Job Posting – Settled Pastor

ABOUT RUCC:

Redlands United Church of Christ is a healthy, loving, open-and-affirming, progressive congregation that has been serving the Redlands community for nearly 50 years. The church is blessed with:

• A long history of striving for radical inclusion, where all are welcome
• Stable membership numbers, with a unique covenanting process whereby members annually recommit to join and actively participate in the life of the church. We have approximately 130 covenanting members with about 30 children and youth. We typically have in-person worship attendance in the low 100’s with nearly 100 views on the livestream
• Strong, committed lay leadership
• An appreciation for the arts, as demonstrated by the music program and a signature art show nearly as old as the church that draws thousands of visitors each October
• A beautiful campus and building, with a million-dollar expansion completed in 2020
• A strong financial position with no debt and sufficient savings

SUMMARY:

The Pastor of Redlands United Church of Christ is called to be the church’s partner in ministry as the church seeks to live out faithful witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Pastor serves as leader and guide, companion and friend, supporter and resource to strengthen the life and work of the church and its ministry.

• The Pastor is both pastor and teacher, dedicated to preaching and teaching the Word of God and empowering the laity to become disciples to carry out the ministry of the church.
• The Pastor holds as an overarching value a commitment to the education and spiritual growth of the RUCC family, drawing from both Christian tradition and other spiritual sources of wisdom.
• The Pastor upholds professional and ethical standards consistent with their ordination vows and the Ordained Minister’s Code of the United Church of Christ.
• The Pastor cultivates a climate that encourages and nurtures collaborative ministry between staff and laity and is attentive to both interpersonal and organizational ethics.
• The Pastor strives to develop an ethos of teamwork among the staff and lay leadership and creates a collegial work environment appropriate for people working together.
• The Pastor encourages open and honest communication.
• The Pastor is committed to professional and spiritual growth and continued study.
• The Pastor is responsible to the congregation through the Church Board.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. The Pastor is a standing guest of the Church Board and all committees and works with them to help the church envision its general direction and articulate its purpose and mission.
   
   The Pastor is the primary staff advisor to the elected officers, the personnel committee and the seven areas of the church as outlined in the bylaws.  They meet and work collaboratively to set and review such needs as church ministries, outreach, the overall budgeting processes, and long-term planning.  Some area leaders and committees hold meetings on a regular basis, others are ad hoc. Current regular meetings include:
   • Board (3^rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm)
   • Stewards (2^nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm)
2. The Pastor is the primary leader in the planning and implementation of worship services in conjunction with the Worship Area Leader/Committee and the music staff.
3. The Pastor preaches at approximately 40 of the Sunday worship services each year to allow for time off and to provide the congregation with opportunities to hear different voices.  The Pastor arranges for pulpit supply, unless on sabbatical.
4. The Pastor performs weddings, funerals, special services, baptisms and other liturgical rites, including the necessary preparatory counseling. They also work collaboratively with the relevant staff and laity in the scheduling process.
5. The Pastor provides pastoral care to persons in need including hospital calls and bereavement counseling. They communicate with the Shepherd group leaders (small groups within the congregation) and the church about member needs as appropriate.
6. The Pastor provides short-term pastoral counseling and refers to professional providers as appropriate.
7. The Pastor seeks to maximize their effectiveness by delegating much of the programmatic work to other staff and to the laity through committees and task groups.
8. The Pastor helps the personnel committee to identify candidates for vacant staff positions and advises the board on hiring staff.
9. The Pastor is the supervisor of all staff and works closely with the Personnel committee on all matters involving staff.  Supervisory duties include:
   • Orienting new staff members in conjunction with the appropriate area leader and the personnel committee.
   • Leading regular staff meetings or engaging in other appropriate means to communicate directly with the employees about programs and expectations.  Staff meetings are currently held on Thursday afternoons.
   • Reviewing and approving employee timecards, ensuring accuracy and timely submission for payroll processing.
   • Granting reasonable vacation requests as they fit with the program life of the church and the vacation accrual of the staff member, and helping the staff arrange for duty coverage during their absence.
   • Participating in annual performance reviews in conjunction with the personnel committee and the relevant area leader.
   • Documenting any personnel issues and following up to ensure performance improvement.
10. The Pastor works collaboratively with the laity and staff to participate in community, denominational and ecumenical activities. The Pastor is expected to participate in the life and work of the UCC.
11. Other duties as determined mutually by the board and the Pastor.

CONTACT:

For more information or to apply please contact the conference Search & Call Coordinator Virginia Arroyo at arroyo@scncucc.org or 626-798-8082.