Hartzell Memorial UMC

Chicago, Illinois 60616

Part Time

Position Overview:

As the Children and Youth Ministry Leader, you play a pivotal role in fostering the growth of children in the congregation and community as Christian disciples. Collaborating with church and community leaders, you will address the needs of children, ensuring that all God's children grow in strength, wisdom, and faith.

Qualifications:

* Spiritual gifts: Servanthood, teaching, exhortation (encouragement), leadership, administration, and shepherding.

* Demonstrated passion for ministry with children and a deep commitment to their faith formation.

* Previous effective ministry leadership experience and evidence of active and growing discipleship.

* Basic knowledge of child development and the importance of providing a safe and nurturing environment for children.

* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work with diverse age groups and delegate responsibilities effectively.

Responsibilities:

* Identify and address the hopes, concerns, and needs of children in the community, fostering ways for the congregation to serve them and their families.

* Lead the children's council (when organized), working closely with clergy and program-related staff to advocate for children's faith development, safety, and discipleship.

* Develop and implement a comprehensive program for children, covering worship, study, fellowship, service experiences, and other faith-guiding activities.

* Lead in creating and annually updating Safe Sanctuaries policies and guidelines, ensuring their integration into the community.

* Regularly communicate with parents, families, and other ministry leaders to create a supportive environment for children to thrive.

* Guide the work of the children's council (if organized) and maintain an overall perspective on a quality, comprehensive ministry.

* Collaborate with other leaders to secure theologically aligned and developmentally appropriate resources and curriculum for ministry with children.

* Foster a healthy and growing personal spiritual life and encourage others to do the same.

* Be accountable to the charge conference through the church council.

* Receive an annual salary of $7,500 for 5-8 hours per week.

Connecting with Others:

* In the Congregation: Pastor, congregation members, children, youth, and church staff.

* In the Community: Neighboring United Methodist churches, children's ministers in other denominations, nonprofit organizations, and civic groups.

* In the United Methodist Connection: District leaders, annual conference leaders, and denominational organizations (UMC.org).

Resources:

* Afterschool Alliance (afterschoolalliance.org) - Support for ensuring that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs

* Baptism: Understanding God's Gift by Edward and Sara Webb Phillips (Upper Room Books, 2014) - A study on baptism for parents and guardians

* The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2016 (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2016)

* Child Care and the Church (www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/child-care-and-the-united-methodist-church-a-policy-statement) -The United Methodist Church's responsibilities in initiating, encouraging, and participating in the highest quality child care

* Children's Defense Fund - childrensdefense.org - Resources to support advocating for the rights of children in the United States

* Children's Fund for Christian Mission(www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/childrens-fund-for-christian-mission) - Ministry that helps children learn about and participate in missions beyond the community

* Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church (www.umcdiscipleship.org/leadership-resources/children)

* District Training Model in Ministry with Children(www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/ministry-with-children-district-leadership-training-model) - Covers the basics of the importance of ministry with children, including developmental, safety, and theological issues

* General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church (UMCMission.org)

* Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation, 2017-2020: Children's Ministries(Cokesbury, 2016)

* Guidelines for Weekday Preschool in United Methodist Churches by Gail Callis, Lynne Paredes, and Melanie C Gordon (www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/guidelines-for-weekday-preschool-ministry-programs-in-united-methodist1) - Basic guidelines for effective weekday preschool ministry

* Including Special Needs Children in the Life of the Church by Elizabeth Christie (www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/including-special-needs-children-in-the-life-of-the-church)

* InfoServ - provides current information about United Methodist resources, programs, and staff services. Email: [email protected]; Website: infoserv.umc.org.

* Pockets Magazine (pockets.upperroom.org), devotional magazine for children

* Retaining Servant Team Members in Children's Ministry by Kelly Duke (www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/retaining-servant-team-members)

* Safe Sanctuaries Policies, Guidelines, and Procedures (www.umcdiscipleship.org/leadership-resources/safe-sanctuaries) - Resources that support the United Methodist commitment to reducing the risk of abuse in the church

* United Methodist Association of Preschools-Florida (umapfl.com) - Information and support for national accreditation for weekday preschool ministry

* United Methodist Committee on Relief (www.umcor.org) - Relief supply kits help provide care for the most vulnerable people during times of crisis.

* United Methodist Endorsed Curriculum - Look for the UMC cross and flame at cokesbury.com

* United Methodist Ministry with Children Resource Blog (ministrywithchildren.com) - Addresses current needs and resources for children's ministry programming

* What Every Child Should Experience: A Guide for Leaders and Teachers in United Methodist Congregations by Melanie C. Gordon (www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/what-every-child-should-experience) - Comprehensive charts that address the cognitive and theological needs of children and the concepts they can understand at different stages of development

Application Deadline:

We aim to fill this position by March 2024. Interested candidates are invited to submit a letter of interest, portfolio examples/lesson videos, and CV to [email protected] by January 25, 2023.

Organization: Hartzell Memorial UMC

Contact: D. Josiah Montgomery

Closing Date: 02/29/2024

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