Wedgwood Presbyterian Church

A welcoming Christian community

inviting people to connect across generations

as we nurture each other on our journey of faith.

We are seeking a Director of Christian Education and Outreach to work with us on a half-time basis in our theologically progressive congregation as we follow the Spirit’s leading in an emerging ministry with Spanish speaking children and families in our neighborhood. The focus of the position will be twofold: leading our ongoing ministry with children and youth and developing intentional connections, engagement, and outreach with local schools and community organizations. This person will:

· guide, develop, and implement our programs for children and youth,

· help us build more connections for service in our neighborhood and community,

· will help us learn from both the community organizations and the people we serve.

We will review all applicants who follow the submission instructions below, however, we are particularly interested in candidates with:

· ability to communicate in conversational Spanish and English,

· prior experience guiding, developing and implementing programs for children, youth, and intergenerational groups,

· experience and interest in empowering and supporting our congregation as we seek to understand, connect, and serve our neighbors and community.

This is an exciting time in the life of our church. Through the pandemic, we learned to embrace change more fully, and our ministry has continued evolving since that time. We have always invited children and youth into every aspect of our congregational life, from helping to lead worship to participating in all-ages service projects, and we have been happily surprised with the way this area of ministry has been evolving to serve the wider community.

We are a congregation that seeks to deepen our connections with God and one another. We strive to be a welcoming and safe place for people in the LGBTQIA community and people of all races and cultures. We are committed to increasing the sustainability of our building and grounds and of the world around us through healthy environmental practices.

We seek a person of Christian faith who is comfortable working with and communicating the love of God, Biblical texts and theological ideas in a progressive theological community. Ideally, this person will:

· love children, youth, and their families,

· thrive on imagining, creating, and expanding emerging ministries,

· have experience reaching out to community organizations to learn ways the church can better serve the people in our neighborhood,

· have experience in guiding and teaching children and youth, preferably including developing and implementing lesson plans and activities,

· be skilled at engaging and working with volunteers,

· be able to work independently, to be organized, and to respond flexibly to the needs of the moment,

· and be able to converse easily in Spanish and lead programs with a combination of English and Spanish speakers.

This position is halftime with some fluctuation depending on the activities of the season. It is paid hourly at $25-30 per hour depending on experience. The position accrues both vacation and sick pay. Required weekly work times are Sunday morning for worship and educational activities and one to two weekday evenings for children’s and youth gatherings. Other work hours are flexible.

Skills and Qualifications:

• knowledge of and familiarity with congregational life,
• ability to maintain confidentiality,
• proficient with office and communication technology including Microsoft Office,
• proficient in oral and written communication,
• able to relate to a variety of people,
• and have flexibility, problem-solving skills and a sense of humor.

Three components of the position with examples:

1. Lead our congregation’s current ministries with children and youth.

a. Elementary Fellowship and Youth Group – weekly, usually on Tuesday evenings – dinner, activities, learning time.

b. Teen Feed – monthly on the first Wednesday evening

c. Weekly dinner for children whose parents are in an ESL class hosted at the church.

d. Sunday morning activities for children and youth.

2. Engage the community and the congregation as we seek to serve people for whom English is a second language or who have recently immigrated to the United States.

a. Connect with organizations such as schools and community centers to learn who and how we might better serve in our neighborhood.

3. Broaden the ways we connect the people we serve in the community deeper into the life of our congregation.

a. Work with pastor, session, and ministry team leaders to create more actively bilingual worship services, education events, and fellowship activities.

To apply, send resume and cover letter to wedgpres.jobs@gmail.com or mail to Wedgwood Presbyterian Church, 8008 35^th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115.