Pastor, Head of Staff - Buffalo, NY

Listed 02-02-2021

Employer

Westminster Presbyterian Church, 724 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14209-2294 | 716-884-9437 | www.wpcbuffalo.org

Location

Buffalo, NY

Start Date

08-01-2021

Type

Full Time

Please check out their MIF # 05347.AF0 for additional information and self-referral details on the Church Leadership Connection. This call would include a housing allowance. 

For over 160 years, Westminster Buffalo has been committed to working for a better city and world. We are guided in our life by the study and reflection of sacred texts, practice of hospitality that welcomes the stranger, service that assists those in need, and a witness to social justice. Comprising a uniquely forward-thinking Presbyterian church and a premier early childhood program, Westminster Buffalo presents myriad opportunities for learning, service, and multi-faith collaboration for anyone regardless of race, socioeconomic status, sexuality, gender identity, citizenship status, age, or religious affiliation. 

Outreach to immigrants and refugees began in 1894, with the establishment of Westminster Community House on the city’s East Side, and continues to this day through: Westminster Economic Development Initiative (WEDI), which offers entrepreneur training, small business development, and education to underserved communities; and ENERGY, a tutoring program for children of refugees. Westminster Early Childhood Programs (WECP) provides care and accredited education for 200 children, infancy through age five. WPC has a strong tradition of supporting social justice and is committed to interfaith dialogue and friendship. We embrace the ideal of love and equity, including celebrating the first public same-gender Presbyterian marriage in New York in 2011, before the 2015 approval by the PC(USA).

Glorifying God through worship, music, and the arts is at the crux of Westminster’s identity and mission. We believe that the worship of God is an act of honoring the source of life and is to be conducted with dignity and respect while reflecting the warmth, creativity, and joy of the God we honor. There are two formal, lectionary-based services each Sunday. Westminster is committed to sacred music of the highest caliber; anthems and hymnody are chosen to lift the hearts of worshippers and reinforce scripture in song.

We seek a pastor who will continue the tradition of excellence in lectionary-based preaching, liturgy, music, and community engagement that was established under the leadership of previous pastors. In particular, we hope to strengthen our mission and outreach programs by supporting the ongoing work of WEDI and Bailey Green. We desire increased volunteer opportunities for all members, but especially for youth, possibly through more small-commitment activities that families could do together. Working with our Associate Pastor for Christian Education and our Director of Youth Ministries, the new pastor should strive for greater diversity in the ages of members with the goal of creating a thriving intergenerational ministry. He or she should seek not only to maintain but to strengthen the educational and fellowship opportunities for adults and youth available at WPC, as well as nurturing the church's relationship with our preschool (WECP). By working with WECP's director, the new pastor will develop mutually beneficial interactions between church and school. Finally, he or she will need to oversee the financial health of the whole Westminster Presbyterian Society, which includes church and preschool. As head of staff, the new pastor will monitor budgeting, fundraising, and the maintaining of our facilities to serve our larger spiritual goals.

The new pastor should exemplify strong and compassionate leadership and have a personality that easily connects with all kinds of people. In the pulpit, this person must continue the Westminster tradition of effective preaching. In all forms of communication, the new pastor should manifest a progressive, inclusive theology that is spiritually inspiring and intellectually challenging. He or she should motivate lay leadership while demonstrating strong organizational and staff management skills. We seek a pastor whose leadership style is collegial and collaborative, not only with lay leaders of the congregation and staff, but also with the Presbytery. Finally, he or she should demonstrate a strong commitment to both pastoral care and Westminster's many outreach programs to the larger community, which we seek to expand.

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