This page will focus on the updates related to the Lead Pastor Search and from the Search Team. For more specifically about the Interim Season, go to that page.

March 12, 2026

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Thank you for your ongoing prayers concerning our pastoral search at Compass. The congregation overwhelmingly affirmed the call for Dominick Wong to be called as the new Lead Pastor at Compass, with 85 out of 88 members affirming him to live and serve with us (not all members were able to attend the meeting). Dominick formally accepted the call to serve as Pastor on Thursday afternoon. He and the Elders will now determine his starting date and move to Columbia.

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We rejoice at God’s faithfulness to our church. He has, is, and will always be true to his promises to care for his people. And we are humbled by Christ’s graciousness and guidance.

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Please continue now to pray for the safe and sound exit for the Wongs from their current place of service and their move to Columbia and Compass.

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Compass Leadership

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February 11, 2026

Dear Compass Church Family,

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Our Pastor Search Team was composed of individuals chosen according to their giftedness and involvements at Compass. They have been at work over the last few months, screening and interviewing candidates for the position of Lead Pastor.

The Search Team unanimously recommended to the Elders a candidate who passed through the Chemistry Staffing applicant process and meets all the marks of the Lead Pastor Profile which was created by Elders, staff, and the congregation. The Elders agree with their conclusion that he is the man God is calling to Compass. With gratitude to God, it is our delight to introduce Dominick Wong to you as our Lead Pastor candidate.

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Please click here for the candidate packet for Dominick. We encourage you to set aside some time to read through this packet and note important information and dates as soon as you are able. 

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Inside the packet, you will find a wealth of information, including a letter from the Elders, information about Dominick and his family, some questions Dominick answered as part of the interview process about his views and values, links to some of his sermons, a reminder of the Lead Pastor Profile put together by our church prior to the search, and a schedule of events so you can be praying as well as planning ahead to participate. 

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The last page, specifically, is a Schedule of Events for our Compass congregation—ways you can be involved and get information about the process and about Dominick, ask questions of the Elders and Search Team, and the all-church events with Dominick and his family.

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Please mark your calendar for the weekend of March 7-8, as well as the congregational meeting on March 11 at which time we will vote on Dominick.

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If you have any questions or have difficulty accessing this document, please email office@compassefc.com for assistance. We will also have a few paper copies available in the Office and at the Welcome Desk for those who may need one. We desire for everyone to be able to review this information and learn about Dominick and his family.

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We hope you are blessed by this opportunity to learn about the Wongs and welcome them to Compass in a few weeks. Join us in fervent prayer for them, and for our church during this time. 

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Compass Leadership

February 1, 2026

Though last week’s weather caused some delays, the Lead Pastor Search Team continues to meet on a regular basis. The search process continues to progress and your prayers are appreciated for the team as they talk with candidates and discern together. 

To refresh people’s memories, the team members are:

Shane Blakeman

Mary Crist

Mark Freemantle

Steve Johnson

Jane Kennedy

Andy Kramer

Jennifer Rosenblad

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Though not a voting member, Paul Utnage serves as the team’s coach and leader through the search process. 

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The team loves Compass, cares deeply for the future of the church, and works well together. 

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The Lead Pastor Search Team

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January 4, 2026

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Since the Lead Pastor Search Team began meeting in November of 2025, and working with Chemistry Staffing, they have received four pastor candidate profiles from Chemistry Staffing. Of those four, the team chose to interview three of the candidates. Of the three that have been interviewed, the team decided to do a second interview with two of the candidates. One of those interviews has been done, and included the candidate’s wife.  The second interview with the other candidate will be done in the coming week. This interview will also include the candidate’s wife.  

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Additionally, Chemistry staffing has two more candidate profiles to share with the search team this coming week. 

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The team took a break from meeting for a couple of weeks during the holidays, but will resume meeting this week. 

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Please continue to pray for the Search Team as they have conversations with the pastoral candidates, and as they discern next steps for each candidate that is being interviewed.  Please continue to pray, as well, for the man, and possibly wife and children, who will be Compass’ next lead pastor.

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The Lead Pastor Search Team

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December 7, 2025

December 1st is the 59th day of our Lead Pastor search and we are excited to report that 80 candidates have submitted their information to Chemistry Staffing so far and are in various stages of the process. Candidates go through vigorous screening and interviewing as Chemistry Staffing determines if they are a good match based on our Lead Pastor profile and job description. Suitable candidates are then introduced to the Search Team by Chemistry and we evaluate the candidate's application, intro video, and notes from Chemistry before deciding whether to not to interview. Four candidates have been introduced to us by Chemistry so far. Of these men, three have been selected by our team for interview. One candidate has been through two interviews with us, with one of those including his wife. We’ve also evaluated two of his recorded sermons and met together multiple times to discuss the interviews, sermons, and everything we have come to know about him. We’ve completed our first stage evaluation of the other two men and initial interviews are scheduled for next week.

