Phil Jackson Leaves the NACCC Staff for Ministry on Cape Cod

Phil Jackson’s departure from the NACCC staff as Associate Executive Secretary leaves us with a gap in its corporate memory. Next to Karen Frazzell, his assistant, Phil is the long-termer on the staff. Karen describes him as a people person. “Time after time I’ve heard comments from churches who met with him, that Phil was helpful and gave them good advice. He has a working knowledge of all but a handful of churches in the Association.” We often marvel at how much he knows, who he knows, and situations he remembers. There’s no way to replace that, so our answer is to suggest to the Executive Committee that we put him on the Future Planning Group, an advisory group of past-leadership team members who become important to corporate memory.

Doug Lobb, the immediate past NACCC Executive Secretary confirms as much about Phil’s ability to connect with people. “He kept informed and communicative with students in the CFTS program. When he traveled, not only did he see students, but he used his spare time to visit churches who otherwise may have never seen an NACCC official.” In light of the heightened program of visitation to our member churches, this has made a big difference in our goal to have executives visit more than one church on any single trip.

Steven Peay, who served on the CFTS board for four years, and acted as its chairperson for one, was also a regular lecturer at the annual Boston Seminar. “I will always have fond memories of the communal dinners and the class-after-the-evening-class around the picnic tables at the Walker Center. What I saw in those times—and often in the questions he would ask me during the lectures—was his pastor’s heart. And now he will bring that same heart to the people of Yarmouthport.” Frazzell agrees and adds, “He was a wonderful mentor to CFTS students. He kept track of their progress and their needs.” An additional concern of Phil’s was to find ways to sharpen the internship program, with clearer guidelines and expectations from both churches and students. In the last month, I have heard some of those present and former students of CFTS speak of the positive experiences they have had as interns. Alice Murphy, who also served on the CFTS board (and as its chairperson for a year) added this important note: “During Phil’s time as Dean, with the help of the Board, CFTS broadened its base from being a body which supported our students mostly on a financial basis to one that considered the development of the whole individual, thus providing our churches with more well-rounded pastors.”

Phil’s responsibilities have also included ministerial support and services. His accomplishments in this area included re-designing the ministerial search process, which benefited both churches and ministers. Early in his term, he wrote a manual for search committees.

The continuing education of clergy has been a high priority of the Division for Ministry. Phil helped re-structure the Annual Ministers’ Convocation, as well as the Boston Seminar, combining the traditional Congregational history portion with ecclesiology and polity. The Seminar has been a blessing not only to seminary students, but also to clergy who have come into the Association from other denominations and fellowships.

Among the congratulatory remarks about Phil Jackson was in a recent e-mail from the present chairperson of DFM. It sums up a lot of people’s feelings very well. Art Ritter, knowing I was putting together this brief tribute, wrote to me with this personal memory: “I will always remember Phil for coming to my assistance in a time of need. During the NACCC meeting in Lansing, I received a phone call from my father informing me that my mother had been diagnosed with cancer. I was scheduled to visit with my parents the next week and had duties at the NACCC meeting. But Phil suggested I borrow his van and make the 90-minute drive and spend a day with them immediately. I did and it was the best thing to do. Since my mother’s death from colon cancer I have looked back without regret on that day I spent with my parents in their time of need.”

Years ago, while still serving First Congregational church in Hanson, Massachusetts, Phil was asked to serve on the Search Committee for Harry Clark’s replacement. After he met with the committee a time or two, he called several of us who have been his friends over the years, asking what we thought of him throwing his hat into the ring of candidates for the position. We all said “yes,” and he resigned from the Committee.

The rest is history. He made the right decision. We are beneficiaries of his good work, his love of Christ, and his commitment to the Congregational Way. We shall miss him at the office, but so will hundreds of individuals and churches whom he has served over the years. We pray that the positive nature of his ministry continues at First Congregational Church of Yarmouthport, Massachusetts.

A reception for Phil and Michelle is being planned at the 2003 NACCC Annual Meeting in Milwaukee.

Staff Changes at NACCC Office

Search Committee Formed

It was recognized by the Executive Committee and NACCC executives at the 2002 Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington, that our Associate Executive Secretary the Rev. Phil Jackson would soon complete his service at our national office. There is a constitutional limit of ten years service as an Executive and/or Associate Executive Secretary of the NACCC. During these last months, we readied ourselves for this transition and prepared for the continuation of the service ministries of the national office.

In response to this reality and with the aid of many conversations with the boards, commissions and committees of the NACCC, the Executive Committee and representatives from the divisions met by conference call on December 19 to deal with three business items. The most important item was to act upon a recommendation from the Personnel and Administration Committee, to change the two Associate Executive job descriptions and to move Dr. Donald Olsen into a new position which includes Ministerial Support and Services, Dean of CFTS, and Technology Supervisor. That recommendation was affirmed by vote.

The second item was to approve a new job description for the new Associate Executive Secretary which includes Church Development, Missions, and State and Regional Partnerships.

The third business item was a logical result of these actions. The Executive Committee, in consultation with Church Development and Missions, elected a search committee for the second new position. The committee members are Joelle Sommers, a member of Heritage Congregational Church of Madison, Wisconsin, and former member and chair of the Missionary Society; Dr. Elizabeth Mauro, Senior Minister of the Rockland Congregational Church in Rockland, Maine, and former moderator of the NACCC; Donald Sturgis, a member of Pilgrim Congregational Church of Pomona, California, and presently a member of the Missionary Society; Dr. Neil Hunt, Senior Minister of Meadowbrook Congregational Church in Novi, Michigan, and chair of the Congregational Church Development Division; and Joanne Simpson (alternate), a member of First Church of Christ, Lynn, Massachusetts, and Co-Director of HOPE.

In a conference call on Friday January 20th, the Search Committee chose Dr. Neil Hunt as chair, and Joelle Sommers, as recording secretary. Resumes should be sent directly to him. In addition to curriculum vitae, the Search Committee suggests that applicants include:

• Experience in and view of missions and mission work.
• Experience in and view of Church Development and revitalization.
• View of Association’s responsibility to start new Churches.
• Model of leadership and experience with staff relations and empowering leadership in the mission of the National Association.
• History of experience in Congregational movement, locally, regionally/state-wide, and nationally.
• Experience in and view of travel, both domestic and foreign.

For a complete job description, please visit www.naccc.org and look for “New Executive Position” link.

All applicants should send curriculum vitae and other pertinent information via e-mail to Rev. Dr. E. Neil Hunt, nhunt@A1access.net. For more information, including the financial package, you may call Dr. Hunt at 248-348-7757 or Fax 248-348-0501.

There are no easy transitions in life, and the Executive Committee and the National office staff know that during this interim period we will be asking additional help from our national staff. We are thankful in advance for the willing attention that Don Olsen’s assistant, Ruth Mahnke and our Executive Secretary, Dr. Thomas Richard, will give as they keep up with CCD, the Missionary Society, and Association Partnerships responsibilities, in addition to their other duties.

Please be in prayer with the Executive Committee for Phil Jackson, the National Staff, the Search Committee, and the future candidates.