UUAC Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator Job Description
Position Title: Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator
Reports to: Minister of Faith Formation
FSLA Status: Non-Exempt (Hourly)
Start Date: Negotiable / Around August 15, 2024
Church: Unitarian Universalist Area Church at First Parish in Sherborn (UUAC) , 11 Washington Street, Sherborn MA 01770
Members: Approx. 275 adult members, 100 children, 130 in attendance on Sundays
Hours: Part-time, 12-14 hours/week, mid-August through mid-June.
Up to 100 additional hours over the year for overnight retreats and trips.
Must be available Sundays, with additional time in office and staff meetings, to be negotiated with the Minister of Faith Formation. Occasional weekend overnight availability required.
Salary Range: Within UUA Recommended Salary Range for a Mid-Sized II Church Commensurate with qualifications, skills, and experience. Approximately $24-27/hour.
Website: www.uuac.org
Contact: Rev. Joanna Lubkin, Minister of Faith Formation and Congregational Life.
UUAC at First Parish in Sherborn is a mid-size congregation located 20 miles west of Boston. We are seeking a part-time Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator. While youth ministry and membership coordinator are distinct roles, we believe there is an exciting opportunity to combine positions to serve different, yet related, needs. This position supports our ministry of community, connection, and engagement within the congregation.
Youth Ministry Coordinator Role:We are a thriving, spiritually alive Unitarian Universalist congregation with a small but engaged youth group. We look forward to welcoming and sharing ministry with someone who will lead our Senior Youth Group (SYG, grades 9-12) with vision, energy, inspiration, spiritual grounding, flexibility, fun, creativity, and compassion. This position involves programmatic/curriculum development, leading weekly youth meetings, planning and leading service-learning opportunities, pastoral care to youth and their families, supervision with SYG volunteer advisors, and coordination of integrated youth programming with the wider congregation.
Membership Coordinator Role:The Membership Coordinator oversees and facilitates the welcome and integration of newcomers into UUAC, including the process of becoming a member. The Membership Coordinator will also work with the ministers to help guide membership retention and engagement by promoting fellowship and leadership opportunities with existing members. This position involves Sunday morning welcome, connecting with new people to learn about their hopes for religious community, creating opportunities with ministers to learn about Unitarian Universalism and UUAC, and supporting new members in the process of becoming members.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must have significant experience in education and/or work with youth, preferably in informal or experiential teaching environments, non-profit sectors, and/or with faith-based groups.
- Must have demonstrated skills in leadership, small group facilitation, communication, and organization.
- Demonstrate commitment to anti-racism/anti-oppression initiatives.
- Able to welcome and engage people in conversation.
- Able to communicate via email, text, and social media clearly and proficiently.
- Must have experience with the practices and principles of Unitarian Universalism.
Essential Functions:
Youth Ministry:
- Develop program goals for the Senior Youth Group (SYG) that follow the mission of the church, align with our Faith Formation program goals, and follow best practices of Unitarian Universalist youth ministry.
- Plan and lead weekly SYG meetings with volunteer youth advisors.
- Envision, plan, and lead service and justice immersion and one-time opportunities for youth, including fundraising efforts.
- Coordinate and work with youth to plan special events such as overnights, field trips, and youth-led worship services, including supporting worship-development and public speaking skills.
- Recruit and support adult volunteer advisors.
- Coordinate communications with parents and youth around meetings and activities.
- Work with the youth to give them better visibility and participation in our church community.
- Serve as a resource for youth, and on occasion, youth group alumni. Establish trust and be available to youth and their families for pastoral care and counseling, as appropriate.
- Develop and maintain effective communication strategies with youth, including social media presence for UUAC’s youth program.
- Facilitate communication between UUAC youth, staff, parents, advisors, and UUAC as a whole.
- Participate in UUAC’s staff meetings, meetings with SYG Advisors, and plan with other local youth groups, as appropriate, to connect our youth to the UU community within and beyond our congregation.
- Work to develop youth leadership through youth participation in leadership of SYG as well as supporting and encouraging participation in regional and national UU programming.
- Work within the budget allocated to the youth program.
