The latest news
Chapel Hill Church posts all updates about the senior pastor search process and the work of the Senior Pastor Search Committee here. Get an overview of the pastor search process here.
This website remains live for historical reference, though some committee updates contain outdated information.
Updated Sunday, May 12, 2024
- On Sunday, May 5, 2024, the congregation voted unanimously to elect Ellis White as the next Senior Pastor of Chapel Hill Church.
- Pastor Ellis was presented to the Presbytery on May 10-11 for their approval.
- With both the congregational vote and the Presbytery approval, Pastor Ellis will be installed as Senior Pastor on Sunday, September 1, which is also Pastor Mark Toone’s last day.
- Pastor Ellis will officially start his new pastoral duties the following day, Monday, September 2.
- Learn how you can participate in celebrating Pastor Mark and Cyndi Toone. Pastor Mark’s last sermon is Sunday, August 25, and the church will hold a celebration for Pastor Mark and Cyndi Wednesday, August 28, starting at 4:30 pm.
- The Pastor Search Committee and the Session deeply appreciate your prayers for the entire transition process.
Updated Wednesday, April 24, 2024
- We encourage you to attend a Congregational Meeting in the Sanctuary on Sunday, May 5, immediately following the 10:30 am service (around 11:45 am) to vote on the Senior Pastor Search Committee’s recommendation of Ellis White to be the next Senior Pastor.
- If you plan to attend the 9:00 am classic worship service that day, we’ll provide a free continental breakfast in the Gathering Place after the service so you can stay and visit with friends.
- If approved by the congregation, Pastor Ellis would be presented to the Presbytery on May 10-11 for their approval.
- Pending both approvals, Pastor Ellis would be installed on Sunday, September 1, which is also Pastor Mark Toone’s last day. Pastor Ellis would officially start the following day, September 2.
- Only members of Chapel Hill Church may vote in the meeting. (A member is someone who has attended a Chapel Hill membership class, met with a pastor, and taken Chapel Hill membership vows.)
Updated Sunday, April 21, 2024
- In case you weren’t able to be in today’s worship services, we want to provide an important update from the Pastor Search Committee.
- Since November 5, our committee has engaged with 47 pastoral candidates, discussing our church’s essence, values, and mission. Eight candidates submitted detailed Personal Information Forms and shared sermons for our review. After thorough evaluation, we narrowed down to two exceptional finalists and conducted panel interviews.
- While both candidates were impressive, one stood out as uniquely called and prepared by God for the role of Chapel Hill’s next Senior Pastor: Ellis White.
- Next steps involve the Session calling a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, May 5, for members to vote on our recommendation. Following that, Pastor Ellis would be presented to the Presbytery on May 10-11 for their approval. Pending both approvals, Pastor Ellis would be installed on Sunday, September 1, which is also Pastor Mark’s last day. Pastor Ellis would officially start the following day, September 2.
- Thank you for your support and prayers throughout this process. We deeply appreciate your ongoing prayers as we move forward.
Updated Wednesday, February 28, 2024
- We are looking forward to holding two brief town hall meetings on Sunday, March 10, following both the 9:00 am and 10:30 am worship services in the Gathering Place.
- We have begun applicant evaluations, moving some forward for a more in-depth review and notifying those who are clearly not a good fit.
- Please continue to pray for the search process and for the next Senior Pastor of Chapel Hill.
Updated Saturday, February 10, 2024
- The first group of interested parties have applied and we are gathering them into an applicant pool.
- We continue to receive questions at pastorsearch@chapelhillpc.org and will be updating our Senior Pastor Search FAQ on the website. Please note: any questions not related to the search process will be forwarded to the appropriate Chapel Hill staff member or pastor.
- We are communicating with key EPC leaders around the country to make sure they are aware of our search for a Senior Pastor and we are asking them to pray about potential candidates who might be a good fit.
- Please continue praying for wisdom, discernment, and unity for the search committee and for the person that the Lord has already chosen to be our next Senior Pastor.
Updated Tuesday, January 30, 2024
- Thanks to all who showed up to the Senior Pastor Search Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, January 28.
- Our Senior Pastor Job Description and Chapel Hill Church Information Form are now posted to the EPC website:
Job Description
Church Information Form
Updated Sunday, January 21, 2024
- We are looking forward to the first town hall meeting on Sunday, January 28, following the 10:30 am service in the Sanctuary. It will include an update and a time for questions and answers.
- To help make sure we can address as many questions as possible, we are asking that these be sent to the dedicated PSC email address, pastorsearch@chapelhillpc.org, by Wednesday, January 24. Questions sent in after that date will be addressed via our FAQ page or in the next Town Hall.
- We covet your continued prayers for unity, wisdom, and direction from the Holy Spirit.
Updated Friday, January 12, 2024
- The Pastor Search Committee completed the Search Committee training with the Stated Clerk of our Presbytery, which included the search process steps and best practices.
- A final draft of the CIF (Church Information Form) has been completed and will be presented to Session next week, Tuesday, January 16, for their approval. The CIF gives the broad overview of Chapel Hill and includes a job description for the Senior Pastor position.
