THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF JOB SEARCH

Description

Presented by: Dr. Don Dempsey, retired Presbyterian Minister and forer Outplacement Counselor
          In times of transition and new beginnings, instead of thinking about job search as something difficult to endure, Dr. Dempsey will challenge you to think of this period in your life as an ideal time to re-examine your skills, strengths, and interests believing that there is a sacred purpose that is seeking to find you.
Dr. Dempsey believes and has experienced in his own personal times of transition, loss, and new beginnings, that job search ultimately comes down to faith and trust.  A faith and trust in a power greater than oneself, that some call God, the Tao, the Spirit, the “ground of all being.”  Don believes it is important to recognize and place one’s faith and trust in a spiritual power beyond our comprehension, beyond the material and the physical and that the Spirit plays an important role in guiding and leading us through the ups and downs of life.
The ultimate question I’ve always ended up asking myself and those others I worked with is: “What is your calling?”  Not what others want or think you should do or be, but your own individual calling.  “What is your sacred purpose in life?”
We all have been given certain gifts and strengths, sometimes referred to as our “God given” gifts; we have natural interests, and along the way we have acquired numerous skills, which translate into a variety of experiences and accomplishments. In this workshop, Dr. Dempsey, will challenge each participant to consider, “What is it that you are being called to do in this next chapter of your life?”
Dr. Don Dempsey recently completed his seventh interim ministry assignment.  Don’s unique background and varied experience has prepared him to be of counsel and assistance to people in a time of change and transition. His background includes:
Graduated from McCormick Theological Seminary (1969) and then served for ten years in the pastoral ministry.  During that period of time he earned his Doctor of Ministry Degree in Pastoral Care from Louisville Presbyterian Seminary (1977).
In 1979 Don successfully changed careers.  For the next five years he worked in the corporate world at a major bank in Chicago.  After four years at the bank, he was appointed a Personnel Banking Officer.  Due to bad business decisions a major downsizing took place and he was “outplaced.”
After completing his outplacement program at Right Associates, he was hired by Right Associates as a Vice President.  For 13 years he worked as an outplacement counselor providing individual and group counseling to a wide variety of corporate companies throughout the country.
In 2002, Don reconnected with the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) and for the next 14 years served as an interim minister.  During that period of time he served as an interim pastor at seven different churches ranging in size from 300 to 3,000 members.