Associate Pastor/Director of Worship

Our Associate Pastor/Director of Worship and Music position combines leading worship with two other ministry areas, along with general pastoral responsibilities.  As Associate Pastor, you will play a vital role in the day-to-day life and ministry of our church.  As Director of Worship, you will partner with the Head Pastor to lead the worship service, along with arranging for special music during the year.  In addition, we have identified four key areas: Student Ministries, Outreach, Senior Adult Ministries and Communications where we believe dedicated pastoral leadership is especially important. While we recognize that overseeing all four would be too much for one person, we invite candidates to consider which two best align with their gifts, experience, and passions for ministry.

This position is ideal for someone relatively new to full-time ministry, however, being able to lead worship is a requirement. 

Please review the following detailed job description for additional information.

Associate Pastor Job Responsibilities. 

- Fully participate in the life of the church while providing leadership in specific areas and pastoral care for our congregation and community;

- Help lead the implementation of ministry in our church to all the members of this faith community according to particular needs, equipping our members for ministry and modeling faithful Christian ministry, in collaboration with the senior pastor and according to the vision set forth by the council and senior pastor; 

- Participate in the work of the council, various ministry teams and activities of the church, giving leadership when appropriate and needed; 

- Keep your life in harmony with the Word of God, striving in word and deed to be a worthy example in Christian living; 

- Lead with integrity in accord with the Covenant Affirmations, and the Constitution and Bylaws of this congregation; 

- Assist in the leadership of public worship services and in the administration of official church records/ministerial acts as necessary;

- Encourage us to support the mission of the Covenant Church and our regional conference; 

- Model a commitment to personal, professional, and ministerial development and excellence.

Director of Worship and Music Job Responsibilities. 

- In coordination with the Senior Pastor, select, teach, lead, and execute all parts of the praise and worship music for Sunday services, special programs, funerals, events, etc. including communication with the technology staff and other relevant parties. 

- Plan and lead rehearsals or other activities needed prior to the worship service or event. 

- Oversee special music, including selection, compensation, hosting, and any other related activities. 

- Help develop music volunteers.

- Oversee music budget and administrative responsibilities, like licensing for copyrighted music. 

Skills Needed:

Musical ability and experience leading a congregation or musical ensemble.

Good communication skills. 

Experience with a range of musical styles and environments from traditional hymns to contemporary worship. 

The ability to foster healthy group and personal relationships. 

Basic understanding and competence with sound equipment, livestream, and social media. 

Good administrative, time management, and organizational skills. 

Ability to work independently, as well as be an effective member of a team. 

Specialized Areas: We have a number of ministry areas where the associate pastor could step into leadership. Please pick 2 from the next section that you could focus on, in addition to leading worship.  

Student Ministries Job Responsibilities:

- Create a safe and supportive environment for young people to ask questions, explore their faith, meet Jesus, and take the next steps in their faith by organizing educational, creative, social and recreational activities, providing mentorship and guidance, and connecting the students with the entire church family. 

- Engage in outreach to bring young people and their families into the church.

- Develop a youth program that encourages spiritual growth and builds community among the attendees, including regular gatherings and special events. 

- Manage the Student Ministries budget, carry out the administrative duties needed to enact the youth program and coordinate with staff and volunteers to provide a quality youth program.

Skills Needed:

Ability to clearly communicate with youth, parents, church staff and members and the Senior Pastor. 

Ability to secure, train, supervise, organize, and equip volunteers to help with the youth program. 

Good administrative skills, basic understanding of technology and strong interpersonal skills. 

Ability to connect and/or partner with organizations and resources outside the church. 

Ability to think outside the box. 

Wisdom and Humor 

Can work independently, as well as be an effective member of a team. 

Outreach Job Responsibilities:

- Develop, direct, and implement strategies which connect the church with the community by developing relationships with our local organizations and community leaders, developing programs that have as a goal to connect community members with the church and sharing the church’s message in the local community. 

- Be our connection point to the local organizations that we support. 

- In conjunction with the Senior Pastor and Church Council, help develop a strategic plan for church growth. 

- Build relationships with local organizations and community leaders and attend their programs. 

- Oversee an engagement/communications plan that shares the church’s message with the local community. 

Skills Needed:

Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships, communicate the church’s message effectively and inspire others to join in the outreach efforts. 

Experience training, motivating, and leading volunteers to join in outreach and engagement. 

Good administrative and time management skills. 

Awareness of the role social service agencies play in the community, as well as a desire to understand community needs and ways to help. 

Senior Adult Ministries Job Responsibilities:

- Develop a comprehensive ministry program designed to meet the spiritual, social and emotional needs of older adults within the church community by planning activities, advocating for their needs, providing a listening ear, visiting those who are unable to attend church and creating a welcoming environment for them so that they can participate in as many of the church programs as possible. 

- Provide age appropriate programming to seniors in the community or neighborhood to help them find Christ and deepen their relationship with Christ. 

- Advocate for older adults in the church setting and help find ways to meet their needs, including referrals to more appropriate resources than the church. 

Skills Needed:

Basic knowledge of issues that older adults face and willingness to learn more.

Comfortable with and able to spend time with older adults in a variety of environments including nursing homes and hospitals. 

Good interpersonal skills, particularly a good listener. 

Good time management skills along with being adaptable to an older adult’s schedule. 

Good problem-solving skills.

Communications Job Responsibilities:

- Oversee, design, improve and maintain the content of all aspects of the church’s digital presence including the website, live streaming, social media platforms and overall technology infrastructure. 

- Ensures effective communication and engagement within the church community and the local community while providing support to the Senior Pastor and church activities and events. 

- Train and equip volunteers to oversee and operate the use of technology and media as needed.

- Regularly assess the equipment and make proposals for repairs, upgrades, and new equipment to maximize performance and maintain relevancy.

- Manage updates. 

- Oversee the Media and Technology budget. 

- Work with the Senior Pastor to prioritize technology and media needs.

Skills Needed: 

Experience operating a wide range of technology and media in a variety of settings. 

Desire to learn new things, attend training opportunities and educate appropriate staff and volunteers about changes in the field of technology and media. 

Knowledge regarding policies and procedures needed to operate media in a safe and ethical manner. 

Experience in maintaining security and troubleshooting problems. 

Ability to work independently, but also to work effectively as a member of a team. 

Motivation to meet the needs of staff and volunteers in a way that strengthens their job outcomes.