Pastor Tara Beth Leach
Information & FAQs
After nearly twelve months of a Pastoral Call Process led by two teams and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are excited to announce that our Senior Pastor Call Team has discerned Pastor Tara Beth Leach as the next Senior Minister for Good Shepherd Church.
This letter was first published and shared with the congregation on Sunday, February 12, 2023. All updates in our Pastoral Call Process can be read online.
Watch this video from Jackie, Tom, Charlotte, and Pete as they share about the Call Process, Pastor Tara Beth Leach, and upcoming events.
Results
Last Updated on March 6, 2023
After the vote on Sunday, March 5, we are excited to announce the congregational affirmation of Pastor Tara Beth Leach as Good Shepherd’s next Senior Minister! Thank you to everyone who was present for this Spirit-led and historic moment in the life of our church.
Please join us in praying for Pastor Tara Beth, her family, her leadership, and future of ministry in and through the people of Good Shepherd.
Prayer for Pastor Tara Beth and Family
During the Meet and Greet on February 23, a congregant asked how our church family could be praying for Pastor Tara Beth. She asked us to be in prayer for three things:
- New Family Rhythms
- Her Sons – Caleb and Noah
- God’s Wisdom and Understanding
Moving Forward Together
In addition, Pastor Tara Beth invites us to live on mission together, as a community of believers, in three ways:
- Eyes on Jesus
- Walk Faithfully
- Keep Moving Forward
First Sunday at Good Shepherd
Pastor Tara Beth’s first Sunday preaching will be on Sunday, March 19! We invite you to be with us. Stay connected for more information about this special weekend!
FAQ
On Sunday, February 12, our Senior Pastor Call Team announced their discernment of Pastor Tara Beth Leach as Senior Minister for Good Shepherd. On this webpage, you will find frequently asked questions received from the Senior Pastor Call Team. Last Updated on March 1, 2023Why didn’t we call an ELCA rostered pastor? The Senior Pastor Call team interviewed a number of ELCA rostered candidates throughout this process, and the Holy Spirit led us to discern Pastor Tara Beth.
Will Pastor Tara Beth become an ELCA rostered pastor? If so, when? Pastor Tara Beth has agreed to become an ELCA rostered pastor. She is already in contact with the Metropolitan Chicago Synod’s office, and she is eager to begin the process.
How many candidates did you interview? Several.
What's the status of Vanderbloemen contract? The Senior Pastor Call Team did not utilize them for the hiring of Pastor Tara Beth and she did not engage with them throughout the process. Good Shepherd continues to work with Vanderbloemen on next steps with the contract, which is currently on hold. The Associate Pastor Call Team and Council will determine how to proceed.
When is her first Sunday preaching? March 19th is the first Sunday that PTB will preach.
Why didn't you call PTB months ago?! She was not available early on in the process. The Holy Spirit aligned PTB and Good Shepherd at the appropriate time.
Will the Associate Pastor Call Team start in earnest now? Please refer to the Associate Pastor Call Team communications via the website and Prayer and Action guide.
Will there be a vote on March 5? Yes, there will be a vote to hire Tara Beth as our Senior Minister and affirm her in this role. When she completes the ELCA rostering process we will have another congregational meeting to officially call her as our Senior Pastor.