaching of the church as a significant part of the role of senior pastor. This way, the senior pastor was the face of not only the pulpit ministry, but also the vision, direction and leadership of the church.

In recent years, many churches, especially larger ones such as CSC, have begun to shift their approach. In many cases, the leadership and teaching roles have been separated, with leadership falling on one person and preaching on someone else. In fact, many churches now take a team approach to preaching, rather than relying on one person to carry the bulk of that ministry.

It's important to realize that preaching is just one ministry among many at CSC that the Board of Governors oversees. As with everything we do, it’s important to get it right and ensure we’re teaching the truth of God’s word clearly and faithfully, but the success of our church doesn’t hang on the skill or charisma of the teaching pastor. As we pray and pursue the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all of our ministry areas, He will provide for our church, turning hearts toward Himself and giving us the direction we need.

This is one of the reasons we are starting our search internally. Finding an internal candidate whom we know and who knows us maximizes the potential for a good fit. We will also be thorough in our conversations and evaluations of those who apply, ensuring alignment with our doctrinal positions and with the truth of scripture. This process will include a submission on theological positions from candidates which will be reviewed by theologians with the academic background to help us make good decisions.

As we’ve mentioned, this is a prayerful process and we’re seeking God’s guidance at every step. That’s why we hesitate to put a timeline on what’s happening – we want to review the candidates thoroughly and pray with and for them. We’re going to allow the process to take the time it needs while working hard to keep things moving.

At this point our intention is to look internally to see how God provides and leads. Once we’ve gone through that process and if we feel it’s necessary, we will consider looking externally.

We know that there are so many people at CSC who are deeply invested in our church and who want to make sure that we find God’s person for our next senior pastor. This may include wanting to know and pray for the candidates. However, out of respect those who may apply and to honour the relevant legislation and best practices, the identities of applicants need to be kept confidential.

If you have any questions not answered here, please fill in our question form here and we will do our best to get back to you with an answer.

Pastoral Search Committee Membership 

Pam Aramburu (Congregational Member) – Pam has been a part of Centre Street Church for over 20 years, 17 of those as a member of our staff. She has served in a number of ministries, including missional communities and leading Alpha. She and her husband Gord attend Central Campus. Her professional background includes broadcast media and senior leadership in ministry at CSC and currently as Associate National Director at Alpha Canada.

Tyler Cleveland (BoG Member, PSC Chair) – Tyler has attended CSC for over 20 years and during that time has volunteered in Children’s Ministry, Men’s Ministry and participated in missional community. He and his wife Catherine are attendees at Centre Street Church’s South Campus. Tyler is a member of the Board of Governors and has previously chaired both board’s Resource Committee and Human Resources Committee. His professional background is in HR consulting and leadership development.

Myles Hamilton (Congregational Member) – Myles and his wife Corrine started attending CSC in 1980. He has been involved in many areas of ministry at the church, including serving on the board and on the Campus Development Committee, helping guide the construction projects at Bearspaw and Central Campuses. He also serves on the board of Prairie College in Three Hills. His professional background is in executive leadership, mostly in the food and beverage sector.

Brian Hennig (BoG Member) – Brian has been a part of Centre Street Church for 37 years and has been involved in lots of ministries over the years, including leading missional communities and as a food bank volunteer at the Centre for the City. He and his wife Rose generally attend South Campus. He also currently serves as a member of the Board of Governors. His professional background is in engineering and project management.

Julie Leung (Congregational Member) – Julie and her husband Gideon have been involved at Centre Street Church at Central campus for over 15 years. During that time, she has lead a community group, coached in the Youth Worship Development Program, and been involved in leadership in the Deeper Ministry. She is also deeply involved in worship ministry as a musician and band leader. Her professional background is in the technology sector, including software development & architecture,teaching, and business analysis.

