Position Description

Director of Christian Education

PURPOSE: To guide the congregation toward intentional faith development, through nurturing individual relationships with God, equipping people of all ages to become responsibly involved in the ministry of Christ’s church locally and globally, and engaging in issues of peace, justice, freedom, and human fulfillment.

PERSONAL PROFILE:

We are seeking a person committed to Christ’s work through visionary leadership. We are looking for a person who is flexible, curious, open to diverse ideas, strong in problem solving, communication, and comfortable engaging with people of all ages and places on the journey of faith. The candidate should also have the ability to integrate Christian Education with other programs and ministries.

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE: We are looking for someone with educational, professional, and life skills that will facilitate the development of congregational leaders and all aspects of educational growth. The candidate should have:

• Bachelor’s degree; Master’s preferred

• Strong Biblical foundation

• Familiarity with Presbyterian church polity and Reformed theology

• Professional or lay experience in Christian Education

• Professional or lay experience in youth ministry

• Demonstrated knowledge of teaching methods and learning styles

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Curriculum development and planning

• Engage the CE committee, session, and congregation in ongoing strategic planning and evaluation for educational ministry with all ages, in collaboration with the pastor.

• Support the work of the CE committee in identifying and developing curriculum for Sunday School, youth and young adult ministry, new member classes, confirmation, VBS, retreats, etc.

• Encourage the development of programs and resources that reflect the multicultural community of San Antonio.

• Help educational leadership to be responsive to special learning needs.

Administration and leadership development

• Identify and support the development of gifts for educational leadership throughout the congregation.

• In coordination with the pastor, serve as resource to session committees, with primary responsibility for resourcing the CE committee.

• Coordinate the training of teachers and leaders.

• Guide the development of new educational ministries that are responsive to the needs of the congregation and community.

• Along with the pastor and church leaders, work to integrate the educational ministry with worship, mission, evangelism, and stewardship.

• Manage and acquire resources for Christian Education.

• Through personal relationships, bring new participants into educational programs, especially new or prospective church members and families.

• Along with the pastor, conduct training for new church officers.

• Be an active participant in all aspects of the educational ministry.

Congregational Nurture

• Be responsive to the pastoral care needs of families, along with the pastor, Deacons, and others.

• Develop small groups that meet needs that arise within the community.

Communication:

• Direct the communication within and outside congregation about educational programming.

• Promote the utilization of current technologies (webpages, facebook, etc.) to invite participation in educational experiences.

• Maintain regular communication with staff and leadership, supporting and encouraging all the ministries of UPC.

Connection with the wider community

• Support the educational work of the presbytery and the PC(USA) and connect the congregation with educational opportunities throughout the community.

• Encourage ministries that are appropriate for the current demographics of the immediate neighborhood and broader community.

Working relationships:

The Director of Christian Education is responsible to the Session and the Pastor as Head of staff in the carrying out of the above duties and others as assigned. The DCE shall attend weekly staff meetings and is invited to attend all meeting of the session. On occasions when matters concerning the Christian Education program are addressed, attendance at those meetings is expected. The DCE will work closely with Director of the SoL(Source of Light) center in the area of adult education. The DCE will serve as a resource to the University Presbyterian Children’s Center staff and families in areas of spiritual formation, assisting in the provision of spiritual enrichment for the children.

Evaluation:

Performance reviews will be conducted by the pastor in coordination with the Personnel committee. The session will annually review the DCE compensation package.

Salary Range: $32-38,000

Benefits include health insurance, pension, vacation, and study leave

To apply: Send cover letter, resume with three references to Lenna Baxter, Search Committee Chair

University Presbyterian Church

300 Bushnell

San Antonio, TX 78212

Or email documents to ce@upcsa.org

We will begin reviewing resumes after March 1.