Chicago Central District Superintendent Transition

LAST UPDATED: APRIL 11, 2024

Timeline (will be updated with new information as available):

  • August 1, 2023 - Dr. McKain announces his retirement at the upcoming 2024 District Assembly.

  • August 19, 2023 - The District Advisory Committee (DAC) met with JGS, Dr. Carla Sunberg, to outline the DS Search Process

    • Prayer and Communication Team formed

    • Process Team formed

  • August 20 - October 2, 2023 - Process Team gathered information and input to create a district profile designed from feedback received through a district survey, focus groups, and listening sessions.

  • October 3, 2023 - The DAC met with Dr. Stan Reeder to finalize the district profile.

  • October 5, 2023 - The DAC sent out the district profile and a link to the nomination form to the district and the USA/Canada regional director sent the profile and nomination link across the nation.

  • October 20, 2023 - The nomination form for district superintendent candidates closed.

  • October 29, 2023 - USA/Canada office shared that 96 submissions were made through the nomination form.

  • November 7, 2023 - The DAC provided next steps to the district in the search process via email regarding the development of biographical information by the USA/Canada office for each of the candidates that have been nominated.

  • November 14, 2023 -Biographical information received by DAC members for 60 nominees.

  • November 20, 2023 - A straw ballot was submitted by each DAC member to the USA/Canada regional office to register their top 5 choices for consideration.

  • November 21, 2023 - DAC meeting held to pray and discern a list of 10 candidates.  A final list of 12 candidates was determined and submitted to The Board of General Superintendents for approval.

  • December 17th, 2023 -  The Board of General Superintendents approved the final list of 12 candidates.  No names were added or removed from the list at this time. 

    January 1-30th, 2024 - The DAC continues to pray for discernment of 2-3 names from the final list of 12 candidates that meet the abilities described in our District Superintendent Profile. 

  • February 6, 2024 - The DAC met for prayer and selected 3 candidates to be called for interviews.

  • February 27, 2024 - The DAC met with three highly qualified leaders for interviews.

  • March 7, 2024 - The DAC met with four highly qualified leaders for interviews.

  • March 12, 2024 - The DAC met for prayer and discernment of the final candidate(s).

  • April 11, 2024 - The DAC provided the district with the steps followed in the search process and their recommendations to the District Assembly.

  • April 12-13, 2024 - Unless providentially hindered, the election of a new district superintendent will take place at District Assembly

Assembly Election Process:

  1. In August, after accepting Dr. McKain’s retirement letter, the DAB met with Dr. Carla Sunberg and Dr. Stan Reeder and voted to engage in a process of preparation for the District Assembly to elect a new superintendent by recommending that the District Advisory Committee (DAC) serve as the Nominating Committee.  

  2. At District Assembly, a presentation will be made by a member of the DAC Process Committee to describe in detail the steps that the DAC, serving as the Nominating Committee, has followed. During this first presentation, NO names will be discussed. 

  3. Next, the District Assembly will vote “YES” or “NO” on whether to accept the DAB’s recommendation for the DAC to serve as the Nominating Committee.  This will require a majority vote.

  4. If the majority vote is “YES” to accept the DAB’s recommendation for the DAC to act as the Nominating Committee, the Process Committee will make a second presentation including the name(s) of the nominee(s) and why the Nominating Committee believes they are uniquely qualified to serve the district as our new Superintendent.

  5. After the second presentation, a ballot will be distributed with the nominee(s) name(s) and one blank space for a write-in. Election to DS requires a 66% majority of the Assembly. The prayer of the DAC is that a new DS will be elected in this manner.

  6. If by the end of business day on Saturday, no single elder has been elected with a 66% vote, Dr. Sunberg as our JGS will be tasked with appointing a District Superintendent.

  7. PLEASE NOTE THIS ALTERNATE SCENARIO: If after the first report by the Process Committe, the majority vote is “NO” to accept the DAB’s recommendation for the DAC to act as the Nominating Committee, the Process Committee will NOT make a second presentation. INSTEAD, a blank nominating ballot will be distributed to the Assembly, and voting sessions will continue to be held until one elder receives 66% of the ballots cast. Again, if by the end of business day on Saturday, no single elder has been elected with a 66% vote, the JGS will be tasked with appointing a District Superintendent.

