Alumni News

Student Life Teaching Pastor, Full-Time, UMC: Johns Creek, GA

By sthalum December 4th, 2023 in Job Postings

About the Church

Mt. Pisgah Church in Johns Creek, Georgia, just north of Atlanta, is a congregation of 2000 members. Mt. Pisgah offers a close-knit community feel, despite its size and offers two worship services on Sundays in English and a third service in Spanish for the Iglesia Mt. Pisgah congregation.

About the Ministry

The student ministry at Mt. Pisgah is deeply relational in its approach, serving around 170 youth with weekly programs on Sundays and Wednesdays, a breakfast club on Tuesdays, and special events like retreats and mission trips. The ministry space, known as "The House", is located in "The Underground" and offers multiple rooms, game areas, a café, and a dedicated outdoor area with an amphitheater. About 30 volunteers commit long-term, guiding small groups from 6th grade until graduation.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal Student Pastor at Mt. Pisgah Church should be deeply aligned with the church's vision, mission, and values, showcasing the ability to strategize and implement methods to achieve church goals. This leader should be safety-conscious, committed to continuous learning, and possess strong collaborative skills. The teaching pastor responsibilities include conducting large group programs, delivering Bible-based teachings, offering pastoral counseling to students, and managing weekly Bible study sessions. Building and nurturing relationships with both students and volunteers will be paramount to this role.

Key Responsibilities 

• To know and support the church’s vision, mission, and values; prioritize the strategy and develop methods to accomplish the strategy.
• While performing any procedure, all associates and contract personnel must observe applicable safety, health, and environmental rules and guidelines. The use of appropriate personal protective equipment is required.
• Attend and participate in training opportunities and seminars relevant to this position.
• Adhere to appropriate church operating procedures, benefit rules, employment, and safety policies and practices.

Interfaith Center Director, Part-Time, UCC: Weston, MA

By sthalum November 29th, 2023 in Job Postings

Announcement of Job Opportunity as Interfaith Center Director

Interfaith Center for Worship, Learning, and Service

130 Newton Street, Weston MA

Who we are looking for:

The Interfaith Center for Worship, Learning, and Service is seeking an organized people-person who is interested in interfaith relationships and dialogue. Excellent candidates will have some personal, academic, and/or professional experience in interfaith settings.

Who we are:

The Interfaith Center for Worship and Learning is a worship space located at 130 Newton Street in Weston, Massachusetts. The Center is owned by the Congregational Church of Weston (CCW), a congregation of the United Church of Christ, which functions as the host congregation for all activities that take place within the Center. CCW views its mission as creating a wide and deep welcome for all people, including our neighbors and community members of many faith traditions. There are currently six worshipping communities of different faith traditions and religions regularly using the Center’s spaces, and we are seeking to grow.

Job Description:

The Center Director will be responsible for the functioning of the Center and the interactions between renters/potential renters and the Center. The position is anticipated to be a part-time hybrid position (~15 hours/wk).  Some time each week will be spent at 130 Newton Street, where the Center is located, while other responsibilities can be performed remotely or in Weston and the surrounding communities.

Specific responsibilities include:

1. Interpersonal and strategic
   1. Building relationships with the leaders of the congregations worshiping at the Center, including chairing a steering committee composed of individuals from each of the congregations. This committee will develop recommendations for ways the Center can be more compatible with and welcoming to groups with varying traditions and worship styles, and ways the various congregations can work amicably together.
   2. Interfacing with and participating in relevant community groups already promoting interfaith understanding within Metro-west, such as the Weston Wayland Interfaith Action Group.
   3. Performing market research activities to understand what needs area religious communities have for regular or occasional places to hold services, including gathering information about other interfaith centers, how they function, and who they serve.
   4. Developing and distributing promotional materials for the Center and its resources to faith communities and interfaith organizations within Metro-west.

2. Administrative
   1. Managing the calendar and facilities usage for the Center, including interacting with renters about their usage of various gathering spaces and updating the online calendar as appropriate. When scheduling conflicts arise, the administrator will be responsible for resolving the conflict equitably. The Director will also manage the scheduling of renters from non-religious organizations, such as community groups, educational and social service groups, and musical groups.
   2. Co-creating, managing, and communicating equitable policies and rental fees for the use of Center space, including working with CCW leadership to establish these policies, and publishing and distributing them to existing renters and prospective groups wishing to use the space.
   3. Recommending upgrades or enhancements to the building to make it function more efficiently as an interfaith worship space, working with the CCW Church Council to implement approved recommendations.
   4. Researching and applying to grants for the continuation of the Center and its Mission, working with CCW leadership when appropriate.