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We anticipate Chemistry Staffing introducing more candidates to us soon as they have 18 in first round interviews, 16 in second round interviews, and several in third round interviews.

Please continue to pray for the Search Team - especially for discernment and the Lord's timing - as well and each of the men who have applied. Our earnest desire is for these men to find the church which God is calling them to pastor.

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The Lead Pastor Search Team

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November 2, 2025

The Lead Pastor Search Team met for the first time on October 21. Under Paul’s leadership and coaching, the team talked through the steps of the employment search process, as well as the essential process of discerning together as a group. At the end of the search process the team wants to affirm together that, “We believe we have heard the Lord and our minds and hearts are one.” 

The Search Team is working together with Chemistry Staffing in Dallas, TX to help find candidates who will best fit the profile of the pastor that Compass is seeking.  

The Lead Pastor position was posted just a month ago, and the latest update from Chemistry Staffing is that they have had a general or initial conversation with 57 men. Of those 57 men, 29 are at varying points in Chemistry’s interview “pipeline.” This means that Chemistry may soon have candidates to present to the Search Team to begin the interview process at Compass. This is encouraging news!  

Please continue to pray for the Search Team as they prepare to interview Lead Pastor candidates. Please also pray for the man, and possibly wife/family, whom the Lord is preparing to bring to Compass. 

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The Lead Pastor Search Team

October 2, 2025

Below is an update for various tasks during our interim period at Compass Church. We will focus on the upcoming pastoral search in this update. 

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Professional Employment Partner

The Elders interviewed four different professional employment firms to ascertain whether to partner with one of them. We chose to work with Chemistry Staffing. There are thousands of men who might be interested in serving as a pastor at some location, but God has one man who will ultimately be the right person. Chemistry is committed to helping churches find that person. Chemistry Staffing partners with churches to find pastoral leaders who fit the theology, mindset, culture, chemistry, and tasks of the pastoral role and church. You can read about their work on their website.

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Chemistry Staffing provides the following aids to a pastoral search, along with other things that are not listed here:

• Chemistry has thousands of networking opportunities to find men who fit the church’s profile. A team of six people who work with Chemistry Staffing have been assigned to help Compass’ search. Three other pastors will interview each potential candidate along with the Chemistry staff before submitting names for our Search Team to do our work. 

• Chemistry does the initial interviewing, focusing on 125 different  points of data about each man—theology, skill, personality, personal culture, philosophy of ministry. 

• Chemistry digs down in social media and references to learn if there is anything about a man that would not fit the church’s desire for a candidate. 

• Chemistry is very affordable. The Elders assured that we could partner with them according to the budget and reserves. 

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The church—through a search team and others—still: 

• Does their work to ascertain a man’s fit.

• Does their work to see a man’s current ministry.

• Does their work through the congregation to select a new pastor; no one is just “assigned” to the congregation. 

• Does their work to create a healthy entry and transition. 

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The Lead Pastor Search Team

A Lead Pastor Search Team was selected from the many recommendations received from the congregation. The Team was chosen to assure that they intuitively understand each of the main responsibilities of the Lead Pastor—in other words, either shepherding, teaching, transformational leadership, and missional mindset—as well as good discernment. All of them are committed to prayerfully work together in unity. 

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The individuals who agreed to serve on the Search Team are: Steve Johnson, Mary Crist, Jennifer Rosenblad, Jane Kennedy, Shane Blakeman, Andy Kramer, and Mark Freemantle.  Paul Utnage will support the team with facilitation, training, and coaching. 

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The Elders and Search Team had an onboarding conversation with our main representative on Wednesday, October 1. We learned more about Chemistry’s work, and Chemistry learned more about us as an individual congregation. This provides Chemistry’s work with better knowledge and understanding of Compass. 

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The Team’s first meeting will be October 21. Please begin praying for unity, discernment, and joy in their task. 

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Posting of the Pastoral Position

Chemistry Staffing posts our search on many different places in order to reach a wide, broad reading. Their main posting is on their website, but they also post the position at seminaries and other pastoral search engines. One of the things that help potential candidates to learn a bit about Compass is a video that is available for anyone is considering new pastoral service. You can easily watch that video about Compass here or by scrolling down on this page.

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Please begin to pray for our search, asking the Lord to bless Compass with a new Pastor who thoroughly fits our values, goals, and culture. 
 

Paul Utnage