Employment Opportunities

Position Title: Minister of Congregational Care

Purpose of Position: To oversee the pastoral care and spiritual nurture of Unity Church and to support the worship life of Unity Church.
FTE (Percent of Time): 1.0 FTE Salaried / Exempt
Reports to: Senior Minister

Qualifications:

• Ordained clergy, with Master of Divinity or its equivalent in education or related field
• Commitment to liberal religious values
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Experience organizing and managing volunteers and small teams
• Demonstrated ability to plan, prioritize, and manage multiple projects in highly collaborative settings
• Strong articulation of the theology and practice of pastoral care in congregational life

​Principal Responsibilities:

A. Pastoral & Congregational Care

1. Provide pastoral care to members and friends of the congregation, serving as first contact for incoming pastoral services requests, planning and officiating at memorial services, determining on-call system when not available. Meet weekly with the Senior Minister. Update other staff and appropriate lay leaders of pastoral needs and issues.
2. Oversee and coordinate the pastoral care program in collaboration with the lay leaders of the Congregational Care Team that meets monthly meetings with assignments, support, training. Oversee recruitment, training, recognition and succession planning for Care Team.
3. Oversee, and facilitate as needed, support groups and programs for congregants related to pastoral care, such as Grief Groups, Caregivers Support Groups, Families Living with Mental Illness, and other groups pertinent to the pastoral care ministry of the church. This may include continuing existing groups, eliminating those groups which are no longer needed, or creating new groups as new needs arise.
4. Preach on a regular basis according to a schedule established in consultation with the senior minister. The schedule should include taking a key role in services with a particular pastoral focus.
5. Create and oversee an ongoing program of pastoral care, visitation and faith formation for the growing number of elderly members of Unity.
6. Offer classes, training, programs and/or groups in relationship to pastoral care as needs arise.

B. Shared Ministry

1. Participate in the worship life of the church with other worship leaders.
2. Participate in weekly Senior Leadership meetings to practice shared ministry and align work across departments.

 
C. Faith formation

1. Participate in Worship Associates meetings and retreats in support of the worship life of the church.
2. Participate in Wellspring Wednesdays (weekly Adult Faith Formation programming) to present/facilitate programs that will build congregational care capacity.
3. Participate in monthly theme team meetings.

D. Community Outreach

1. Share primary liaison duties to Community Outreach Ministry Teams with other members of the Executive Team, providing direct support and guidance to their activities and collaborating with them on justice work within, among, and beyond the church.
2. Work with all Community Outreach Ministry Teams to embed congregational care in their ongoing activities.

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E. Work Beyond: UUA and Community Partners

1. Track larger trends in Unitarian Universalism and incorporate them into congregational care ministry as appropriate.
2. Provide public ministry with our community partners as opportunities aligned with the ends and the public ministry of the church emerge.
3. Take an active role in service to the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers’ Association. Such activities include but are not limited to attendance at the UUA General Assembly, chapter and national meetings of the Ministers Association, MidAmerica Regional meetings, participation in UUA and UUMA leadership and continuing education.

To Apply
Send cover letter and resume to Rev. Dr. Oscar Sinclair at [email protected].