The story of the growth of Christianity in Africa is not complete without mentioning Pentecostalism, the fastest growing religious movement in the world.
Pentecostalism is a form of Christianity that emphasizes the action of the Holy Spirit and the direct experience of the presence of God by the believer.
Nimi Wariboko, a Boston University professor and author of books on global Christianity, says the number of Pentecostals on the continent has grown from 107 million in 2006 to 230 million in 2020.
Walter G. Muelder Professor of Social Ethics Nimi Wariboko contributed to the BBC Sounds Documentary “Nigeria and the song of the bell.” The documentary focuses on the overall global decline of Christianity but its growth on the African continent—and in particular, in Nigeria.
When asked by host by Hannah Ajala if he thought the decline of global Christianity “reflects the modern western European philosophical and cultural values,” he answered “[s]tarting with the Enlightenment, Europeans began to pay less attention to the Bible. It doesn't really square with their sense of rationality.”
You can access the full documentary, including Prof. Wariboko’s introduction at 3:01, below.
James McCarty, a School of Theology assistant clinical professor of religion and conflict transformation, has also spent years building relationships with local communities. The director of theTom Porter Program on Religion & Conflict Transformation, McCarty is a restorative justice, transformative justice, and conflict transformation practitioner and researcher—that is, he works with people and organizations to repair harms caused by racism, violence, and oppression.
As a Korean American, McCarty has always felt a commitment to racial justice. In 2014, he started as a chaplain at Seattle University. Not long after, Eric Garner was killed by a New York City police officer, and the Black Lives Matter movement gained national attention. In response, he and a colleague organized a die-in on the Seattle University campus.
James McCarty, a theologian, ethicist and professor of conflict transformation at Boston University who has written about and researched King extensively, said lessons about the civil rights hero and his era have been sanitized for years.
But the growing boldness of efforts to whitewash lessons is something McCarty said he hasn’t seen before. Certain people are seeking to remove everything that may cause discomfort, he said, yet “a good educational practice is to make people uncomfortable.”
Park Avenue Congregational Church (PACC), UCC, an Open and Affirming Congregation, seeks a part-time Sunday School Coordinator/Lead Teacher. This position has excellent growth potential for a candidate who seeks greater responsibility and exhibits strong leadership qualities.
PACC seeks someone with an openness to progressive, Christian faith who can cultivate a positive, nurturing relationship with children, youth and families so that church is a place where they feel loved and valued on their faith journey.
The primary function of this job is to plan, lead, and oversee all elements of Sunday School, including:
• Using a published curriculum, plan lessons and prepare materials for two classrooms (one preschool and one elementary);
• Schedule established adult and youth volunteer teachers, and seek out new ones from among the PACC community to teach and assist in classrooms;
• Lead-teach in elementary classroom each Sunday;
• Work with Pastor and Youth Music Director/Acting Christian Education Director to coordinate occasional special Sunday School events, supplies, etc.;
• Be on-site Sunday mornings 9:30am - 12:00pm to prepare classrooms, teach, clean up, and connect with children and families
The job requires approximately 8-10 hours per week September to June, and 5 hours per week in the summer months. College degree or equivalent work-related experience is preferred, but current college or graduate students will be considered. Sunday mornings on-site with possibility of remote work for other responsibilities. Pay is hourly ($18-$20/hr depending on experience).
Applicants should have experience working with children and be comfortable working in a church environment. They should demonstrate strong organizational, collaborative, and communication skills; be punctual; and possess excellent interpersonal skills, a positive attitude, and a sense of humor.
Submit a cover letter and resume to: ce-search@pacc-ucc.org.
Contact person at Park Avenue Congregational Church, UCC, is Christine Rochon, Office Administrator. Church phone is 781-643-8680.
Park Avenue Congregational Church, UCC, is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
PACC website: https://www.pacc-ucc.org/
PACC phone number: 781-643-8680
PACC address: 50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington, MA 02476
Brighton Allston Congregational Church is seeking a Sunday Song Leader for 2 or 3 Sundays per month. We offer $90 per Sunday.
Our church actively welcomes LGBTQ+ members and we have a strong commitment to racial and environmental justice. Through our ministries, we provide food relief to thousands in Allston-Brighton. All of our staff and guests are required to wear masks on the property and follow other COVID safety protocols set by the church.
We seek a Sunday morning Song Leader to:
Lead the congregation in singing hymns by singing the melody clearly from the microphone at the front of the church
Sing one solo accompanied by our pianist
The person in this position will be able to read music well enough to sing any hymn from our hymnal when accompanied by piano. Our Sunday Song Leader will also be able to differentiate between leading the congregational singing and performing a solo.
Sunday Schedule:
10:15-10:25 warm up
10:25-10:30 piano prelude
10:30-approximately 11:30 worship service
Beyond these basic requirements, we are looking for a team player with good communication skills, who can get behind our mission of serving all members of our community equitably. All of our staff are expected to greet our guests with warmth and compassion.
Our church, and by extension our food ministry, is committed to the work of justice, equity, and inclusion. We recognize that systemic injustice often plays out in employment practices. We particularly encourage those whose identities have been historically marginalized (Black, Indigenous, POC, woman, queer, trans, disabled, unhoused, etc.) to apply.
Anastasia Kidd’s new book, Fat Church: Claiming a Gospel of Fat Liberation, fearlessly tackles the American industrial diet complex and unravels the threads of structural fatphobia. With persuasive data and unapologetic honesty, Kidd reframes the definition of “health” and invites readers on a journey of cognitive dissonance.