Melanie Nelson (BoG Member) – Melanie has been actively involved with Centre Street Church for 13 years and has served in a number of ministries, including leading the singles ministry and leading mission teams to Ukraine. She has volunteered in leading spiritual care teams to the World Evangelical Alliance and Micah Global gatherings. She attends Central Campus. Melanie is the chair of the Board of Governors. Her professional background includes IT project management/analysis and pastoral ministry.


Pastoral Search Committee Values

The search process is rooted in some important values that will guide the work of searching for the next senior pastor of Centre Street Church.

The search process will be:

  • Prayer based
  • Spirit led
  • Confidential
  • Honouring to all
  • Aligned with CSC’s 5 pursuits (Pursue God, Pursue Relationships, Pursue Mission, Pursue Generosity, Pursue Simplicity)
  • Aligned with our staff values-based behaviours (Go to God, Honour Each Other, Communicate Well, Live Healthy, Choose Joy and Gratitude, Be Personally Invested, Disciple each Other)
  • Consensus based, pursuing unity in decision-making


Prayer Requests 

  • Pastor Henry, Gwen and their family as they prepare for a new phase of their ministry life.
  • That God would be leading us in every step of the process of discerning the next senior pastor for Centre Street Church.
  • For the Senior Leadership Team, the Leadership Team and the staff of CSC, that they would continue to look to God for vision and inspiration in the work of ministry.
  • For the Senior Pastor Search Committee, that they would be guided by God in helping identify the right candidate for the senior pastor role.
  • For our Board of Governors – our board has the responsibility of governing and overseeing our church. Ask God to give them wisdom and discernment in their overall work, and especially when it comes deciding who to call as our next senior pastor.
  • For our church, that God would move mightily among us, turning hearts toward Him.



On the weekend of June 21/22, Pastor Henry Schorr shared some of the things God has been calling him to. We’re grateful for the ways God is leading Pastor Henry and we're looking forward to the good things He has in store for our church. Please take the time to watch this video to hear him talk about how God has been working in his life: 

God has blessed us with a church full of people enthusiastic about introducing people to Jesus and helping them become His devoted followers. We have a senior leadership team filled with the Spirit and deeply committed to pursuing Jesus and to passionately inviting others to do the same.

Please be praying

Please be praying for every aspect of the process of finding a new senior pastor for CSC. You can join us for our regular prayer summit on June 25. You are also welcome at our special congregational meeting on July 9th. This meeting will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have and to spend time together in prayer for our church. Learn more about the board and their work Here.


God is at work!

We’re looking forward to how God leads us when it comes to selecting our next senior pastor. We have been preparing for this day.

Our next step is for the Board of Governors to appoint a Senior Pastor Search Committee, who will lead the process of identifying the next person God has for us as senior pastor. You can learn more about the search process in our FAQs Here.

Words of Appreciation and Blessing Entry

Words of Appreciation and Blessing

Pastor Henry and Gwen have been clear that they want to be a part of what God is going to be doing at CSC for years to come, and Pastor Henry will continue in his preaching and teaching role. However, times like these can sometimes remind us of what we have loved or appreciated about people. The form below is a chance for you to share your affirmation and blessing with Pastor Henry and Gwen.
Submit

FAQ

What has happened?

Pastor Henry Schorr has announced his intention to transition out of the role of senior pastor at Centre Street Church once a successor has been named. This is about planning for the future and nothing changes for now. Pastor Henry will continue to be our pastor and provide overall leadership for CSC.

The goodness of God is apparent in this transition. God has given us a strong senior leadership team, a dedicated staff and He has been blessing us with growth and vision. We’re looking forward to the next steps in the journey He is leading us through.

Is Pastor Henry leaving Centre Street Church?

No. Pastor Henry and Gwen have been clear that that they want to be a part of all the amazing things God is doing at CSC for years to come. In fact, he’ll continue to work at CSC and have primary responsibility for the preaching/teaching ministry, so we’ll continue to benefit from his presence and teaching for as long as the Lord provides and directs.

Why has Pastor Henry chosen to make this transition now?