The Director will be responsible to the Senior Pastor of the host church, but the anticipated primary contact will be through the second-year Pastoral Resident, who functions as pastor for the host UCC congregation worshiping at the Center.

Compensation will be between $25 and $30 per hour, based on job qualifications and will be set by the Human Resources/Personnel Committee of the host church.

To apply: Please submit a resume and a letter of interest, addressing what gifts and skills you could bring to this work to martha@wellesleyvillagechurch.org. We expect to begin interviews in January.

Assistant to the Rector, Part-Time, Episcopal: Waban, MA

By sthalum November 24th, 2023 in Job Postings

Parish of the Good Shepherd

1671 Beacon Street Waban, Massachusetts 02468

www.goodshepherdnewton.org

The Parish of the Good Shepherd, Waban, is a healthy and vibrant parish known for its use of Prayer Book liturgy, thoughtful preaching, excellent music, and outstanding Christian Education for all ages. Worship, Christian Ed., Music, and Outreach make up the four pillars of Good Shepherd, with each playing an important role in the life of the Parish. Waban is one of the villages of Newton, located on the Green Line, and home to a diverse, upwardly mobile population. Good Shepherd is like Waban in many ways. It is a village church that also draws from around Metro West Boston. Some families walk to church, while others drive half an hour. Like Waban, children and youth are important and make up a representative part of the parish, and like Waban Good Shepherd strives for excellence in all that it does.

We are seeking an Assistant to the Rector who will oversee Christian Education and assist in all areas of pastoral ministry. The position is part-time (15-20 hours/week), with a possibility of increased hours in the future. The ideal candidate would be open to this position’s evolution. The rector is committed to avoid “job creep” and honor the part-time nature of the job.

Christian Education responsibilities include directing Sunday’s offerings for youth and children: Sunday School classes for Elementary children, the Atrium program for younger children, recruiting and training Sunday School teachers, managing nursery staff, supervising and ensuring Safe Church training and certification, planning and co-teaching Confirmation, and overseeing youth. Work with the rector to lead Adult Forum. Other C.E. responsibilities throughout the year include an annual Christmas Pageant, All Hallows’ Eve event, Holy Week and Easter activities, and an annual Confirmation retreat. Parishioners are interested in increasing opportunities for youth to be involved in Outreach more directly.

Pastoral responsibilities include leading liturgy, preaching in a thoughtful and challenging way, making Eucharistic visits, and other duties as assigned. The ideal candidate would also support the various Outreach ministries that good Shepherd sustains. We are currently in conversations with neighboring Episcopal parishes regarding future models of collaboration.

The ideal candidate should be a priest (or deacon, to be ordained a priest) in good standing in the Episcopal Church, with an appreciation of the High Church tradition of Anglicanism. However, we would like to consider lay candidates as well as ordained candidates, focusing primarily on the Director of Christian education role. Experience with children and youth is important, and experience with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd or another similar program would be well valued. The ideal candidate should be able to work independently and collaboratively—at the direction of the Rector, but with the ability to organize, manage, and follow through. Candidates who are in the final steps of pursuing ordination, as well as those pursuing careers in chaplaincy or academia, will be equally considered.

Our competitive compensation follows the TCC guidelines established by the Diocese of Massachusetts and will be commiserate with experience.  To apply, please e-mail the Reverend Jay Weldon at rector@goodshepherdnewton.org.

Sunday School Teacher, Gig, Episcopal: Waban, MA

By sthalum November 24th, 2023 in Job Postings

Good Shepherd is an Episcopal parish in Newton, on the D line. We are a place of traditional liturgy and music, and lean progressive in our theology and inclusion.

We have a paid Sunday School teacher role that needs to be filled beginning January 1. It is ideal for a theology student who is not interested in taking on a larger role, but who wants an opportunity to work with children and be a part of a parish on Sunday mornings. The time commitment is 9:30 to 11:30 each Sunday and the compensation is $60/ Sunday.

To apply, please e-mail the Reverend Jay Weldon at rector@goodshepherdnewton.org.

Associate Pastor for Congregational Ministries, Protestant: Paris, France

By sthalum November 22nd, 2023 in Job Postings