What is the congregation’s or organization’s vision for ministry? Additionally describe how this vision is lived out.
We believe we are created in the image of God and given the gifts of scripture and inspiration to guide us in our journey. We strive to be good stewards of the earth and of its blessings. In accordance with scripture, we actively seek relationships with other human beings and embrace those different from ourselves. We emulate the life of Jesus which shows courage, love, and compassion to others, even those whom society considers outcasts. We seek to create an environment where all people feel welcome and eager to participate in the life of our congregation. As we celebrate our blessings through music, prayer, study, stewardship, and living our lives as Jesus taught, we want to be a beacon of light in our community, sharing with others how God continues to work in our lives.
We are at our best when working together, and seek a leader who can catalyze our time, talents, and interests for the betterment of our community. We wish to provide a place for exploring our spirituality and nurturing our growth. At the same time, we want to provide a place of solace and comfort when needed, and a venue for deepening friendships.
We have both sacred space (the sanctuary) and welcoming space (fellowship hall) for the community. We have grown through the pandemic and have met challenges with technology and outreach. We discovered creativity that we did not know we had. We are encouraged to try new approaches to our shared ministry.
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How do you feel called to reach out to address the emerging needs of your community or constituency?
Employment in our community is high due to the diversity of employers: two universities and a community college, a hospital, wineries, farms, tourism and many small, clean industries. Our aging congregation reflects the demographics of many rural communities today. We pride ourselves in being accepting of those with different religious beliefs, varying political views and those in non-traditional families. Many in our congregation were not raised in the Presbyterian tradition; with seven other churches within walking distance, we need to be relevant to the individual needs of members of the community - whether spiritual or material in nature.
As examples of our programming, we partner with a local thrift shop to provide high-quality, low cost clothing for all ages. We partner with area churches to operate a food pantry, and we participate in the annual CROP Hunger Walk for local and global needs. Our fellowship hall hosts an after-school child-care program, a cooperative preschool, a private meeting area for AA, and Red Cross blood drives. Recent fund-raisers benefit the school backpack program, Heifer International, Habitat for Humanity, and Guatemala mission trips. We aspire to host community-wide discussions in our fellowship hall once it is safe to do so.
We are open to more opportunities to serve in ways that show we care for others by using our unique skills and talents.
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How will this position help you to reach your vision and mission goals?
The person in this position will be a collaborator with us to guide our spiritual growth, to challenge us to think “outside the box,” and to keep us from getting stuck in unproductive patterns. A primary tool will be the delivery of engaging and thought-provoking sermons drawn from various sources of inspiration.
We expect our pastor to have excellent verbal and written communication skills, and be a curious life-long learner who journeys with us on the road to discovery and surprise.
We want our new pastor to build strong relationships with individuals in the congregation, as well as with other local pastors and members of our community. Once these relationships are built, we can think together about better ways to serve.
Lastly, the pastor will provide the glue that binds together the congregation, ensuring that we are all working towards the same goals, infusing all that we do with enthusiasm.
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Provide a description of the characteristics needed by the person who is open to being called to this congregation and or organization.
Through a survey, the congregation prioritized three competencies desired in a new pastor: 1) the ability to deliver a good sermon and worship experience, 2) be strategic in the use of resources, and 3) be able to provide compassionate pastoral care in times of need. Some have suggested that it may be too much to ask a pastor to have excellent verbal, written and listening skills and planning ability, as well as deliver pastoral care. We believe that all three can be found in one individual. Other complementary qualities would be:
- Flexibility: Ability to quickly know when to jump in or out of any given situation. Willingness to work with and facilitate change. Take no offense with other opinions/ideas.
- Collaboration: Many groups are enthusiastic about certain activities. Identifying and facilitating one or two large collaborative efforts would help build stronger relationships within the congregation.
- Spiritual Maturity: Should possess strong in-depth knowledge of the Bible and of the cultural context of writings, should be open to learning from other spiritual leaders, realizing that no one particular interpretation has all the answers to life’s questions.
- Risk Taker: Be willing to “stretch one’s tent” to achieve great things. Confidently share new ideas and challenge existing ones.
- Personal Resilience: Practice self-care for a healthy body, mind and spirit. Share tough life experiences that help others. Encourage people to bounce back from adversity.
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What specific tasks, assignments, and program areas will this person have responsibility?
The pastor will lead Sunday morning worship services and any special services involving religious holidays. The pastor will visit shut-ins and those infirmed or in the hospital. S/he will preside at weddings and funerals and attend church social events when possible. The pastor is welcome to lead, facilitate and/or participate in adult studies.
As prescribed by PC(USA) the pastor serves as moderator for Session and congregational meetings. The pastor will oversee our administrative staff--currently a music director/keyboardist, a part time administrative assistant/webmaster, and an outside custodian. The pastor coordinates with our mission committees, serves as an ad-hoc member of each committee, and is welcome at their meetings.
Our pastor will represent our church in the Trumansburg Area Churches group, be a visible presence in the community, and help facilitate ecumenical programs.
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Optional Links
https://fpcu.info
https://trumansburg-ny.gov
https://www.fingerlakes.com/parks/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvvceuAgE9s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstate_New_York |