What are the responsibilities and job description for the Interim Pastor - Bratislava International Church position at Evangelical Lutheran Church in America?
Description:
Agreement term:
Part Time, One year
Anticipated Start Date(s) Include:
October 1, 2026
Agreement Type:
Long-term
Description:
Bratislava International Church (BIC) is a vibrant, diverse, ecumenical congregation rooted in the Lutheran tradition, serving an international and expatriate community in the capital of Slovakia. The interim, part-time pastor (approximately 20 hours per week) serves as spiritual leader, worship planner, preacher, and pastoral presence for the congregation. This role focuses on sustaining the life of the congregation during a period of transition, while providing administrative oversight in collaboration with local leadership. The pastor also builds relationships with local Lutheran partners, offers pastoral support to ELCA personnel in the region, and coordinates intentionally with the Europe Desk during the interim period.
Site Information:
Bratislava is a city of approximately 600,000 people and serves as the capital of Slovakia. The church is centrally located and has an average worship attendance of 50–70 people weekly.
Bratislava International Church (BIC) is an English-speaking, ecumenical Lutheran congregation of approximately 80 participants, with average weekly worship attendance of 50–70, located in the center of Slovakia’s capital city of Bratislava. The congregation is composed primarily of foreign nationals from a wide range of countries, cultures, and Christian traditions, along with some Slovak participants, creating a diverse and globally connected worshiping community. In addition to the part-time interim pastor, staffing includes one part-time cantor, with strong lay leadership involvement. BIC maintains close relationships with the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia, including the General Bishop’s Office, the Lutheran Seminary in Bratislava and the neighboring Staré Mesto congregation. BIC operates within a predominantly culturally conservative context, offering a unique ministry setting that combines international diversity with engagement in the local Slovak religious and social landscape.
Timeline
Experience and Skills:
The ELCA offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, including employer paid health premiums for employees and dependent, life insurance, and a substantial employer contribution to 403b retirement plan (no match required). We also offer additional benefits upon deployment to the country of service.
Physical Effort
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. This position requires sitting for long periods of time. Employee will occasionally need to lift boxes or materials up to 15 pounds. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
A psychological evaluation is required.
Agreement term:
Part Time, One year
Anticipated Start Date(s) Include:
October 1, 2026
Agreement Type:
Long-term
Description:
Bratislava International Church (BIC) is a vibrant, diverse, ecumenical congregation rooted in the Lutheran tradition, serving an international and expatriate community in the capital of Slovakia. The interim, part-time pastor (approximately 20 hours per week) serves as spiritual leader, worship planner, preacher, and pastoral presence for the congregation. This role focuses on sustaining the life of the congregation during a period of transition, while providing administrative oversight in collaboration with local leadership. The pastor also builds relationships with local Lutheran partners, offers pastoral support to ELCA personnel in the region, and coordinates intentionally with the Europe Desk during the interim period.
Site Information:
Bratislava is a city of approximately 600,000 people and serves as the capital of Slovakia. The church is centrally located and has an average worship attendance of 50–70 people weekly.
Bratislava International Church (BIC) is an English-speaking, ecumenical Lutheran congregation of approximately 80 participants, with average weekly worship attendance of 50–70, located in the center of Slovakia’s capital city of Bratislava. The congregation is composed primarily of foreign nationals from a wide range of countries, cultures, and Christian traditions, along with some Slovak participants, creating a diverse and globally connected worshiping community. In addition to the part-time interim pastor, staffing includes one part-time cantor, with strong lay leadership involvement. BIC maintains close relationships with the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia, including the General Bishop’s Office, the Lutheran Seminary in Bratislava and the neighboring Staré Mesto congregation. BIC operates within a predominantly culturally conservative context, offering a unique ministry setting that combines international diversity with engagement in the local Slovak religious and social landscape.
Timeline
- Applications Open: July 2026
- Interviews (online): August 2026
- Onboarding Process: August 2026 - September 2026 (Process begins once ELCA contract is signed)
- ELCA Orientation (virtually): October 2026
- Deploy to Slovakia: Late October 2026
- Serve as interim pastor of Bratislava International Church and provide pastoral care to members.
- Plan, prepare, and lead weekly worship.
- Lead special services (e.g., holidays) and occasional congregational activities such as Bible study.
- Support the congregation during the interim period by maintaining stability, strengthening lay leadership, and helping prepare for future pastoral leadership including congregational assessment and self-study, with special attention to congregational trends.
- Offer pastoral care to ELCA Central Europe Teachers (CET) volunteers, as needed.
- Provide oversight of essential administrative and organizational functions in collaboration with congregational leadership (including finances, facilities, and required reporting).
- Build and sustain working relationships with the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia (ECAV), including the General Bishop’s Office and local congregations, and collaborate in ministry with the neighboring Staré Mesto congregation.
- Interpret the mission and ministry of BIC and its companions to the ELCA through periodic communication (e.g., newsletters, blogs, donor engagement).
Experience and Skills:
- M.Div., required.
- On the ELCA Roster of Ministers of Word and Sacrament, required.
- Cross-cultural sensitivity and personal resiliency
- Experience and/or training with pastoral interim ministry preferred.
- Group leadership skills, including mentoring young adults in spiritual life.
- Strong writing and communication skills.
- Strong organizational and personnel management skills; experience with financial management and project planning.
- Ability to work collaboratively with ELCA staff, local church leadership and nongovernmental organizations
- Computer skills, including MS Word, PowerPoint and e-mail
- English language, required. Willingness to learn Slovak or German helpful.
- Christian faith and a commitment to the mission of the church
- Openness to various expressions of Christian faith and respect for people of other faiths
- Respect for beliefs, values and customs of church and culture where assigned?
- Well-developed inter-personal skills demonstrating understanding and compassion
- Demonstrate ability to carry out the responsibilities and the ability to adapt to different standards and practices
- Ability to work within the framework of a local administration
- Adaptable and flexible - sense of humor - good physical and emotional health
- Live and serve in a way which reflects the vision and expectations of the ELCA
- Long-Term Terms and Conditions
- This position is a one year interim contract.
- This position is supported under the terms of ELCA Service and Justice Expectations and Support for Long-Term Mission Personnel. Those provisions include international transportation, transportation related to work assignment, pensions and major medical coverage, assistance with schooling for children through high school, housing and cash salary which is adjusted according to the goods and services differential for Slovakia.
- Salary is based on years of work experience.
- If candidate is married, both must complete an application for this position for discernment of the appropriate pattern of service of the spouse. In the context of global mission service, the accompanying spouse is seen as a representative of the ELCA and of the receiving church regardless of their actual role. It is important for the ELCA that both members of a couple understand the role of a missionary and are comfortable with that reality.
The ELCA offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, including employer paid health premiums for employees and dependent, life insurance, and a substantial employer contribution to 403b retirement plan (no match required). We also offer additional benefits upon deployment to the country of service.
Physical Effort
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. This position requires sitting for long periods of time. Employee will occasionally need to lift boxes or materials up to 15 pounds. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
A psychological evaluation is required.