Alumni News

Theological Summer Intern: Martha’s Vineyard, MA

By sthalum March 2nd, 2022 in Job Postings

The Martha’s Vineyard Campmeeting Association, a religious nonprofit organization, is seeking a Summer Theological Intern to help us with our Spiritual Life programming in the 2022 season. This is a full-time paid position that includes housing. The ideal candidate is a person of faith with strong spiritual, organizational, interpersonal, and computer skills.

Dates: June – August or early September, 13 weeks (Slight flexibility as to start and end dates)
Hours: 40 hours/week, including Sundays
Pay: $13.50/hour
Housing: Housing is provided on our grounds: a simple room with bath and kitchenette, with access to a shared outdoor grill and picnic area, with parking.

About Us:
Since its official incorporation in 1868, and in an informal capacity since 1835, the MVCMA has been fulfilling its mission to hold religious services on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Originally Methodist, our services are now interdenominational, and, in addition to our own services, currently our historic iron Tabernacle is being used by several other local congregations, to accommodate their need for open-air worship during Covid-19.

As one of the few remaining summer camp meetings, which were a widespread phenomenon of religious revivalism in the 19th century, the MVCMA holds significance in American religious history. Our 34 acre grounds are a National Historical Landmark. While for many decades, the participants in our Campmeetings gathered in hundreds of tents, we now reside in Victorian Gothic "gingerbread" cottages, many of which date from the 1870s.

We are a community consisting of the residents of these tiny cottages, and we welcome visitors to our summer programs. Each summer we host weekly worship services as well as cultural and community events.

Location: Oak Bluffs, MA, on the island of Martha's Vineyard; a few minutes’ walk from the beach, ferry, harbor, and shops.

Application Process: Please send cover letter and resume to SLMVCMA@gmail.com.

Job Description:

• Assist in managing our Sunday services (one weekly) and those of visiting churches (typically three each week). Serve as a welcoming representative of MVCMA at these services, provide oversight of the Covid-19 safety protocols, coordinate the volunteers, and strengthen our relationship with the visiting congregations. Oversee the transfer of the livestreamed services to our website and YouTube Channel.
• Work to grow attendance at our services and programs through creative use of media: oversee Spiritual Life events on MVCMA website, YouTube Channel, and Instagram; coordinate advertising with local papers and websites; distribute event posters; and expand our media reach.
• Edit weekly church bulletins (one per week).
• Develop a “Good Shepherd Program,” ministering to residents who are in need of friendly visits, focusing on those residents facing illness and physical and emotional challenges.
• Greet the guest preacher and spouse as they arrive on the island each week. Serve as a liaison with them, growing the relationship between MVCMA and these visiting clergy, and ensuring they have a positive experience.
• Provide informal outreach to residents, growing relationships among neighbors, connecting them with our programming, and connecting them with one another.
• Oversee the creation of a schedule of weekly Bible studies and actively participate in them, with a focus on welcoming newcomers. These Bible studies may be led by the visiting preacher or by the intern, at the discretion of each preacher.

Applicant Requirements:

• Strong faith and the desire to share God's love by ministering to needy individuals and by growing bonds among neighbors
• Graduate work towards an M.Div. or related degree; intention to enter the ministry strongly preferred
• Strong social confidence and interpersonal skills, such that welcoming visitors, reaching out to isolated people, and connecting them with others comes naturally
• Caring acceptance of community members of diverse needs, political opinions, beliefs, and identities; humility and a commitment to build bridges across political and personal divides
• Organizational abilities
• The ability to work independently; the energy of a self-starter who shows leadership and initiative
• Social media and computer skills
• Writing, editing, and proofreading abilities; the skills necessary to help produce advertisements and bulletins for our worship services
• A commitment to helping our community adhere to Covid-19 protocols
• Ours is a small residential community, and the Intern's interactions, on and off the job, will be a reflection on our organization. High standards of personal behavior, including adherence to Covid-19 protocols, and cordial, warm interactions with neighbors, will be expected, throughout the period of employment.

Additional Information

• MVCMA is a National Historic Landmark. We have our own seasonal Cottage Museum and community tours, and are in the process of organizing a database of our historic archives. A person with an interest in American religious history would find this position particularly interesting.
• If the intern prefers to do the computer aspects of this job not in our office but remotely, on island, that may be an option.

Director of Music Ministries, Part-Time, UMC: North Andover, MA

By sthalum March 2nd, 2022 in Job Postings

First United Methodist Church, North Andover, is a small but vibrant congregation. Music is a vital part of our worship service. In coordination with the Pastor, the Music director exercises an important ministry that reaches out to all members of the congregation. We are a reconciling congregation and welcome to all regardless of age, race, cultural identity, gender identity and sexual identity.

The music director serves as a leader, educator and principal musician of this congregation
Hours of Work – Eight to ten hours per week, including Sunday morning worship services and choir rehearsals.

