Acting Associate Pastor, Full-time; Congregational Church of Amherst, NH
Acting Associate Pastor: Applications being accepted immediately
Job Description:
The Acting Associate Pastor will be concerned with nurturing the growth of faith and service of people of all ages in our active congregation. Working with the Senior Pastor, they will help facilitate the congregation’s commitment, as declared in our mission statement, of being welcoming to all, transforming lives by grounding everything we do in God’s love, and serving our neighbors near and far in the service of Jesus Christ.
The Acting Associate Pastor will work with the Senior Pastor, staff, and lay leadership of the church in developing, expanding and enriching the parish ministries and spiritual life of the church. They will plan, direct, and coordinate ministry opportunities with the church in the areas of worship, pastoral care, youth ministry, spiritual life, and faith formation.
The Acting Associate Pastor will become a partner and team member of the Congregational Church of Amherst. They will help provide support, counseling, and pastoral care to all members of the church, as a colleague of the Senior Pastor. The Acting Associate Pastor will also actively support the United Church of Christ, the New Hampshire Conference, and the Hillsborough Association.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
*Youth Ministries
*Together with lay leaders motivate, organize, and lead Senior High and Middle High youth meetings, activities, retreats, worship services, and the annual Senior High mission trip.
*Together with lay leaders, organize and lead Confirmation classes, retreats, and service projects.
*Engage and be a spiritual presence in youth programs, in order to build a connection and level of trust with the youth in the church. Help deepen the self-perception of youth as an integral and vital part of the church.
*Provide leadership, spiritual guidance, and administration of youth programs, and assist lay leaders and youth with planning and implementation.
*Provide leadership for and recruit lay leaders within the youth fellowship.
Congregational Life and Pastoral Care:
*Participate in Sunday worship and seasonal worship (Advent Vespers, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday), working with the Senior Pastor to create engaging and meaningful worship services.
*Lead worship and preach at least once a month, at the discretion of the Senior Pastor.
*With the Senior Pastor, share responsibility for conducting all rites and sacraments of the church (communion, baptisms, weddings, funerals).
*Provide pastoral care and support to church members and church friends, and share responsibility for visits on behalf of the church.
*Regularly attend staff meetings, Church Council, Diaconate, and other team meetings as appropriate.
*Inform and engage the congregation in ecumenical activities and missions, and act as a mentor to lay leaders involved in such activities.
*Be open to and engage in other duties, as considered necessary by the Senior Pastor.
Spiritual Life and Education:
*Together with the Senior Pastor, be a leader, advisor and mentor for the congregation. Provide guidance and support to the congregation in finding ways of putting God’s call into action and in living into the purpose of welcoming, transforming, and sending.
*With the Senior Pastor, serve as a pastoral resource to the Christian Education Team and the Church School Coordinator.
*With the Senior Pastor, act as a resource, facilitator, and participant of adult education opportunities and discussion groups.
*Develop lay spiritual leaders, encourage and support lay-led spiritual life and education programs such as discussion groups, mission projects, and other types of small groups.
Reporting Relationship:
The Acting Associate Pastor is hired by the Associate Pastor Search Team, but will be directly responsible to the Senior Pastor. The Acting Associate Pastor will have a lay person advocate from the congregation of his/her own selection. This advocate will provide additional support and advice over and above that provided by the Senior Pastor. The Acting Associate Pastor will be a member of the Pastoral Relations Team (PRT), a support group for both pastors. The PRT will conduct at least four meetings during the year to help foster a healthy covenantal relationship between the clergy and congregation. The PRT will conduct an annual evaluation of the Acting Associate Pastor and make compensation recommendations to the Budget and Finances team for budget development and ultimate congregational considerations.
Total package commensurate with experience up to $68,000 max including all costs of wages, benefits, and housing allowance.
Website: www.ccamherst.org and/or www.facebook.com/ccamherst
Congregational Church of Amherst NH, UCC Mission Statement:
Grounded in God’s Love—Serving Neighbors Near and Far—Welcoming to All
Ministerial Profiles may be mailed to:
Attention Andrea Cyr
11 Church St, Amherst NH 03031