- Bring a focus of worship and faith formation to SYG that helps youths grow their connection to our faith.
- Additional duties as needs and opportunities emerge to support high school youth programming at UUAC Sherborn.
Membership:
- Partner with Welcome Team to meet and greet new visitors both in person on Sundays and in response to email/website enquiries. Gather and provide first contact information for new visitors.
- Follow up with new visitors to welcome and provide needed information.
- Maintain database and insure newcomers and members are on communications distribution lists.
- Track membership numbers and flow in UUAC database.
- Create and/or purchase informational and marketing supplies, including but not limited to the new visitor bags (flyers, welcome cards, candy, and diverse UUA publicity materials.)
- Coordinate (advertise, invite, arrange for food, etc.) membership gatherings that develop intercommunity relationships and provide information about Unitarian Universalism and UUAC.
- Coordinate New Member Sundays and New Member Breakfast. Create new member bags, arrange for flowers, and for preparation and serving of the breakfast.
Core Competencies:
Alignment with Mission: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator deeply understands and fully supports the mission, vision, values, and beliefs of UUAC and Unitarian Universalism. They are able to teach and communicate those values and beliefs to others. They articulate a clear grounding in the mission and theory of Unitarian Universalist youth ministry. The Youth Ministry Coordinator must have a strong love and understanding of youth ministry and be able to identify and articulate the tools and environments in which UU youth are best nurtured.
Listening and Learning: As for all ministry positions, the Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator is expected to be a listener and a learner, an empathetic pastoral presence, a spiritual companion, and an individual who empowers others to use their gifts in service to the church and the world. The Youth Ministry Coordinator affirms and calls forth the gifts of youth and provides opportunities for their spiritual growth and leadership development.
Interpersonal Skills: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator is able to demonstrate the ability to lead, especially in group settings. They especially exhibit respect and enthusiasm for work with and relating to young people. They are able to resolve interpersonal conflict, work constructively as part of a staff team, and maintain a spirit of love, humor, and encouragement.
Ability to Work Independently and Collaboratively: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator proactively plans in advance for all youth-related activities, and is able to prepare others so they can perform to the best of their abilities. They are also able to problem-solve, collaborate with others, and ask for help and training when needed.
Relating to Parents and Families: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator supports the rights and roles of parents while ministering to the needs and concerns of youth. They are aware of their limitations with respect to counseling and make appropriate referrals.
Relating and Empowering: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator can have fun with the youth and simultaneously empower them by giving them a voice and calling them to accountability and responsibility. This role calls for someone who can relate comfortably to youth while also clearly communicating boundaries, expectations, and structures.
Exhibiting Appropriate Conduct: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator is aware that they have considerable personal power because of their position. Therefore, they will sustain respectful relationships, avoiding manipulation and other abuses of power. They will maintain appropriate professional boundaries (e.g., physical, sexual, relational, and emotional). They will model healthy and positive behaviors with youth.
Complying with UUAC Policies: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator complies with all applicable UUAC policies, with special attention to sexual misconduct, safety, transportation, parental permission, and medical emergency policies.
Maintaining Confidentiality and Mandated Reporting: The Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator respects confidentiality but also shares confidential information and concerns with the Minister of Faith Formation. By virtue of working with a population under the age of 18, the Youth Ministry Coordinator is a Mandated Reporter, according to MGL, Chapter 119, Section 51A, and is thereby required to report instances of reasonable concern regarding physical or sexual abuse, or neglect of a minor, to the Department of Children and Families of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
To apply for the position of Youth Ministry and Membership Coordinator at the Unitarian Universalist Area Church at First Parish in Sherborn, email Rev. Joanna Lubkin at revjo@uuac.org with a resume and a cover letter. If you don’t meet our qualifications exactly as listed but have relevant life experience, we encourage you to still apply for the position.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: $24.00 - $27.00 per hour
Expected hours: 12 – 14 per week
Benefits:
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
Schedule:
- Evening shift
- Weekends only
Experience:
- Typing: 1 year (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Sherborn, MA 01770 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Sherborn, MA 01770: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person