Minister of City Engagement

Minister of City Engagement 

*or “Director” (as appropriate) hereinafter referred to as “Minister.” Candidates who do not have theological training will be considered for a Director position if they have requisite experience in serving and providing leadership for city ministries. Such candidates would not serve in a general pastoral manner at the church (noted in section A of responsibilities below) but would function in a director role. 

Please read the full job description and the “Introduction to City Engagement at Park Street Church” at parkstreet.org/jobs, and send the requested information listed at the end of the job description to [email protected]. 

Overview  

In partnership with other ministers of the church, the Minister of City Engagement’s first priority will be to disciple Park Street congregants to become like Jesus, who together engage in the mission of God by loving and serving our neighbors in greater Boston. 

The minister will serve in regular pastoral duties of the church (20%). He or she will strengthen our existing ministries including Home at Park Street and Afghan refugee relief and explore development of a ministry to returning citizens (60% of time). These will involve leading by service, training leaders and teams, and prayerfully setting future directions of these ministries. The Minister will also research and develop new pathways for Park Street Church to engage the city (20% of time). He or she will collaborate with other Park Street Church ministries and regional fellowships and small groups, to creatively engage our unreached neighbors in humility and sacrificial service. 

The Minister will live in the city or within close proximity of Boston so that he or she can get to know Boston. The Minister will become a member of Park Street Church within the first year of service. He or she will report to the Minister of Missions and work closely with all ministers and staff in the missions office as well as other church ministries. The Minister will also liaise with other local churches and organizations in engaging the city and educate Park Street Church congregants on the needs and opportunities of the city.  

The Minister will help Park Street Church to learn from, and to partner with, other churches, organizations and individuals responding to the same call to the city of Boston. This will take a great deal of wisdom, courage, and faith to discern how Park Street’s strategic geographic location, together with its spiritual, financial, and professional resources, can be used to serve in accordance with the greater good of God’s mission for the wider Boston community.  The Minister will write a 3–5-page plan for city engagement within the first 90 days of hiring. This should provide: clear direction for research activity or execution to different ministries within city engagement, practical next steps, dependencies, process for monitoring how healthy progress towards vision will be monitored, risks and opportunities. 

Accountability 

The Minister of City Engagement will report directly to the Minister of Missions and will provide updates on all areas of responsibility. 

Responsibilities  

A. General pastoral ministry: the Minister of City Engagement serves alongside our Senior Minister and other ministers in carrying out the full range of pastoral responsibilities in the life of our community, seeking to equip the people of our congregation for work of ministry (Eph 4.12) and to “spend and be spent” for their souls (2 Cor 12.15). Every minister’s primary aim is to labor to “present everyone mature in Christ” (Col 1.28) and to do this through a faithful, stable, loving, Christ-like presence and ministry in our community. As ministers, we are generalists before we are specialists. Specific duties include: 

- Participate in liturgical aspects of worship. 

- Share in the development of vision and ministry direction as a member of the Ministry Leadership Team. 

- Be regularly present on Sundays and throughout the week to welcome newcomers, including participation in and leadership of Newcomers’ Dinners, New Members’ Classes, and regular meeting with newcomers. 

- Be assigned to one or two Regional Fellowships for the purpose of shepherding. 

- Teach in New Members’ classes and Christian Formation classes. 

- Serve on rotation as the minister on call. 

- Offer pastoral counseling and do visitations, weddings, funerals, and other ministerial tasks as needed. 

- Assist in other ways as needed in the overall shepherding of the church. 

B. Strengthen ongoing city engagement ministries through: (i) deepening and building up our ministry with unhoused neighbors, (ii) exploring future options for refugee ministries, (iii) exploring prospects for a returning citizens ministry (former prisoners) in partnership with other churches and with connection to our prison ministry in South Africa.  

C. Research and develop new areas of city engagement related to social justice, mercy, and compassion, in conjunction with Park Street’s existing ministries and in conformity with Park Street Church’s doctrinal beliefs, practices and policies.   

D. Serve on the Missions Committee, provide quarterly updates, and provide leadership and support to City Engagement. 

E. Participate in weekly prayer time with Missions staff. 

F. Disciple and equip volunteers of all backgrounds through education, coaching, and coordination of outreach opportunities.  