Kidd is director of contextual education at the Boston University School of Theology, she brings a unique Christian perspective to her exploration of fatness in her book. On weekdays, she works in Boston; on weekends, she serves as a summer pastor at the First Parish Church of Truro.
In her research and teaching, Copeland focuses on the intersection of ecology and theology: she examines Christian texts and doctrines through an ecological lens, and explores ways Christian teachings can influence environmental activism. Her 2020 bookCreated Being: Expanding Creedal Christologydiscusses the relationships among God, human and nonhuman creatures, and nature. In peer-reviewed papers, she’s studiedhuman responses to animal suffering; the ancient cultural, economic, and ecologicalsignificance of fig trees(which Jesus curses as part of a lesson in the book of Matthew); and thecommodification of water and women.
“When I started my theological studies,” Copeland says, “it bothered me that the rest of the world kind of gets ignored in most theological work—that Christian theology has a tendency to focus on human beings and human salvation and neglect everything else.”
JOB SUMMARY
Coordinate the delivery of church-sponsored educational ministries for children and youth through
grade 12 with the assistance of church volunteers, and the possibility of a paid nursery worker, and with
the support of the Senior Pastor and the church’s lay leadership and committees. Plan and staff
programs so that they are ready to be implemented when children and youth are present, particularly
on Sunday mornings. Support a welcoming and inclusive approach to all families with an initial focus on
young children. Report to and be supervised by the Senior Pastor and be evaluated by the Senior Pastor
and the Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC).
ABOUT OLD SOUTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (OLD SOUTH, OR THE CHURCH)
Old South, in Reading MA, is a progressive and very long-standing congregation within the New England
Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. United Methodism is a Protestant Christian
denomination. We are a Reconciling Congregation, meaning we are welcoming and affirming LGBTQIA+
people. Old South’s mission statement is that “As disciples of Jesus Christ we welcome all, experience
God, transform lives and act justly.” Our church is home to the Reading Food Pantry and the Christian
Cooperative Preschool.
SCHEDULE, HOURS AND COMPENSATION
This is an approximately quarter-time position (8-13 hours a week, depending on the season). Work on-
site Sunday mornings is foreseen as 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. September through June, and 9:30 a.m. to
11:30 a.m. July through August. It is envisioned that 8-10 hours per week September through June will
be needed for planning and prep, with much less in the summer months. Planning and prep are hybrid
work. This is an exempt-level job and at-will employment.
This position as written is a quarter-time position with the only time required on-site at the church being
Sunday mornings. However, should the right candidate be seeking additional hours of employment and
willing to support more on-site office admin duties, we would consider expanding this role to half-time
(20 hours).
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Deliver weekly children’s message during the Sunday morning worship service. Coordinate the message
as appropriate with the week’s Bible readings, the Sunday School curriculum, or the church’s current
needs during Sunday worship, in collaboration with the Senior Pastor.
Facilitate and lead curriculum-based programs on Sunday mornings for preschool, elementary school,
middle school, and high school age youth. Coordinate and support volunteer Sunday School teachers by
providing planned activities and curriculum, and assistance and oversight during sessions.
Schedule volunteer and paid coverage of nursery care before, during and after Sunday morning worship
services and occasionally for meetings and special events on other days and at other times. Working the
nursery may be needed from time to time.
Greet and get to know children and their caregivers before and after Sunday services and Sunday School
in order to foster communication, and a growing interest on the part of children and families in church
programs, and further involvement in the life of Old South. Follow up with new families.
Provide a brief update on upcoming Children’s/ Youth programming for our weekly Old South
newsletter.
Facilitate and encourage the work of church member volunteers in presenting youth and teen programs
and activities.
Select Sunday School curricula that meet the needs of our congregation, and which complement
progressive United Methodist theology. Confer with the Senior Pastor for approval each year prior to
September 1.
Ensure that all volunteers and paid individuals who will have contact with children and youth in the
church’s programs are currently and acceptably CORIed. Advise the Senior Pastor of the outcome of all
CORI checks and bring any checks which return results to the Senior Pastor and SPRC chair for review.
Ensure compliance with the UMC Safe Sanctuaries Policies and Guidelines.
Take the lead in maintaining the organization of the shared office for your use and the use of volunteers.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
Verifiable experience working with groups of children and youth in an educational program or camp
setting
Sunday School or religious education teaching experience is preferable
Program and lesson planning experience
Supervised W-2 work experience of at least a cumulative 12 months
QUALIFICATIONS
The Required Experience listed above, and:
Familiarity with the Bible
Fluency in spoken and written English
Ability and willingness to earnestly plan/teach lessons based on the Bible, Jesus Christ, United Methodist
theology, and Old South’s stated mission
Ability and willingness to engage and connect with children and youth of all ages
Ability and willingness to engage others in conversation and facilitate collaborative work
Ability to work on-site on Sunday mornings, occasional other weekend or weekday hours as coordinated
with the Senior Pastor
Acceptable CORI, I-9 and references
High school diploma or GED
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Movement throughout the church building, including the use of a lift and stairs; lifting, carrying and
reaching of supplies and materials of reasonable weights; engage in conversations and read a wide
variety of materials. Local travel may be involved with outings and service projects. Reasonable
accommodations will be made for the incumbent.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Old South hires and employs people without regard to prohibited bases and values diversity.
