Youth Minister & School Chaplain

Position Summary

To lead, administer, maintain, develop, and continuously improve the ministry of St. George’s Episcopal Church to the children, teenagers, and young adults in its community in a manner consistent with the parish’s mission, vision, core values, and theology.

Objective

To identify a creative leader of a ministry that seeks to sustain and enhance our current offerings for infants, young children, and older youths, as well as to develop and execute new program offerings in both church and school settings. 

Relationships

The Youth Minister works under the supervision and direction of the Rector, and is responsible to the Rector under applicable Diocesan and national Church Canons and Rubrics.  

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

1. Implement curriculum for parish Sunday School each Sunday, including production and distribution of activities and lesson plans.
2. Recruit, train, supervise, and assign Sunday School classroom instructors to ensure that each classroom is staffed with sufficiently trained and qualified instructors / catechists.  The Youth Minister will provide classroom instruction with the aid of volunteer instructors.  The Youth Minister is also responsible for determining which age groups should be placed together in light of student attendance and staffing. 
3. Ensure that all instructors, catechists, chaperones, nursery staff, and others in the parish have received appropriate and canonically required child-safety instruction (i.e., Safe Church, Safe Communities), and maintain up-to-date records of those who have been so trained.
4. Recruit, train and supervise staff for the nursery program; organize and manage all nursery responsibilities, including but not limited to supplies and classroom maintenance.
5. Continuously monitor and recommend changes to the Church’s safety practices and standards to ensure the safety of the parish’s children, teenagers, and young adults.
6. Provide weekly reports to the Rector regarding the parish youth ministry, highlighting important projects, events, and dates; anticipating future needs and budgetary requests; planning and developing new goals and programming; and reflecting on parishioner / parent feedback. These reports may be given as part of the parish’s regular weekly staff meeting.
7. Report to the Vestry from time to time, or when requested to do so by the Vestry or Rector. At minimum, these reports should reflect the youth ministry’s future goals and needs, and its current challenges and successes. Unless otherwise specified by the Vestry or Rector, such reports may be given at an in-person meeting of the Vestry, in writing, or through the Vestry’s youth liaison.
8. Maintain active communication with parents and parishioners to inform them of the opportunities, expectations, and further development of the youth program.  Communications should encourage engagement, comity, and volunteerism.
9. In partnership with the Rector, develop and lead Chapel services at St. George’s Episcopal School throughout the academic year.  As the School Chaplain, the Youth Minister works in close collaboration with the school’s Director of Early Childhood, the Director of Lower School, the Director of Middle School, and classroom teachers. Along with these collaborators, the Youth Minister develops curriculum and facilitates a range of Chapel experiences for a variety of age groups.  Currently, the Youth Minister is responsible for the two separate lower school Chapel sessions: (1) 1st-4th grades, (2) 5th-8th grades.
10. Plan, develop, recruit participants and volunteers for, and execute events to engage and build community among the parish’s youth. These events include but are not limited to Vacation Bible School, Kick-off Sunday, seasonal Youth Sundays, the Christmas Pageant, Easter Egg Hunt, and Academic Recognition Sunday.
11. Actively and continuously improve, grow and develop new program offerings for older youth (5th grade to young adults).  These offerings may include programming design to encourage spiritual growth, community building/fellowship, and service to others.  The Youth Minister is also encouraged to explore partnerships with other youth organizations that reflect the mission of St. George’s ministry, including diocesan and other faith-based groups as well as secular organizations.
12. Act as a mentor to older youth (5th grade to young adults), helping them to find opportunities for individual spiritual growth and to discern their role in the Church in young adulthood.

Contact Information