Director of Children, Youth & Family Ministries

St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church

Acton MA

Position: Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries

Hours: Part-time, 20 hours per week to include Sundays, some weekday evening meetings, and other times mutually agreed upon. 

Salary:  Up to $24,000 per year, depending on education and experience, plus 3 weeks paid vacation and $2000 for continuing education.

Start date: As soon as possible. 

Qualifications: A bachelors or masters degree in Christian Education or Ministry with at least one year of teaching experience is preferred, but will consider recent graduates or those with at least 3 years of equivalent training and experience in a church setting. 

In addition, the candidate should: 

• Be in full support of St. Matthew's stance as a reconciling congregation
• Have a passion for working with children, youth, and families in a faith community
• Be self-starter and initiator with excellent follow-through
• Be a skilled leader who is able to manage, train, and guide the Sunday School teachers and volunteers 
• Be team player, willing to work in partnership with the pastor, lay leaders, and/or others as needed
• Be organized, creative and resourceful with a positive outlook and visionary mindset
• Be familiar with and appreciative of the theological traditions of the UMC
• Be flexible and able to adapt to the changing needs of the congregation

Primary responsibility:  To support and guide the children of SMUMC in their faith journey by partnering with parents, staff, and volunteers to plan discipleship growth opportunities that will build relationships with one another and with God.

Other responsibilities may include: 

• Recruit and train teachers and volunteers
• Working with the children’s and youths’ ministry teams to develop a vision and set goals for CYF Ministries
• Choosing an engaging and creative Sunday School curriculum 
• Coordinating the inclusion of children/youth during worship services
• Creating planning and coordinating special events or activities that foster relationships between our younger and older generations, as well as with the congregation as a whole
• Creating, planning, and coordinating seasonal events for the children, youth, and families of SMUMC, occasionally inviting those of the wider community
• Assisting and empowering families and/or individuals impacted by disabilities or challenges of any kind so that they not only feel included and valued, but can also fully participate in the life of the church
• Developing and implementing a strategy to advertise, communicate, and bring awareness to the CYF programs to the St. Matthew’s congregation and the wider community
• Celebrating “life milestones,” such as graduations, confirmations, etc., with students, parents, the congregation, and the wider community
• Bringing awareness of and encouraging participation in District and Conference sponsored opportunities for our youth to participate in events such as Mission of Peace, Taize trips, church camps, inner-city immersions, and others; as well as mission-based endeavors or trips both close to home and destinations involving varying amounts of travel
• Ensuring all children's and youth facilities and spaces are maintained in a neat and orderly fashion and that we are following St. Matthew’s Safe Sanctuary procedures for all children/youth programs
• Overseeing the Nursery Supervisor to ensure that our nursery provides a safe and welcoming place for our youngest members and ensuring that the nursery is appropriately staffed during worship and other church events as needed 
• Preparing the annual budget request for Children and Youth Ministries and supervise expenditures
• Preparing and presenting a brief report on these ministries for the annual church report for Charge Conference
• Participating in continuing education programs related to Christian education and children/youth ministries (continuing education funds are available)

TO APPLY: Send a cover letter, resume, and three letters of recommendation to office@saint-matthews.org with the subject line Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries. One letter of recommendation should be from a former supervisor. 

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Saint Matthew's United Methodist Church is a reconciling congregation that welcomes and supports all people in their faith journey, regardless of age, physical condition, race, gender, sexual orientation, or class. To learn more about St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, please visit our website at www.saint-matthews.org. 

We are a gentle community of people who care about love, spiritual growth, and social justice. We welcome everybody regardless of race, status, sexual identity, or religious background. We hope to help each other discover the Divine in our lives and live in harmony with God’s grace. We are all on a life changing journey walking with God, and we aim to love and support each other along the way. Most of us hold a progressive theology, and all of us believe that every person deserves love and dignity. We don’t care about the size of your donation or what clothes you wear on Sundays (or any other day). We care about your heart and your life. We want to grow in our faith, and love God, ourselves and others more and more, as God has loved us.