Ministry Information Form Query

God has called Hunter to be an open and affirming, Earth Care congregation deeply interested in social justice. Excellence in music is an integral part of our worship experience, with robust congregational singing of hymns and psalms. Members enjoy a strong sense of family within the congregation, despite differences in theological and political inclinations. We are service-oriented both within the congregation and in the wider community. We are among the top givers in our Presbytery to denominational Unified Mission Giving, but our outreach also includes: teaching ESL at a local library, involvement in the Jackson Store (gifts for Appalachian children); Blessings in a Backpack (weekend food supplies for local schoolchildren); and support of God’s Pantry (local food bank). We engage with our community through the Christian-Muslim Dialogue founded by Hunter; a community garden and outdoor labyrinth recently established on our property; and parking for football games (funds raised thereby currently go to Unified Mission). Through our annual Alternative Gift Fair we assist non-profit organizations (e. g., Heifer Project, fair trade merchants, et al.) whose missions harmonize with our own.

When we see a need in the community, we try to find ways to address it. Through B.U.I.L.D. (Building a Unified Interfaith Lexington through Direct action) we join with other congregations in addressing Lexington’s serious challenges such as the opiate crisis and the need for affordable housing. We support The Well and The Nest (assisting and empowering victims of sex trafficking, and children and mothers affected by domestic violence). Many of our members engage in ministry outside of the church. Sometimes it is their advocacy for a project that gets it onto our radar and into our mission budget (this has happened in recent memory with The Well; one of our members serves on its board). Our building is in regular use by many community groups such as AA, Scouts, a home-schooling association, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, neighborhood associations, and others. In March 2019 we opened our building to Nehemiah’s Cry for Development, a non-profit founded and run by members of the Congolese immigrant community to serve members of that community through classes, mentoring sessions, assistance with paperwork, etc.

With membership dwindling as members die or move away, those who remain can be overwhelmed by all the opportunities for service. Our youth members are aging into college, and our birth-to-5th grade group is depleted. We need to find new members—including youth and young adults whose presence will enable Hunter’s future—who share our passion for service and can share the load. The person we call will be a spiritual mentor, inspiring us and leading our efforts to expand our membership, increase our diversity, and grow our Children’s Education mission—but in the meantime, if necessary, lovingly and wisely guiding us in prioritizing our activities and resources in order to gather strength for new activities that will help us attract and nurture new members.

The person we call must have an open mind and a high level of energy and approachability. Their preaching will be theologically knowledgeable and reflective, challenging us all intellectually, and enabling spiritual growth. They should be skilled at sharing the Gospel in a variety of formats both inside and outside the walls of the church, and able to guide us in doing so as well.

Beyond regular preaching, creative worship leading, pastoral care (especially for our aging members) and normal head-of-staff administrative duties, this person will inspire, lead, and facilitate community outreach, enhancing membership growth while balancing the interests of all constituents. Two areas identified as having potential for growth are 1) worship and 2) community use of our building. In worship, in addition to seeking fine preaching and continued excellence in music, we want to explore different styles (e. g., lectio divina, Quaker meeting, Taizé service; inclusion of additional arts such as drama, painting, liturgical dance, etc.); in building use, we would like to attract non-profits and other organizations whose interests align with ours. Many other ideas have been lifted up during the interim process; our new pastor will help us prioritize and initiate the best of them.