Pastor Henry has been praying about this decision for many years, and he has been preparing for it, as well. We have a great senior leadership team at CSC who have been working alongside Pastor Henry and have been benefiting from his mentorship and investment, in most cases for more than a decade. Over the years, he has been empowering and releasing them into ministry, and it’s been a time of great fruitfulness and blessing. As a church, we are ready!

What happens next?

The next step is to pray for our church and our leaders; together and on our own. We all want God to be leading the decision about who should be the next senior pastor of CSC, and we need to seek His face together. We will be providing opportunities for prayer throughout the process.


With regard to the formal process; the bylaws that govern CSC require the Board of Governors to establish a pastoral search committee and then appoint six people to sit on it – three members of the board and three members of CSC who are not on the board. This committee then makes a recommendation to the full Board of Governors of one person they believe should be hired as our next senior pastor. The board then has the authority to decide whether or not to call that person as the next senior pastor.

Learn more about the board and their work Here.

Read the bylaws of CSC to learn more about how a senior pastor is called Here.


What work has already been done?

The board and the leadership of CSC have been thinking and praying about leadership within our church on an ongoing basis for years. We have been developing and raising up leaders to oversee ministries and help us pursue the mission God has for us. This includes leaders on our Senior Leadership Team (SLT), who steward the overall mission and vision of CSC, and the 12 members of the leadership team, who oversee particular ministry areas and work together to support one another and the work of the church.


The board has also been consulting with our membership. In 2024 we conducted a survey of members and also hosted a 10-year vision session with a cross-section of staff and congregants. We also engaged an external consultant to help with succession and transition planning. From this, the SLT and board prayerfully developed a vision for our future. As a result, we already have a good picture of the kind of person who would be a good fit as senior pastor and have a role description in place to help the succession committee with their work.


How can I get involved?

The most important thing we can do is pray. God must be the leader and mover in our call to a new senior pastor. Join us for the planned prayer events and please be praying on your own.

Thank God for:

  • All the ways He has been blessing CSC. He is moving in our midst – growing ministries and increasing our impact. For example, at our services on Easter weekend, we saw attendance of over 11,000 people. 62 children & youth and 53 adults also made first time commitments to Jesus!
  • The leadership, staff, and volunteers at CSC who are seeking the Lord and doing amazing work advancing the mission to which God has called us.
  • The ministry of Henry and Gwen Schorr, which has had decades of impact and, with God’s help, will continue for many years to come.

Pray for:

  • Pastor Henry, Gwen and their family as they prepare for a new phase of their ministry life.
  • That God would be leading us in every step of the process of discerning the next senior pastor for Centre Street Church.
  • For the Senior Leadership Team, the Leadership Team and the staff of CSC, that they would continue to look to God for vision and inspiration in the work of ministry.
  • For the Senior Pastor Search Committee, that they would be guided by God in helping identify the right candidate for the senior pastor role.
  • For our Board of Governors – our board has the responsibility of governing and overseeing our church. Ask God to give them wisdom and discernment in their overall work, and especially when it comes deciding who to call as our next senior pastor.
  • For our church, that God would move mightily among us, turning hearts toward Him.


What if I have a question?

You can find a form to submit questions below. We are also planning a congregational meeting at Central Campus on July 9th to address any questions and pray for the calling of our next senior pastor. Additionally, members of the Board of Governors would be happy to chat.

You can find out more about them on our website Here.

How do I know what’s going on with the process?

We’ll be providing updates as needed in weekend services and posting relevant updates and information on this webpage above. 

I would like to express my appreciation for Pastor Henry and Gwen. How can I do that?

We have a form above where you can write a message of appreciation and blessing for Pastor Henry and Gwen. Although they’re going to be around and active in our church for many years to come, we know that the next few months will be a time when people will want to let them know what they mean to all of us.

I know someone who might be a good fit for senior pastor. How can a resume be submitted?

As a first step, our intent is to post the role of senior pastor internally to the staff of CSC and see how God leads and provides. However, we are always open to anyone who God might send our way to help us in our mission. People are welcome to send their profile and information to careers@cschurch.ca.

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