G. Provide pastoral and other support for volunteers and coordination across existing Park Street ministries for the communities and individuals in city engagement.  

H. Manage the operational aspects of the City Engagement initiatives in accordance with the Statement of Missions Policy and the Bylaws of Park Street Church.   

I. Keep Park Street Church ministerial staff and lay leadership up to date with current trends and developments in city ministry in Boston, across the nation, and globally.  

Requirements  

It is a requirement for this position that the Minister of City Engagement will signify agreement with Park Street Church’s Covenant of Faith and Confession of Faith and Policy on Marriage and become a member of the church as soon as possible within the first year of service. Also, the Minister will live in the city of Boston or within close proximity to the city.  

Qualifications  

The position of Minister of City Engagement requires a long term commitment to the church. The candidate’s experience and gifts will be employed immediately without a long learning curve. It is expected that the person occupying the position will not require extended personal or educational time away from the position.  

Education:  Given the high-profile context of this position with government, university, and religious partners, the Minister of City Engagement must have at least a Master of Divinity degree. Candidates with a Master of Theology or Master of Urban Ministry degree could be considered for a Director level position.  Additional education, such as a DMin, ThM, ThD, or PhD is desirable but not required. Candidates should have native-like fluency in English (both oral and written).  

Faith  & Theology: The position of Minister of City Engagement requires a person with a strong evangelical faith which the ministerial staff, elders, and Missions Committee of Park Street Church recognize as consistent with the Statement of Faith of Park Street Church and policies of the Church (which they will be required to endorse). The Minister of City Engagement should be comfortable with Reformed theology, which is the historic perspective of the church and the predominant perspective of our staff, but also irenic toward other responsible evangelical viewpoints.  

Experience:  It is desirable that the person in this position will have lived and worked for at least five years in a city. A demonstrated passion for city outreach must be evident. Because Boston is a fast-growing, modern city, prior ministry experience in a similar urban setting is necessary. Experience working in or with government offices is preferred, or academic programs focused on issues of urban poverty, public health, or similar focus. We are especially interested in candidates who have demonstrated success launching and sustaining a healthy urban ministry in a similar-sized metropolitan context.  

Relationship  Management: The candidate must provide evidence of long-term healthy relationships inside and outside the church, with Christians and non-Christians, institutional as well as interpersonal. The candidate must also provide evidence of how he or she has managed difficult relationships.  

Leadership: The candidate will have demonstrated visionary and administrative organizational capability to create new ministries, endeavors, and activities, and will have shown ability to sustain existing ministries with a spirit of continual improvement. The candidate will have a track record of collaborative leadership where activities and programs intersect with other ministries.  

Personal:     The position of Minister of City Engagement requires someone with a well-informed, infectious faith in Christ and who embraces the Great Commission. They should demonstrate being Spirit-filled, devoted to God’s word, and committed to prayer. The candidate should model a loving Christ-centered approach to interpersonal relationships and the pursuit of personal holiness. An approachable and humble spirit must be evident. The position requires a person who can sustain with enthusiasm Park Street Church’s ministry to Boston and who will be able to encourage and elicit the prayer, engagement, counsel, and labor of many volunteers. The Minister of City Engagement, as a member of a team of ministers at Park Street Church, which includes both men and women, must exhibit a team spirit with a readiness and desire to help in any ministry of the church if called upon. 

Compensation: Park Street Church provides for its full-time staff members a competitive salary reflecting the cost of living in the Boston Metropolitan Area. In addition, staff benefits include: a contribution equivalent to 8 percent of salary to a 403(b) retirement plan; an employer cost share of 85 percent for each of the medical insurance expense and deductible amount, dental insurance expense, with the Church paying 100 percent of group disability insurance expense and group life insurance expense. After completing an initial six month review, the candidate will qualify for three weeks of vacation per year, seven personal days each year, for absences associated with personal situations, and twelve paid holidays (New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Monday after Easter, Patriot’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving Day & the next day, and Christmas Day). Unused vacation carries over to the following year; personal days and holidays do not. 

Candidates:  Please send the following to [email protected]:  

1. Curriculum Vitae. 

2. Personal Statement of faith. 

3. Personal Story of faith. 

4. Description of what attracts you to this position.  

5. Description of how one or two other people would talk about your fit for this position.  

6. Your name, current phone number and email address.