Interim (Transitional) Pastor - Barre, VT
Listed: 08-02-2022
Employer: First Presbyterian Church of Barre - 19 Seminary St, Barre, VT 05641 | (646) 558 - 8656 | https://fpcbarre.org/
Location: Barre, VT
Type: Full-time
Download: Job Description - Interim Pastor
Our congregation is seeking to hire a pastor to serve in an interim position (up to full time) for the next 1-2 years. The main focus of this position is to successfully guide the church, following a long period with a beloved former pastor, through a process of reflection and recalibration to be ready to welcome and be led by a new installed pastor.
We will review this Covenant-Contract at least every six months. During this period the Pastor and the congregation will, in covenant with one another and with the help of God, seek to:
● Provide for worship experiences and the practice of ministry with the Church and the community.
● Engage in self-study and goal-setting by reviewing the past and planning for the future in such a way as to strengthen and enhance the mission and unity of the Church.
● Help us prepare to duly call a settled resident pastor.
Our Shared Ministry:
The Pastor agrees to provide pastoral leadership for up to full-time. The Pastor will be responsible to:
Guide the Church in the Five Developmental Tasks of the Mission Study during the Interim Period:
Coming to terms with history
Discovering a new identity
Accepting shifts in power (leadership and structural changes)
Rethinking wider church linkages, and
Committing to new leadership and a new future
Preach and lead the worship life of the church, and officiate at baptisms, communion, weddings and funerals as requested.
Be the Moderator of the Session and Congregation.
Help to provide resources to Christian education programs as mutually agreed upon.
Pastoral care to include visiting the sick and shut-in and counseling members as requested.
Attend and provide resources to meetings of the committees and other groups of the congregation as requested.
Maintain connections to area interfaith groups.
Compensation: The Session agrees to provide the following compensation to the Pastor, based upon level of experience and number of hours worked per week:
Base salary, Social Security offset, Housing allowance: $50,000-$60,000 per year
Study Allowance: $1200 per year
Board of Pensions: as required by PNNE (this includes health insurance)
Study leave: The Session allows and encourages the Pastor to attend seminars, workshops and courses up to two weeks per year.
Paid vacation leave: The Session allows and encourages the Pastor to take vacation one week including Sunday, for each three months of service.
It is expected that candidates will have had interim training, or be willing to attend interim training. Preference will be given to those who have had experience leading churches through periods of transition between pastors.
Applicants must have the following credentials:
Status as an ordained PCUSA Minister of the Word and Sacrament (or honorably retired)
Or ordained minister in a denomination within the “Formula of Agreement” (UCC, ELCA)
Commissioned Ruling Elders in the PCUSA will also be considered
Strong communication skills and ability to guide passionate discussions to reach consensus.
General church management skills relating to finance, preaching, pastoral care, spiritual development, moderating session and other groups as needed.
Computer technology skills are expected.
The First Presbyterian Church of Barre is a warm, welcoming group of people striving to follow Jesus in our actions and words. We are located in a well maintained, century old building with stained glass windows, a beamed sanctuary and a newly refurbished organ. While our membership is only about 100, we are made up of members and friends dedicated to making a difference for those in need in our community and beyond. The building is situated in a small urban area in a largely rural state, known for its liberal politics. Barre has a rich industrial history made up of many generations of immigrants from Europe and Canada. Some of our members are generational, honoring Scottish and Italian heritage. Many others in our church family have relocated to Vermont from other parts of the country. We work closely with area churches of other denominations to advocate and provide for the needs of our neighbors, especially the unhoused. We have active and involved boards of elders and deacons, plus several committees and other small groups who meet regularly. We employ a part time secretary, treasurer, custodian, tech assistant and pianist. We also enjoy the services of an Organist and a Choir Director, both of whom serve in a voluntary capacity. While the pandemic has impacted everyone around the world, our congregation is vibrant and has thrived despite these challenges, providing for a balanced budget to fund our missions.
We respectfully acknowledge that our church sits on unceded ancestral land of the Abenaki people. We strive to be a welcoming and affirming community, open to all people as divine creations. Our church is committed to being a Matthew 25 congregation, focusing on building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism and eradicating systemic poverty.
Our mission statement:
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BARRE IS A PLACE WHERE GOD WORKS TO MAKE DISCIPLES OF JESUS. HERE WE EXPERIENCE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AS WE WALK OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WITH OTHERS. AS DISCIPLES, WE ARE STRENGTHENED BY GOD’S SPIRIT TO LIVE OUT GOD’S LOVE IN WORD AND DEED.
To Apply:
Interested parties should contact Jim Nichols-Fleming (jnicholsfleming@gmail.com), Personnel Committee, FPC Barre.
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