Dear Trinity Grace,

Sunday, August 10, during the service, we shared an update from the session and then held a congregational meeting immediately afterward. In case you were unable to attend, here’s a recap of what was shared. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to Pastor Ben or your shepherding elder.

Update on Interim Pastor Search

We shared our goal of having an interim pastor in place by early September, and we remain well on track to meet that timeline. The interim pastor will regularly preach, oversee our staff and ministries, and provide leadership for the life of the church in coordination with the session. Our aim is not to be static during this time, but to remain an active, vibrant congregation living out our mission to reach and renew San Antonio with the hope of the gospel.

Steps taken so far:

Consulted the Ministerial Relations Committee of the South Texas Presbytery for guidance.
Met with the committee’s chairman, Rev. Allen Taha (Trinity PCA, Boerne).
Received a list of candidates.
Interviewed several men and evaluated their ministry through sermons, references, and session discussions.

We believe we are very close to finalizing our decision and will share more in the coming weeks.

Update Senior Pastor Search Process & Congregational Meeting Recap

Earlier this summer, we said we would explore whether engaging a search firm would be wise for TGC. After interviewing three firms and considering the option of conducting the search ourselves, we concluded—after much discussion and prayer—that partnering with a search firm is the best path forward. At our July session meeting, we voted to contract with McGowan Global Institute (MGI) to guide us through the process.

About McGowan Global Institute

Expertise: Pastoral searches, church revitalization, leadership coaching and development.
Track Record: Average pastoral search duration of 11 months (national average: 18–34 months).
Our consultant: TE Bruce O’Neil, Associate Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian (Lincoln Square, NYC), with over 25 years of pastoral ministry in TN, AL, and MD.

Bruce will lead onsite training during Discovery Weekend, coach the Pastoral Search Committee (PSC), and conduct a national search for TGC’s next senior pastor.

Search Process Overview

Organization – Discovery Weekend (Sept. 19–20): Will establish focus groups, leadership interviews, vision refinement, strategy assessment, ministry evaluation, PSC guidelines, church/pastor profiles, questionnaires, and ongoing coaching.
Collection – Identify candidates, gather nominations, communicate with applicants, vet resumes, prepare candidate profiles.
Evaluation – Form evaluation teams, develop criteria, rank candidates, manage interviews, and choose finalists.
Selection – Final interviews, background checks, candidate visits, congregational vote, and PCA placement

Pastoral Search Committee Formation

9 members (5 men, 4 women) in good standing at TGC.
Nomination period: Aug. 10–24 (submit forms in person or online).
Session will confirm willingness and alignment with TGC’s mission, then finalize the slate.
Congregational vote on Aug. 31 to approve the slate (up or down vote, not amendable).

The Congregation voted to approve the recommendation brought by the session to open nominations for the Pastoral Search Committee.

Update on the Financial Health of TGC

We have received questions about the budget figures in the bulletin. In May, Shane Riggs gave an overview of our finances, and we want to reiterate: TGC is financially healthy.

Key points:

Giving patterns in churches are often cyclical or seasonal.
The “Year-to-Date Budget” line reflects projected expenses—not actual spending. Our expenses remain well below budget, largely because we are not currently paying a senior pastor’s salary and benefits.
The finance committee and session are closely monitoring our finances.

The finance committee is also working on a clearer way to communicate financial updates in the bulletin going forward.

We deeply value your prayers throughout this process—for wisdom for the session, for the interim pastor the Lord is leading to us, and for the man who will eventually be called as our next senior pastor.

In Christ,
The Session of Trinity Grace Church

P.S. Here is a link to the digital nomination form