FAQS:

  • The District Advisory Committee (DAC) is composed of the members of the District Advisory Board, the chairperson of the District NDI Board, the president of the district NMI, the president of the district NYI, the district secretary, and the district treasurer. This committee shall meet as necessary and shall be chaired by the district superintendent or the general superintendent in jurisdiction or his/her designee.

  • Dr. Sunberg is in the process of contacting those on the list of 12 so they can prayerfully consider their nomination prior to the next DAC meeting in early February.

  • If an initial vote of the District Assembly is affirmative to accept the District Advisory Committee as the Nominating Committee for the DS transition process, then a second report will be given by the DAC with the name(s) and qualifications of the nominee(s).

  • 1) A presentation will be made by a DAC member of the Process Committee to explain the selection process that the DAC has followed.

    2) The District Assembly will vote “Yes” or “No” on whether to approve the DAB’s recommendation for the DAC to serve as the Nominating Committee for the DS transition process.

    3) If the majority vote (in section 2 above) is “Yes,” the Process Committee will make a second presentation that includes the name(s) of the nominee(s) and why the DAC feels this person(s) is/are uniquely qualified to serve the district in this role.

    4) After this presentation of the nominee(s), a ballot is distributed with the 1 or 2 nominee’s name(s) and a blank space for one write-in. Election of a district superintendent requires a two-thirds favorable vote of the District Assembly. If by the end of business day on Saturday, no single elder has been elected with a two-thirds favorable vote, the JGS will be tasked with appointing a District Superintendent.

    5) If the majority vote (in section 2 above) is “No,” a second presentation of nominee(s) and name(s) will not be made. Instead, a blank nominating ballot will be distributed to the members of the District Assembly and we will continue to hold votes until one elder receives a two-thirds favorable vote of the ballots cast. If by the end of business day on Saturday, no single elder has been elected with a two-thirds favorable vote, the JGS will be tasked with appointing a District Superintendent.

  • The Church of the Nazarene has six general superintendents who oversee the work of the international church. Each general superintendent (GS) oversees and takes jurisdiction over a field and/or region. The current jurisdictional general superintendent (JGS) for the Chicago Central District is Dr. Carla Sunberg. More information on Dr. Sunberg can be found by clicking here.

  • The Regional Director works in harmony with the policies and practices of the Church of the Nazarene by giving leadership to districts, churches, and institutions of the region in fulfillment of the mission, strategies, and program of the church.  Dr. Stan Reeder is the USA/Canada Regional Director. More information on Dr. Reeder can be found by clicking here.

  • Hector Alfaro (District Advisory Board Member)
    Tina Burton (District Advisory Board Member)
    Randy Hird (District Advisory Board Member)
    Barry Huebner (District Advisory Board Member)
    Amy Kilpatrick (District Advisory Board Member)
    Terry Kochersperger (District Advisory Board Member)
    David Morris (District NYI President)
    Cindi Schimmelpfennig (District NDI Chairperson)
    Mary Schweigert (District Advisory Board Member)
    Cheryl Seymour (District Advisory Board Member)
    Heidi Taylor (District Treasurer)
    Brian Utter (District Advisory Board Member)
    Lynne Utter (District NMI President)
    Doug Ward (District Advisory Board Member)
    Scott Whalen (District Secretary)

    If you would like to contact the members of the DAC, please email dstransition@ccdnaz.org.

  • Please pray for the discernment of God’s heart to be made known for our district leadership. Pray for unity of the hearts and minds of the members of our district and those that will serve as delegates at District Assembly. We encourage you to email the DAC at dstransition@ccdnaz.org with any feedback, questions or concerns you may have and a member of the DAC will contact you.

Chicago Central District Church of the Nazarene
PO Box 567, Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Phone: (312) 255-0151