Areas of Responsibility
• Provide music with piano, organ or keyboard for Sunday morning worship services
• Meet regularly with the Pastor and Worship team to plan and integrate music into the life of the church
• Work with choir and praise band
• Facilitate and encourage participation by church members
• Bring in guest musicians as needed
• Assist in finding a substitute as needed

Qualifications
• Proficiency in piano and keyboard
• Experience with traditional and contemporary Christian music
• Experience leading a choir

Compensation
• Compensation is salaried and in the range of $8,000 -$10,000 per year, paid monthly, based on experience.
• Two weeks paid vacation is included
• Sick days to be negotiated with Staff Parish Relations Committee
• Not eligible for health insurance or any other benefits
• The Music Director and FUMC North Andover may terminate employment at will, but recognize that 30 days’ notice is preferable

Senior Minister, Full-Time, Interdenominational Protestant Church: East Williston, NY

By sthalum March 2nd, 2022 in Job Postings

Join us as we prepare to meet the challenges of our second century. Established in 1925, the historic Community Church of East Williston is a Mainline, Interdenominational Protestant Church serving the needs of persons from all backgrounds. We have a faithful, hardworking congregational core and seek a Senior Minister who, through Christian love and action, will help us turn those with occasional attendance into members with faithful commitment. The position requires an experienced, ordained Protestant minister with youthful enthusiasm to reestablish CCEW as a “Light in the Community.” We offer a competitive salary and a beautiful manse in a verdant suburb with a highly ranked school district (top 10% in NY), 45 minutes from Manhattan via railroad.

Our ideal candidate:

• Is an ordained minister and graduate of an accredited Protestant Seminary (CCEW will facilitate ordination if necessary)
• Maintains a cheerful and enthusiastic outlook
• Preaches interesting, thoughtful, and provocative sermons relating Scripture to everyday lives.
• Fosters relationships with youth and young families
• Collaborates with lay leadership and church staff to coordinate and conduct the ministries of the church
• Counsels congregants and committees
• Uses social media to further the goals of the church
• Considers high quality and diverse music to be a vital part of worship
• Demonstrates team building and conflict resolution skills
• Visits congregants in need
• Works to expand the influence of the church in the community
• Provides wedding support including rehearsals
• Has experience in pastoral ministry

The Pastoral Search Committee is accepting packages containing (but not limited to) your resume and online samples of your sermons. We’d like to hear about your call to ministry, your beliefs, and style of ministry.

Food Pantry Team Leader, Part-Time, Episcopal: Chelsea, MA

By sthalum February 18th, 2022 in Job Postings

Food Pantry Team Leader
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 201 Washington Ave., Chelsea MA

• Manage volunteers that come for (2) shifts on Fridays at food pantry (greet, check-in via log, confirm vaccination status).
• Make sure that rules re: vaccinations, mask use, etc. are enforced.
• Check-in delivery from Greater Boston Food Bank.
• Manage unloading of truck and sorting food into the correct areas (placing in freezer or refrigerator, unload dry goods onto pantry shelves).
• Lead volunteer teams in packing of food for pantry clients (making sure correct items packed in a timely manner).
• Greet other agencies that arrive with donations (private citizens, other food providers, MSPCA for pet food).
• Manage sorting and distribution of all other donations.

Proof of vaccination required!
English proficiency required, Spanish language proficiency would be a bonus. Experience managing teams required, experience with food highly preferred. (ServSafe certification a plus!)
You will be in and out of a walk-in refrigerator and walk-in freezer. There is some heavy lifting involved. You will need to be able to multi-task effectively and think on your feet.

Schedule: Fridays only, 8-hour day (8-5 with 1 hour for lunch); hourly rate up to $20/hour (independent contractor position, W-9 required)

Communications Specialist, Part-Time, UMC: Livermore, CA

By sthalum February 18th, 2022 in Job Postings

Asbury’s Communications Specialist will create and maintain a consistent and appealing image that tells the story of Asbury United Methodist Church across all communications platforms and offer creative insight and support to church staff.

Asbury United Methodist Church is in the beautiful wine country of Livermore and in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Livermore is home to two National Laboratories: Lawrence Livermore and Sandia. As a result, Asbury has many scientists and engineers in the congregation as well as people in teaching, tech, business, and retired. Asbury is a reconciling congregation and takes its commitment to full inclusion of the LGBTQIA community seriously.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Supports the ministry of Asbury UMC with appropriate publicity, advertising, and promotion within the congregation and community which includes social media (Facebook, Instagram, Patch, etc.), e-newsletters, videos, thumbnails, brochures, postcards, signs, and banners
• Works with church, staff, and web contractor in the refreshing/recreating of our church website
• Maintains website for Asbury UMC
• Maintains Asbury’s brand
• Creates and maintains images for sermon series and worship
• Maintains and effectively facilitates needed internal church communication
• Works and consults with expert volunteers

Qualifications:

• Work or volunteer experience relevant to required duties; graphic design experience preferred
• Positive, proactive attitude
• Detail oriented, highly organized, and capable of multitasking
• Strong written communication skills
• Proficient with technology tools including Microsoft Office Suite, social media, Canva or Photoshop, and drag & drop web builder tools
• Ability to create engaging presentations to all audiences

This position is part-time and has 15 hours allotted on average per week. Pay is $20-$22 an hour based on location and experience. This position can be remote and provides a professional reimbursement account for travel to Livermore, CA. To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and references to kathyl@asburylive.org.