Vestry

As our lay leadership throughout this time of transition, the Vestry is responsible for calling an Interim Rector and overseeing the church finances and operations.

An Update from our Wardens, July 11th, 2022

Dear Christ Church Parishioners and Friends, 

As you know, Christopher’s time with us concluded on June 30th. We offer our sincere thanks to the Transition Committee for their planning not only of a truly spectacular farewell for Christopher but a wonderful opportunity for in-person fellowship for our parish! 

We now look forward to the arrival of our interim rector. The Rev. Tom Crittenden will begin his time with us on July 18th, preparing for his first Sunday services on July 24th (8 am at Church on the Hill and 9:30 in the park). Please plan to join us for worship and a welcome reception for Tom at Maple Street Park after the 9:30am service on the 24th.  

As a trained and experienced interim rector, Tom will guide us intentionally through this in-between time as we move from our years with Christopher to the arrival of a new, permanent rector. Tom will oversee our day-to-day life together and collaborate with our staff and lay leaders during this short, but important, period at Christ Church. 

If you have any pastoral care concerns in the next two weeks, please contact Wendy Samuel (wendy@christchurchwinnetka.org) now through July 14th  and Rev. Rod Quainton (fatherq@comcast.net) or Wendy Samuel from July 15th through July 20th. 

Our Transition Committee has begun the next phase of their mission, that is, preparing the Rectory for Tom’s arrival in Winnetka and planning additional welcome events to help us get to know one another. We are each invited to consider contacting Tom upon his arrival to introduce ourselves, include him in a family meal or meet him for coffee. We look forward to quickly incorporating Tom into life at Christ Church. 

This is a time of change and hope and great anticipation for our church community. We are grateful for your support and participation in the process of calling our next rector. We offer particular thanks to our staff who are the foundation of everything we do at Christ Church and essential to our daily life during this time of transition. 

 

With deepest gratitude, 

Molly Hufton, Senior Warden 
Robin Anstaett, Junior Warden  

 
 

May 16th, 2022
Announcing Our Interim Rector, Rev. Francis Thomas (Tom) Crittenden.

The Vestry and Wardens are pleased to announce that we have called the Rev. Francis Thomas (Tom) Crittenden to be our Interim Rector. Tom will begin his ministry with us on July 18th and will reside in the rectory until we call our new, full-time rector.

Tom is currently completing a year-long interim with All Saints’ Church, Virginia Beach. This marks Tom’s third congregation for whom he has served as interim rector. Prior to committing to interim ministry, Tom’s most recent experiences were as the Rector of Grace Church in Lexington, Virginia for ten years and the Rector of Holy Comforter Church in Tallahassee, Florida for 13 years. Tom earned his Master of Divinity at The Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, California and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin.

While we considered several candidates, we were drawn to Tom as the best candidate for Christ Church during our transition from Christopher’s time with us to our next rector. Tom has a wealth of parish leadership experience from his 38 years of ordained ministry. Perhaps most important for us at this time is his interim rector experience; we will be the fourth parish in which he has served in this role and the beneficiary of all that comes from his being formally trained for interim ministry. It is clear from our conversations with Tom that he will work collaboratively with our staff and vestry to lead the church through this short, but important, time in our life together. He will intentionally honor our traditions and culture, endeavor to offer insights and ideas based on his experiences, and help us prepare for our next rector in a calm and thoughtful manner.

Tom and his wife, Christi, have three young adult children and a middle school daughter, Sarah. Christi is the director of a private elementary school in Staunton, Virginia. She and Sarah hope to visit Tom and Christ Church several times during his interim.

We are delighted that Tom has accepted our call and look forward to welcoming him to Christ Church and Winnetka in July!

Molly Hufton & Robin Anstaett

A Message from our Wardens, April 28th, 2022

Dear Members of Christ Church,

Your vestry has been working with the Diocese of Chicago to search for and identify potential interim rector candidates.  The interim rector will transition and guide Christ Church during the period after Christopher retires and before our next full-time rector is called.  After interviewing several candidates and speaking with key references, we are excited to announce that we have extended an offer to a thoughtful and experienced candidate who we believe will be a good fit for Christ Church!  More information will be forthcoming when we finalize the details.  We joyfully anticipate the next chapter of our history together and look forward to welcoming our new interim rector.  

Molly Hufton & Robin Anstaett

A Message from our Wardens, March 10, 2022

Dear Christ Church Friends,

Since commissioning our Search and Transition Committees 6 weeks ago, much progress has been made in defining and preparing for the next chapter of our life together. The Transition Committee has chosen the dates May 21st and 22nd for our joyous celebration of Christopher’s ministry and life with us. The Search Committee is moving forward on the first step of the discernment process, the parish-wide survey, an important step we invite all to participate in.

The Vestry will continue to support our staff and lay leaders so that our programs and ministries remain strong during this transition. The Vestry is also responsible for hiring an Interim Rector, a priest who is trained especially for leading parishes who are in the process of searching for a new rector. The Diocese will support our efforts as we seek to have an Interim Rector in place shortly after Christopher’s departure.

We ask for your prayers, support and thoughtful participation during this exciting time at Christ Church. We will communicate with you regularly and welcome your comments or questions.

 

Molly Hufton                                      Robin Anstaett
Senior Warden                                   Junior Warden