March 1, 2026 - PNC Update #16
March 1, 2026
Dear Christ Pres Family,
On August 25, 2024, you voted to elect a slate of nominees to serve on the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). We met for the first time on September 15, 2024. After prayerful discussion, we finalized our Church Profile and obtained Session approval for revisions to the Pastor’s Job Description at the end of October 2024, officially launching our search.
One year and four months later — after many hours of prayer, conversation, listening, interviewing, and seeking the Lord’s guidance together — we are grateful to present Jeremy Skaggs as our nominee for the next pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church. We are deeply thankful for your faithfulness in praying for us, encouraging us, and entrusting us with this responsibility.
Over the course of 16 months, we reviewed and screened more than 20 applicants. As you know from our periodic updates, by the end of 2025 we narrowed the pool to two candidates. Both demonstrated strong theological alignment, a deep respect for and understanding of Scripture, humility, Christ-like character, and an embrace of our values and mission. We felt abundantly blessed that such gifted and faithful leaders viewed Christ Pres as a congregation they would desire to serve — and be served by.
Why Jeremy? Over the past two months, several key factors helped bring clarity to our nomination of Jeremy.
We asked you to pray and to share any words you sensed the Lord placing on your heart. Several members of the congregation approached different PNC members with impressions and Scriptures that carried weight as we discerned together.
During our recent leadership retreat, we had meaningful and candid discussion about what matters most in the life of Christ Pres. One of the clearest themes that emerged was how deeply our congregation values open worship — a freedom to hear and respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and a shared trust in the Spirit to guide the flow of worship.
We conducted a second round of reference checks, specifically focusing on Jeremy’s pastoral care — his love for people and his ability to walk with individuals and families through difficult seasons. The responses were overwhelmingly affirming. References spoke of his steady presence in times of grief and crisis, his heart for evangelism and mission, and his ability to shepherd with both compassion and conviction.
Pastors within our Mission Affinity Group churches affirmed that Jeremy would be a strong fit for Christ Pres.
Our ECO Ministry Partnership Team also strongly supported Jeremy as a good fit within ECO and for our congregation.
Read more about Jeremy's Story and Ministry Background
A Word About Discernment
Throughout this process, we recognized that no one candidate would perfectly reflect every individual’s personal preferences. Preaching styles resonate differently with different people. Personalities connect in unique ways. Leadership instincts vary. As a committee, we continually asked ourselves not, “Who fits my personal ideal?” but rather, “Who best aligns with where God is calling Christ Pres in this next season?” That required humility from each of us — a willingness to listen carefully to one another, to pray deeply, and at times to hold our own preferences loosely for the sake of the broader good of the church. As a PNC, we came to the unanimous decision to move Jeremy's nomination forward, asking and trusting that God will use this process to either open or close the door.
We recognize that just as PNC members have personal preferences, so will members of our congregation. No pastor will embody every quality each person might imagine in an “ideal” leader. Our encouragement to you is to approach this season prayerfully, asking the Lord to align our hearts with His purposes for Christ Pres.
Opportunities to Meet Jeremy and Amy
We want to create multiple opportunities over the course of the weekend of March 14–15 for you to meet Jeremy and his wife, Amy. Because people connect differently in various settings, we hope to provide opportunities for one-on-one interaction, small group conversation, and larger group gatherings. We encourage you to participate in as many of these as you are able. Here are several that are in the works:
Saturday March 14
9:30 AM - Men's Breakfast with Jeremy
1 - 6 PM - Meet & Greet at the Church. Jeremy and Amy will be available at the church throughout the afternoon. This time will include a mix of informal drop-in opportunities as well as a few more structured gatherings. A ladies' tea during this time block is being planned.
Sunday March 15
Sunday School, Worship and Potluck - Jeremy and Amy will participate in Sunday School classes and join us for worship, where Jeremy will preach. Following the service, we will share a congregational potluck lunch.
6:00 PM - Cookout at the Wibberly Home - We will gather for an evening cookout in the Wibberlys' backyard. In the event of inclement or unseasonably cold weather, we will move indoors to the church.
Depending on Jeremy and Amy's travel arrangements, additional gatherings may be added.
If you are unable to attend that weekend but would still like an opportunity to meet Jeremy and Amy, please let a member of the PNC know. We will gladly arrange one or more small-group Zoom meet-and-greets.
More detailed information about these and any additional opportunities will be forthcoming.
Next Steps. We ask that you spend the week following Jeremy’s visit in prayer, listening for God’s guidance. The final decision regarding this nomination rests with you, the congregation. On Sunday, March 22, we already have a congregational meeting scheduled to review the budget and elect the 2026 Nominating Committee. We will add to that agenda a congregational vote regarding the pastor's call and his compensation package. Should the congregation feel more time is needed for prayerful consideration and discussion, a motion may be made to delay the vote for an additional week.
Thank you again for your prayer, trust, and encouragement throughout this journey.
Pastor Nominating Committee Members: Kelly Hargreaves, Danny Peck, Jeremy McEntire, Lillian Macpherson, Ian Savino, Hope Braxton, Bob Andrews, David Wood
Chair: Kathy Wibberly