Benjamin realized that being a full-time music director was not his passion. As someone early in his career, this is a natural part of discerning his path. He emphasized in his exit interview that it wasn’t about the job, staff, or congregation—he had a positive experience at Foothills. At this time, he also let us know that he would be interested in a Choir Director position, if that became an option. We are delighted that he is returning to Foothills in the role of Choir Director in December 2024.
Though we were disappointed, we simply ultimately did not find the right long-term fit. Occasionally, hiring processes don’t yield the right candidate, and that was the case here.
While our candidate brought many gifts, there were aspects of the role that she demonstrated she wasn’t ready to take on. We considered all feedback and ultimately felt this partnership wasn’t right for Foothills. Our decision was guided by values like trust-building, collaboration, communication, and strong musical and choral leadership. It was a very difficult decision, and also we are confident that it was the right decision.
Our final candidate worked closely with Rev. Gretchen and Sophia for more than three weeks before her visit. They focused on worship planning, choir preparation, and rehearsal support. She also selected the Sunday music with Gretchen and received choral music in advance. This preparation exceeded what is typical in audition processes for similar roles.
We deeply appreciate Julie Koenig’s contributions as our pianist and vocalist, but she has not expressed interest in applying for the Music Director role. However, be sure to check out her other performances around Fort Collins and beyond!
Many large churches have a full-time music director who oversees multiple choirs and leads services, while also recruiting and coordinating musicians. We are confident that the scope of this role is manageable for one full-time person. However, as our program grows, we may consider adding staff, which would depend on increased financial investment from the congregation.
We are working to ensure this plan remains budget-neutral compared to hiring a full-time music director.
The advantage of this plan is the continuity and consistency Sophia provides, along with her deep understanding of our mission. While we will continue evaluating responsibilities as we go, Sophia’s leadership ensures stability through key transitions, including Rev. Gretchen’s sabbatical.
We will consider inside applicants for the permanent position when the time comes, separate from any external candidate process. And, Sophia has been clear that she doesn’t intend to apply for the on-site full-time role, and understands her new longer-term position as temporary.
While possible, we’ve learned that a summer search doesn’t yield the fullest candidate pool. The ideal window is February to April, with a July start date.
Once we hire a Choir Director, we plan that they will regularly lead music on Sundays, in the range of twice a month. Additionally, Kara Shobe, Christopher Watkins Lamb and Melissa Monforti have agreed to regularly lead music on Sundays, alongside Julie Koenig, and Katie Stieber on percussion, as well as a host of regular talented vocalists from our congregation.
We are prioritizing trust-building, creativity, collaboration, and transparency, along with Foothills’ core values of deepening belonging, collective courage, and joyful resilience. We are centering these statements as our vision for music ministry.
Here are some key dates in our path ahead:
- October 25th, posted deadline for Choir Director applicants
- October 30th, 6:30 pm conversation and Q&A with Rev. Gretchen
- November 4th, 6 pm choir / singing gathering with Sophia
- As soon as a Choir Director is identified, we will return to regular choir rehearsals.
- January 2025, Potential Music Director candidating process (if identified); If there is a hire, they will start July 2025 (with some overlap with Sophia)
- If no hire was made, the search process will instead begin in early 2026 with a start in July 2026
Feel free to reach out to Rev. Gretchen (gretchen@foothillsuu.org) or Sophia (sophia@foothillsuu.org). Or, join us for the conversation on Wednesday, October 30th!
Lauren earned her BA in Theatre from the University of Denver and began her career as a teaching artist and performer. She shifted to project management finding an alignment in this field of her soft, interpersonal skills with her organizational expertise. Lauren is mom to two energetic boys and three cats and enjoys spending free time knitting, reading and hiking.