Job and Church Brief:Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is seeking a creative individual who models faith while engaging youth and families in faith-based programming. The person in this position supports and develops a welcoming and inclusive culture for youth while building lasting relationships and equipping people in the congregation to serve children and youth in a variety of roles. This broad-minded person will help us bridge all ages while developing, communicating and implementing all aspects of ministry to support and encourage relationships and growth for children, youth and families in their faith.

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is a medium sized welcoming congregation in Amery, Wisconsin, a city of three-thousand, forty-five minutes from the Twin Cities. The congregation has a strong relationship with Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, also in Amery, as an important partner and resource in ministry. We are a community that seeks to live faithfully into its mission statement to be “gathered” in God’s Word and be “scattered in love” into God’s world. As an ELCA congregation we embrace the call to service, “God’s Work, Our Hands.” We are a congregation that has long put a priority on children, youth and family ministry. We are seeking new ways of trying to be faithful in a changing world, while building vital relationships in Christ and with each other.

Essential Functions: Fosters, nurtures and develops spiritual growth through reoccurring individual, small and large group settings

Plans, communicates and implements regular opportunities for young people to be in community together as well as offsite events, retreats, camp, Synod Gatherings, etc.

Maintains visible presence in the community while attending youth’s school and life events

Communicates regularly with families and community through variety of means including print, social media, email and verbal

Provide opportunities for young people and families to serve and live out faith in community including regular outreach, monthly mission, mission trips, etc.

Works with congregational leaders to invite, equip, support and manage adults and parents to serve in children, youth and family ministry

Experiments and develops with church leadership, opportunities to engage and increase young people and families in worship

Partners with Sunday School Superintendent in curriculum development, recruiting and training volunteers, and communication with families

Supports and provides resources for faith milestones like Baptism, First Bible, First Communion and Affirmation of Baptism

Oversees and bridges transition from children’s to middle school ministry and from middle school to high school ministry

Collaborate with existing and develop new partnerships in the greater community for the purpose of service and outreach

Create and experiment with opportunities for intentional cross generational relationships within the congregation

Determine, administrate, and manage child protection policies, ministry calendar, budget, registration, database, etc.

Job Description for Children, Youth & Family Program Director Reports to: Pastor | Status: Full-Time | FLSA: Exempt

Directly Supervises: Ministry Volunteers and Participants

Other Responsibilities:

● Participate in weekly one-on-one with pastor

● Facilitate monthly children, youth and family ministry support team

● Participate in continuing education opportunities; network with other children’s and youth ministry directors and leaders

● Be a present and engaged participant in standing church programs and worship services, and other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements:

● Two to four years of related experience

● Bachelor’s Degree

● Embrace the Vision, Mission and Values of Our Savior’s

● Familiar and comfortable with Lutheran (ELCA) theology

● Passion for engaging and nurturing children, teens and families

● Flexibility in hours and scheduling

● Able to move freely in and out of different children and youth ministry settings (classroom, camps, churches, etc.)

● Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, social media apps, and church database

● Have valid driver’s license and is able to drive

● Ability to successfully pass a background check

Core Competencies:

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION: Demonstrates clearly articulated communication in styles appropriate to the situation and audience; establishes good working relationships, builds appropriate rapport and uses diplomacy and tact; uses verbal and nonverbal skills to communicate respect for others; creates an environment that others want to participate in; is timely and transparent in providing information people need to know to do their roles well.

COMPASSION AND CARE: Responds with empathy to the life circumstances of others; demonstrates appropriate and boundaried expressions of care; listens attentively and overcomes personal bias, to genuinely hear the ideas and concerns of others; reads situations quickly and can find common ground to get cooperation with minimal anxiety; communicates a sense of availability, warmth, openness and approachability.

PROGRAM AND VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT: Takes initiative, works hard and knows how to get things done; garners needed resources and project support; anticipates organizational barriers, implements action plans and communicates progress; demonstrates interest, skill and success in building teams; understands and supports the importance of teamwork; achieves results through the efficient, creative and responsible deployment of volunteers.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION / DEVELOPMENT: Encourages the development of programs and ministries that allow the congregation to live out its social witness; invites others into reflection about personal spiritual journey; teaches a variety of spiritual practices to lead others in deepening and developing spirituality; creates teaching and small group environments that promote discipleship; incorporates hospitality, welcome, orientation, and deployment.

SPIRITUAL MATURITY: Shows strong personal depth and spiritual grounding; consistently embodies appropriate behavioral choices in both stressful and nonstressful situations; can comfortably handle risk and effectively cope with change and uncertainty; shifts gears comfortably and isn’t upset when things are up in the air; maintains transparency, keeps confidences and is seen as trustworthy by others.

To Apply:

This is a full-time position. Compensation includes salary, health insurance benefits, and funds for continuing education.

Send your resume and cover letter to Our Savior’s Search Team at OSLCAmery @amerytel.net starting April 27, 2020.