- We will be hosting a town hall meeting on Sunday, January 28, following the 10:30 am service, to provide an in-person update on the search process and answer congregation questions.
- Your prayers for wisdom, discernment, and unity for the committee and the person that the Lord has already chosen to be our next Senior Pastor are critical. Please keep them coming!
PSC Town Hall Jan 28, 11:45 am
The Pastor Search Committee will hold a town hall meeting Sunday, January 28, at or about 11:45 am (following the 10:30 am modern worship service) in the Sanctuary to provide an in-person update on the search process and answer the congregation questions. Everyone is invited.
Email your questions by Jan 24
The committee invites you to submit your question in advance to the following email address no later than Wednesday, January 24: pastorsearch@chapelhillpc.org. Prior to submitting your question, please check out the FAQ web page and also our EPC denominational website that outlines the pastoral search process.
Continental breakfast 10:30 am
For those who attend the 9:00 am service, we will provide a continental breakfast in the Gathering Place during the 10:30 am service to make it convenient for you to stay for the town hall meeting.
Prayer meeting 10:30 am
The Chapel Hill Prayer Team also invites you consider participating in a prayer meeting that same day to pray over the Senior Pastor Search process and for the Pastor Search town hall meeting. Join us at 10:30 am in the Prayer Chapel, located just off the Lobby near the stairs to the balcony and Door E.
Updated Friday, December 15, 2023
- The Pastoral Search Committee met for the third time on Monday, December 11, and completed a first draft of the EPC’s Church Information Form (CIF). According to the EPC’s Ministerial Committee, the CIF “presents the local congregation’s history, challenges, and goals. It is our hope that this will help facilitate the search process by assisting both the church in focusing on future directions and applicants in gaining some sense of the nature and uniqueness of this congregation.” We aim to share a completed CIF with the Chapel Hill Session in January.
- We have scheduled three meetings in January, the first of which will include an EPC training session led by the Ministerial Committee of our Presbytery regarding search committee procedures and processes.
- Please continue your prayers for wisdom and unity for the Pastoral Search Committee, and please pray for the future candidate God is preparing for the position of Senior Pastor.
Updated Thursday, November 30, 2023
The Pastor Search Committee (PSC) met on Tuesday, November 28. Here is an update:
- The Pastor Search Committee elected Scott Griffin as chair, Kristen Tayet as vice-chair, and Kathy Berry as secretary of the Pastoral Search Committee.
- We intend to meet twice a month and will send an update to the congregation after every meeting.
- We continue to prayerfully seek God’s direction in the selection of the new Senior Pastor and covet the congregation’s prayers.
- We respectfully request that congregation members refrain from posing “interviewing” questions to any members of the Pastoral team or Staff.
Updated Sat, November 17, 2023
The Pastor Search Committee (PSC) had their first meeting on Monday, November 6, the day after the Congregational Meeting. Here is an update:
- We began that meeting with a time of prayer, asking God to give us wisdom, discernment, and unity. The meeting was fairly long and productive. We appointed Scott Griffin as chair and formally contacted our Presbytery’s Ministerial Committee to let them know we are up and running.
- The PSC will meet again before the end of November. Our first order of business is to define the process by which we will conduct the search, and to build a communication plan that spells out how and when we will provide status to the congregation.
- The PSC asks that the congregation join us in praying for wisdom, discernment, and unity for our committee.
Updated Sun, November 5, 2023
The members of Chapel Hill Church unanimously voted to approve the Pastor Search Committee nominees as presented by the Session at a congregational meeting Sunday, November 5.
Updated Sat, November 4, 2023
Read Pastor Mark Toone’s blog about the November 5 congregational meeting.
Updated Mon, October 30, 2023
There will be a congregational meeting for members on Sunday, November 5, following the second service at about 11:45 am. The meeting will take place in the Sanctuary.
This meeting will serve two purposes: 1) to vote on the dissolution of Pastor Mark Toone’s relationship with Chapel Hill Church as Senior Pastor, effective August 31, 2024; and 2) to confirm the Pastor Search Team that is being nominated by the Session. For those who attend the 9:00 am service, we will provide a continental breakfast during the 10:30 am service to make it convenient for you to stay for the meeting.
Please note that Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 am November 5, so be sure to manually set any clocks or watches back one hour earlier before you go to sleep Saturday night.
Only members of Chapel Hill Church may vote in the meeting. (A member is someone who has attended a Chapel Hill membership class, met with a pastor, and taken Chapel Hill membership vows.)
Following the congregational meeting, the Search Committee will begin the process of finding a new senior pastor immediately. Bookmark this web page; we will keep you updated on our progress.
Helpful Forms
The Senior Pastor Search Committee encourages you to read the following documents: the Job Description (to understand the primary duties, knowledge and experience, and competencies for the next Senior Pastor); the Church Information Form (the committee’s summation of our congregation’s history, challenges, and goals); and a blank copy of the Personal Information Form (which our denomination asks pastoral candidates to submit as a way of introducing themselves to the Senior Pastor Search Committee). These three documents may well answer many questions you have about the search process.