Chaplain

The Full-Time Chaplain at Episcopal School of Nashville plays a vital role in fostering spiritual formation, pastoral care, and service leadership within our school community. As the spiritual leader of ESN, the Chaplain will oversee chapel services, religious instruction, and student pastoral care, ensuring Episcopal values remain central to daily school life.

The ideal candidate will have a passion for working with children ages 3-12, an ability to engage young minds in meaningful spiritual discussions, and experience in youth spiritual formation. The chaplain should be warm, engaging, and deeply relational, serving as a spiritual guide for students, faculty, and families alike. The Chaplain will also support faculty in integrating Episcopal values into their classrooms and serve as a resource for spiritual formation among staff

The chaplain will report to the Head of School, serve as a member of the Program Team, and work closely with faculty, staff, and community partners, including Episcopal Churches in the Diocese to enhance the school’s mission.

Why This Role Matters

At ESN, we believe that faith is not just something we practice—it’s something we live. The chaplain will play a crucial role in guiding students toward lives of purpose, service, and compassion while fostering a school culture rooted in Episcopal values.

Through this role, the chaplain will help students and faculty live out the Baptismal Covenant, fostering a culture of dignity, justice, peace, and service in the school community. This is an opportunity to shape the spiritual, pastoral, and service culture of ESN in a deeply impactful way.

Key Responsibilities

Spiritual Leadership & Chapel

• Lead weekly all-school chapel services as well as divisional chapels, ensuring they are engaging, developmentally appropriate, and rooted in Episcopal tradition.
• Organize and lead special liturgical events such as Blessing of the Animals, Lessons & Carols, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Baccalaureate, and Graduation, fostering meaningful spiritual traditions at ESN.
• Plan, coordinate, and lead Episcopal Schools Week celebrations, engaging the entire school community in activities that highlight the values and mission of Episcopal education.
• Ensure that Episcopal traditions and values are at the heart of school life while creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for students of all faith backgrounds.
• Encourage student involvement in chapel leadership, providing opportunities for students to read scripture, offer reflections, and participate in worship planning.
• Through chapel and worship, foster respect, responsibility, creativity, inclusion, critical thinking, and lifelong learning, aligning with the Portrait of an ESN Graduate.

Spiritual Formation & Religious Instruction

• Develop and implement age-appropriate religious education programs for students, integrating Episcopal teachings with broader discussions of faith, ethics, and service.
• Foster spiritual curiosity and engagement among students, helping them explore faith in a way that is interactive, relevant, and age-appropriate.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to students, helping them connect their faith to real-life experiences and develop a deep sense of moral responsibility.
• Collaborate with faculty to integrate spiritual themes into the academic curriculum, reinforcing ESN’s mission through daily learning.

Service Learning & Community Engagement

• Support and collaborate with the Service Learning Coordinator to ensure that service-learning initiatives align with the school’s Episcopal identity and values.
• Facilitate student reflection discussions on service-learning experiences, helping them connect their actions to Episcopal values such as justice, compassion, and human dignity.
• Serve as a pastoral presence in service-learning activities, guiding students as they process the ethical and spiritual significance of their outreach work.
• Work with the Service Learning Coordinator to strengthen partnerships with local nonprofits, churches, and service organizations, ensuring that students gain a deeper understanding of justice and service as faith in action.
• Following each service-learning project, and in collaboration with the Service Learning Coordinator, the Chaplain will facilitate structured reflection sessions, guiding students in discussions on the ethical, spiritual, and personal impact of their work.

Pastoral Care & Student Support

• Serve as an additional student support resource, working alongside the school counselor to provide emotional, ethical, and faith-based guidance to students.
• Complement the school’s social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives, integrating faith-based perspectives on ethical decision-making, conflict resolution, and personal well-being.
• Be a visible and trusted presence in the school community, fostering deep, supportive relationships with students, faculty, and families.
• Offer pastoral care and mentorship, guiding students in spiritual reflection, character development, and moral responsibility.
• Provide spiritual and emotional support for faculty and staff, nurturing a culture of shared mission, resilience, and well-being.
• Assist families in navigating spiritual and ethical questions, offering compassionate guidance during both joyful milestones and challenging moments.

Collaboration & Outreach

• Serve as an integral member of the Program Team, working closely with faculty and administrators to embed ESN’s Episcopal mission and values into all aspects of school life.
• Strengthen partnerships with local Episcopal churches and the Diocese, enhancing ESN’s visibility, community engagement, and support network.
• Support admissions and outreach efforts, effectively communicating ESN’s faith-based mission to prospective families and reinforcing its role as a welcoming, values-driven learning environment.
• Engage with the broader Nashville community, cultivating relationships that contribute to enrollment growth, fundraising opportunities, and meaningful service collaborations.
• Actively participate in school-wide events, ensuring that faith, service, and community engagement remain central to ESN’s culture and traditions.
• Lead Episcopal identity formation for new faculty, providing guidance on the school’s mission and values to help them integrate faith-based principles into their teaching and interactions.

Qualifications

• Ordained Episcopal priest or deacon preferred, but open to lay chaplains or highly qualified candidates from other backgrounds who can actively promote the school’s Episcopal identity.
• Experience in youth spiritual formation, religious education, or chaplaincy, particularly with children ages 3-12.
• Passion for working with young children and the ability to communicate spiritual concepts in a joyful, engaging, and age-appropriate manner.
• Strong public speaking and leadership skills, with experience leading chapel services and religious instruction.
• Deep commitment to inclusivity and interfaith dialogue, ensuring all students feel welcome and valued.
• Ability to collaborate with faculty and staff, integrating faith into all aspects of school life.
• A warm, approachable, and dynamic presence, fostering a spirit of curiosity, kindness, and service.

Position Details & Benefits

• Full-time, 10-month position (summers off).
• Depending on experience and qualifications, salary range is $55,000-$65,000.
• Competitive benefits package, including health and retirement contributions.
• Tuition discount for children of employees.
• Opportunities for professional development, including continuing education and retreats.

Contact Information