Children, Youth, and Family Minister

 St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church’s Children, Youth, and Family Minister is a joy-filled, Jesus-following, transparent, committed, and curious leader working full-time to serve children and youth, their families, and the volunteer ministers who work with children and youth. The Children, Youth, and Family Minister is highly adaptive, creative, and brings enthusiasm and appropriate care for children and youth.

St. Martin’s is presently experiencing rapid growth with many new families with young children. Our Wonder Church service – an alternative and highly participatory Eucharist services – draws families with a diversity of church backgrounds, who appreciate the engagement and welcome they find at that service. St. Martin’s has steady youth programming and is looking to continue a balance of activities and formation for youth, understanding that they have busy scheduling demands outside of church, and to add more consistency of engagement and participation for older children, middle-school and high-school aged youth.

We are looking for a faithful Christian who can imagine remaining at the parish for 4-6 years to grow continuity in our youth and children’s programming. Seminary education is not required, but fluency with Scripture and Protestant theology is essential, and familiarity with the Episcopal Church is preferred. Demonstrated experience in ministry is important.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Demonstrate love for God and for ministry.
• Seek, develop, and nurture relationships with children, youth, their families, and volunteers; and, in those relationships, pray, open the Bible, and tell the truth.
• Recruit, train, support, and provide direction for volunteer leadership for children, youth, and family ministries.
• Establish and maintain a regular schedule to co-lead Sunday youth formation and Sunday children’s formation (with volunteer leaders), and Wonder Church (with clergy). 
• Consistently attend worship with Wonder Church families and youth.
• Be present for and support Wonder Church families during Wonder Church Breakfast on Sundays, and other Wonder Church fellowship extensions.
• Plan, promote, and attend or lead children and youth programming and events, including regular Sunday evening youth group, and occasional service outings and fellowship retreats; and, participate with youth in diocesan youth retreats and events.
• Remain in consistent communication with families, youth, and children through the Children and Youth bi-weekly e-news and through individual touch points throughout the week in person and via phone and email.
• Maintain, update, and manage the existing Children and Youth rosters ensuring all information is updated and accurate.
• Network with additional children and youth ministers across the diocese, attend networking opportunities hosted at the diocesan level, and participate in continuing education.
• Foster an environment that is safe and nurturing for children and youth, including remaining up-to-date on diocesan-required training and ensuring volunteers complete necessary training.

SPECIFIC DUTIES: Youth

• Plan and lead, in alternating years, the intergenerational mission trip and the youth pilgrimage.
• Continue to advocate for ways youth can grow more involved in the life of the church through volunteering for different ministries and hosting parish events.
• Plan, attend, and implement a confirmation retreat for fall confirmands at the church partnering with clergy. Additionally, attend planned diocesan confirmation services at the Cathedral if there youth are confirmands from St. Martin’s.

SPECIFIC DUTIES: Children

• Plan and lead Vacation Bible School, recruiting volunteer and counselor leadership.
• Create seasonal children’s programming and curriculum for fellowship and formation.
• Facilitate children’s and family activities at parish events, such as the annual parish retreat.
• Oversee and manage the Nursery, supervising the Nursery Lead and additional Nursery Staff.

SPECIFIC DUTIES: Families

• Support families in their spiritual formation together by offering opportunities for whole families to gather on and off the church campus for fellowship, service, and formation; and, by providing resources for navigating church seasons at home (i.e. Advent and Lent family devotions).
• On occasion, work with volunteers to provide parent education opportunities.
• Recruit and support families in their leadership at Wonder Church and ONE St. Martin’s services.

This position is full-time with benefits, including generous health & dental and retirement plans, vacation time and continuing education; salary is commensurate with experience. The position includes work on Sundays, and, occasionally, on Saturdays; your days off will be mutually agreed upon with your supervisor and should include one weekday; the nature of the work is that hours will vary.

To apply - go to https://www.stmartins.org/open-positions

1. Fill out and submit the St. Martin’s Employee Application - where information is redundant with your CV, you may leave it blank or write “see CV.”
2. Submit CV
3. Submit Cover Letter indicating why you are interested and equipped for this position
4. Submit short answer responses (a paragraph suffices) to these three prompts, and name specific examples from your experience:  
5. Longevity is valuable in ministry because…  
6. The energy required for children and youth ministry is…
7. What I tell youth and children about Jesus is…

Please submit as four PDF attachments in one email with subject “CYF Minister - YOUR NAME” to the Rector, The Rev. Monica Mainwaring - [email protected]