A unique need a church sometimes has is a litany, dedication, or responsive reading at the beginning of a pastor search process.  Here is one I wrote for use at our church that may be a help to yours.

Charge to the Pastor Search Team (PST)

Pastor: As an elected member of the search team for Forest Hills Baptist Church, do you accept the responsibility given to you by God and this church membership?

Search Team: We accept this responsibility.  

Pastor: Do you commit to being faithful in prayer, holy in your Christian walk, and dedicated in your sense of purpose?

Search Team: We make this commitment. 

Pastor: Do you promise to strive for unity in your decisions, to represent the congregation’s trust in you, and to seek God’s will for his direction?

Search team: We make this promise.

Pastor: Do you seek the goal of confidentiality in matters regarding the search process to protect the church’s relationship with whom God calls as its next Shepherd?

Search Team: We seek this goal. 

Pastor: Will you dedicate yourselves to meet regularly, keep the congregation informed, and stay the course despite discouragements or redirection that may come your way?

Search Team: We make this dedication. 

Charge to Church

Pastor: To the congregation of Forest Hills Baptist Church, do you promise to pray for your search team, support them with encouragement, and stand behind them in their work?

Church: We do.

Pastor: Do you promise to exercise patience, kindness, and love with the search team and with each other during the pastoral search process, in anticipation of the calling of the man God has for us to lead us into the next phase of the church’s history?

Church: We do.  

Pastor: Do you strive to continue in the work of the Lord through His church in exercising unity, refraining from gossip, and seeking to let the peace of Christ rule in your heart during this journey?

Church: We do.