Assistant Minister (Children’s Ministry)

Role Purpose

St John’s Darlinghurst is seeking an Assistant Minister (Children’s Ministry) to lead and develop our children’s ministries so that children grow in their own deep and independent love for Jesus, families are supported in their discipleship, joyful and skilled leaders are raised up, and local families are increasingly welcomed into our church and into Christian faith.

We are seeking an experienced children’s minister who is passionate about building from the ground up for a long-term children’s ministry.

About St John’s Darlinghurst

St John’s Darlinghurst is an inner-city Anglican Church in the evangelical and reformed traditions. The parish comprises the suburbs of Darlinghurst, Kings Cross, Potts Point, Woolloomooloo, and Elizabeth Bay. It’s a buzzing, highly social place, where the full spectrum of human experience is lived in close proximity. This provides exciting and unique opportunities for ministry.

Our congregations are a diverse mix of social, economic, age, relationship statuses, and cultural backgrounds. St. John’s has a significant history of and current ministry to to socially and economically marginalised people in the inner city, as well as long-standing support for the ministry of women in the local congregation and beyond. St. John’s has historically been and remains a place of welcome and refuge for people from all kinds of backgrounds and walks of life.

The Opportunity

Perhaps surprisingly, there are a good number of families with children living in the parish of Darlinghurst—and that number is increasing. Our Sunday morning Kids Church involves about 12 children, and we are prayerfully expectant that God will continue to grow that cohort. We teach SRE in the two public primary schools within the Parish: Darlinghurst PS, and Plunkett Street PS in Woolloomooloo. We long to see more children and their families connect with St. John’s, and through us to meet the risen Christ.

The role will be supported by regular meetings with the Rector, and professional development as needed and agreed upon between the Rector and Churchwardens.

This role is open to both women and men.

While the role is open to both ordained and lay applicants, applicants who are ordained Anglicans (or willing to pursue ordination) will be looked upon favourably.

Key Responsibilities

Overall Leadership of Kids Church

• Provide overall leadership of our Sunday children’s ministries, creating environments where kids love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, eager to learn from his word, and to serve him and his church.
• Ensure our children’s ministries are safe, well-organised, faithful and fun.
• With the Rector and staff team, develop a vision for the future of the kids ministry at St John’s, along with systems and structures to prepare us for growth.
• Work with the Rector and other staff to increase the contribution and visibility of children in the worship and wider life of St. John’s.

Leadership Development

• Recruit, pastor, mentor, and train kids ministry volunteers.
• Build healthy ministry teams in which leaders love serving our kids and serving with each other.
• Foster a culture of prayer, joy, and excellence.
• Supporting Families
• Build pastoral relationships with children and their families.
• Encourage and equip parents in their discipleship of their own children.
• Communicate clearly and regularly with families and the wider church to celebrate and integrate the faith of our kids with the wider ministry of St John’s.

Reaching Local Families

• Coordinate and teach SRE at Darlinghurst and Plunkett St. Public Schools, and recruit additional SRE teachers.
• Develop programs and strategies to connect with children and their families in the local area who are not yet members of St. John’s.
• Contributing to the wider life of St John’s
• Be a pastoral and personal presence at both 10.00am and 5.00pm congregations, building pastoral relationships with a range of church members.
• When and as appropriate, contributing to the life of St. John’s by leading services, preaching (open to both women and men), and other opportunities as they arise.
• As able and desired, engage with the ministries of St John’s Community Services.

Who We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate will:

• Have a deep and growing relationship with God, demonstrated through mature Christian character and convictions.
• Be prayerfully dependent on the Holy Spirit and passionate about seeing lives transformed by the gospel.
• Energised by children’s ministry, and loves the local church.
• Enjoys leading others, and delights in helping them grow their joy and capabilities in serving Christ
• Be pastorally warm, joyful, humble, and willing to learn.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

• a theological degree (or be working towards one)
• a commitment to reformed evangelical Christian theology and values
• a proven track-record of growing a children’s ministry from the ground up, including the creativity and initiative to build new ministries and systems
• a demonstrated ability to teach the Bible faithfully, clearly, and practically to children
• experience training and pastoring volunteer ministry teams
• strong interpersonal, organisational, and communication skills
• a heart for evangelism, with skills in teaching the gospel to unchurched children and families
• current Safe Ministry certification and Working With Children Check (or willingness to obtain as a matter of urgency)
• a willingness to undertake additional training as required (e.g., first aid; mental health first aid; deescalation)

To apply, send the Rector of St John’s a cover letter outlining:

• your interest in the role
• your suitability, experience, and qualifications
• a brief outline of your philosophy of children’s ministry (no more than 300 words)
• Include an up-to-date CV, with at least two ministry referees, and a personal referee.

Applications and enquires should be made to the Rector, Richard Glover (********@stjohnsanglican.org.au | 0419 636 ***).

Interviews with suitable applicants  may be undertaken before applications close.

Please be aware that this job ad was placed and authorised only for the sydneyanglicans.net website.

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