Case Study
Following the retirement of the Rev. Esme J.R. Culver on August 31, 2022, St. Aidan's Parish received vital support and guidance from The Rev. Canon Christopher Craun and additional resources from the Diocese of Western Oregon. This assistance ensured continuity in worship, as supply clergy and faith leaders enabled the congregation to maintain regular Sunday Communion services. When supply clergy were not available, Morning Prayer services were held with trained congregational faith leadership. Thursday Morning Prayer services and Bible study sessions continued under lay leadership as well as the Ione Book club.
Four months after the departure of our former rector, St. Aidan’s signed a contract with the Rev. Sandra Ragan to be our interim rector for a period of six months. Under the guidance of Mother “Raggs,” the leadership team and faith leaders grew in knowledge and confidence in their ability to be leaders of the parish. M. Raggs+ developed protocols for the Communion and Ante-Communion bulletins, as well as work sheets for faith leaders on where to locate “online sermons” for use Sunday mornings, vesting protocols, where to sit or stand during services, as well as how to conduct Sunday services. Under M. Raggs’s+ tutelage faith leaders practiced worship protocols to be comfortable leading services when necessary.
The leadership team – the Senior Warden, Altar Guild Mistress, Administrative Office Assistant and Organist/Choir Master – held weekly meetings to prepare service bulletins and address potential issues with the congregation, as well as to coordinate activities during our interim time.
Coordination of the Parish Profile Team and the Search Committee was under the leadership of the Senior Warden.
Throughout our two and a half years without a rector, the parish community remained unified and resilient, journeying together into this uncharted territory in search of a new rector.
Discussions and updates were held during a segment of our coffee hour on progress of our search for a rector, including a member presentation from the Iona Book Club reading Part Time is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy by Grant Jeffrey. Annual Meetings were held every January to discuss budget for the coming year, elect members running for Vestry positions, and offer a summary of the year past. Amazingly, our congregation began to grow, slowly adding one family at a time. They came, responding to our message:
“All are welcome to St. Aidan’s – persons of every race, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability, and economic level. We celebrate and are blessed by the many diverse God-given gifts. In accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we hold that discrimination of any kind is outside God’s intent for God’s people, and we affirm our Baptismal Vow to uphold the dignity of every human being. We affirm that all relationships are founded on the principles of God’s love, justice, and peace.”
Joseph Pettit was hired as Organist/Choir Director prior to the departure of the Rev. Esme J.R. Culver as an investment in our music program. Joe is a talented, much traveled and knowledgeable music director. His knowledge of liturgy, music, and people skills have helped to build the choir at St. Aidan’s. Joe’s ministry has begun to draw groups from the community to use our facilities and has attracted members to join our choir.
The Rev. Sara Fischer was hired on February 12, 2025. She was hired because the Search Community felt her work and knowledge of community leaders would help St. Aidan’s grow in its outreach program. The Search Committee also felt that Sara’s+ community connections and past experiences were in alignment with St. Aidan’s desire to move forward with the goals identified during work with the Rev. Ken Howard’s FaithX project.
Our website is undergoing reorganization under the leadership of our new rector. The website can be accessed at https://www.saint-aidans.org/
St. Aidan’s Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=st.%20aidan%27s%20episcopal%20church
Streaming Service https://www.youtube.com/@staidansepiscopalchurch
“St. Aidan’s Leadership Transition,” submitted by Rachel Hayashi