Director of Family and Children’s Ministries and Witness

 Missional Overview: A Regular Full-time Exempt ministry position for a person gifted and equipped to direct/lead  educational ministries for all ages as well as guiding Witness Ministries giving attention to  developing and strengthening evangelistic efforts for the sharing of personal and  congregational stories of Christian experience, faith, and service. This person should evidence  Christian maturity and competence in resourcing and equipping the educational ministries of  the church for discipleship and mission (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Accountable to: • Senior Pastor – for day-to-day supervision and direction. • Staff Parish Relations Committee – for annual review and job description changes. Collaborates with: • CIUMC Senior and Associate Pastors • CIUMC Staff- Particularly Office Manager/Finance Officer, Communication Coordinator, and Preschool Director • Education Committee (Team) – for policy formulation, program review, and budgeting. • Ministry Team

 

General Responsibilities: 1. Envision what God’s will for the congregation’s witness is and set goals that are consistent with that vision.

2. Develop programs for evangelistic outreach, setting goals for congregational growth, visitation, and membership care and improve church development.

3. Develop a disciple-making system that welcomes and invites, equips, and sends disciples forth in ministry.

4. Develop ways to incorporate new members into the life of the church at a pace and level that suits their needs, interests, and gifts.

5. Assign sponsorship or fellowship friends to each new member, person, or family.

6. Develop and nurture a ministry for people of all ages, striving to guide, nurture, and support them as they grow as Christian disciples, recognizing how families vary, and offering ministry opportunities for all people to respond to God’s presence in their lives.

7. Build relationships with other local education, church, and community leaders to address the needs of people in the congregation and community.

8. Identify the needs, and address the concerns and conditions of people in the congregation and community so that they may grow in their spiritual lives and become better equipped for life as Christian disciples, grow in their relationship with God, and to respond to that relationship faithfully in the church and the world.

9. Obtain demographic data about the community in which CIUMC serves. Analyze and continually revisit this data to compare how the congregation relates to the people and needs of the community. 10. Identify the members considered inactive or marginal to determine why they are inactive, and coordinate with the ministry team ways to reach out to them.

11. Assess and reassess on a regular basis the strengths and weaknesses of the current ministry efforts.

 

Specific Responsibilities:

1 Develop a plan for an overall witness strategy and system that reaches out to people, welcomes them into the congregation, relates them to God, and equips and empowers them for ministry. This plan should include ways to reach people both within the walls of the church and outside the walls of the church.

2 Build a ministry team committed to the ministry of witness to address the concerns and conditions of people in the congregation and community so that people grow in their spiritual life and live as Christian disciples. This team should be no less than 5 and no more than 12 people, with at least 1 being a youth or young adult. This team should represent a cross section of the congregation.

3 Lead the ministry team:      

     a. guiding the work of the team.      

     b. helping them to work from a biblical and theological foundation.      

     c. creating work space in which Christian faith formation happens.      

     d. planning agendas, presiding at meetings, and representing the ministry of witness in meetings      of the church council and charge conference.

4 Work collaboratively in the areas of nurture, outreach, and witness to plan and implement ministries that help the church fulfill its mission. Assess the congregation’s goals and measure pertaining to witness (paying particular attention to professions of faith), attendance trends, and the ways in which new people are received into the congregation and empowered for ministry.

5 Administer and supervise core programs and events (Sunday School, VBS, etc.)

6 Recruit and Train volunteers     

      a. Sunday School: recruit, train, schedule, and resource/equip teachers/helpers for Sunday School      classes, Kindergarten through adult levels with emphasis on K-12.      

     b. Assist Child Care Supervisor(s) to recruit, train, and schedule childcare providers.      

     c. Vacation Bible School - recruit, train, and resource/equip VBS director(s) and assist in      teacher/helper recruitment for VBS.      

     d. Worship Release Time (Praise Time: 4 yrs. to 2nd Grade): recruit, train, and resource/equip      volunteers for worship release activities.      

     e. Maintain and make available a roster of qualified substitutes to replace regular teachers who      must be absent.      

     f. Maintain a resource bank of teachers and topics for use by adult Sunday School classes.

7 Conduct and implement Safe Sanctuaries training with all teachers, leaders, care providers, and volunteers      

     a. Ensure that all new employees with any child/youth contact have appropriate      background/police check of records.      

     b. Ensure that there be no situations involving volunteers and/or employees that would place any      child/youth in a compromising or at-risk situation.

8 Select and order Curriculum material/class resources      

     a. Research available curricula for children and youth for Sunday School, VBS, and  other studies      and recommend curricula to be adopted to the Education Committee.      

     b. Resource curricula for adult Sunday School classes.      

     c. Write monthly newsletter articles to keep congregation informed of outreach events.

9 Program Seasonal and Outreach activities in collaboration with the Education Committee      

     a. Plan special and/or seasonal events for congregants (e.g., game nights, movie nights, Breakfast      with Jesus and Santa, Trunk-or-Treat, Back-to-School parties, Fall Cookout, Chili Cook-Off, Easter      Egg Hunt, etc.).     

      b. Work with Winchester Village Elementary School to help meet resource needs of students and      staff.

 

Administrative duties:

1 Participate in staff meetings, seasonal planning meetings, and Sunday worship; and work collegially for the spiritual health of the entire congregation.

2 Maintain and report all rosters and records of Sunday School classes and weekly attendance.

3 Maintain and report all rosters and records of special studies, ongoing Bible studies, and small groups within the congregation.

4 Create and administer necessary budgets, ordering supplies and resources in collaboration with the Education Committee and Office Manager/Finance Officer.

5 Manage and maintain the Christian Education equipment, including audio/visual equipment in collaboration with Facilities Maintenance Staff and Media Technician.

6 Assist Senior Pastor with annual reporting to the UMC Conference attendance for the year in the areas of faith building and Christian discipleship.

7 Continuing education- attend appropriate/relevant workshops and/or conventions necessary to maintain knowledge of current trends in Christian education.

 

Work Conditions:

1. Regular Full Time, exempt employee generally working a minimum of 30-40 hours per week. Hours assigned shall be established at the Senior Pastor’s discretion. Occasionally subject to irregular hours. 2. Ability to drive and have access to a car; maintain current driver’s license and auto liability insurance.

3. Light physical demands of lifting, bending, kneeling, etc.

4. Responsibilities may not be done with equal emphasis. The Senior Pastor and Director of Family and Children’s Ministries and Witness will collaborate as needed to determine responsibility priorities.

 

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s Degree required; Master of Arts in Ministry, or equivalent degree preferred.

2. Five or more years of experience in a leadership role in Children and/or Family Ministries preferred. 3. Have a vibrant and growing commitment to Jesus Christ and an ability to communicate that faith effectively to others.

4. Have experience and a passion for reaching new people and establishing relationships that lead people in the process of ongoing discipleship and spiritual formation within themselves and the church family.

5. Exhibit a passion for ministry with children and families, and the role the congregation can play in the development of both.

6. Be knowledgeable and supportive of the United Methodist Church and its theological tradition and polity.

7. Have an inclusive theology, and be welcoming of all family types.

8. Exhibit strong organizational, management, and leadership skills.

9. Communicate effectively with individuals as well as with large groups of all ages.

10. Work well with and in teams.

11. Demonstrate familiarity with social media platforms to enhance ministry.

12. Thrive in the ever-changing needs and environment of a growing and vibrant medium to large congregation.

Please send a completed application and resume' to  mail@cumc-indy.net