Scope of Work

We understand that the old model of if you build it they will come doesn’t work in today’s culture of ministry.  


The Pastor of Faith Formation will use their gifts of leadership, adaptability, and creativity to connect all ages to God and to one another, engaging people of all ages from a variety of faith perspectives to foster their spiritual growth and development and will be empowered to discover their own spiritual gifts.


Our ideal candidate will have leadership skills that will work hand in hand with our Senior Pastor to embody our new model of clergy partnership that will replace the traditional model of senior pastor/associate pastor.  


This will include working with the Senior Pastor, the Directors of Sunday school, the staff, the Ministry of Faith Formation, the Confirmation Leaders, lay volunteers, and other teams. They will adapt their understanding of nurturing faith to a new model of ministry recognizing that new communication avenues may be
needed to reach people.


We encourage all of our staff to bring creativity to their role, to transcend traditional ideas, to create meaningful new ideas and methods to engage the congregation and the community. Their leadership and creativity will extend beyond our walls to be the church in new and powerful ways.

Compensation and Support

Salary Basis & Housing Allowance
We will honor the 2023 Guidelines for the Call and Support of Ministry leadership approved by the ministry leadership team of the Illinois Conference UCC on November 22, 2022. There may be adjustments based on average worship attendance and years of experience. Housing allowance is calculated as 1% per month of mean average for the villages of Downers Grove, Woodridge, Lisle, and Darien.

Benefits

Retirement Annuity: 14% of Salary Basis

Group Life and Disability (through UCC Pension Boards): 1.5% of Salary Basis

Social Security Offset: 7.65% of Salary Basis

Insurance Offerings: Health, Dental, Vision


Other Compensations to be defined in the Call Agreement

  • Mileage Reimbursement (at Federal IRS Rate)

  • Continuing Education

  • Professional Expenses

  • Cell Phone Reimbursement

  • Moving Expenses

Our church will provide four weeks of paid personal time off per year, as well as ten paid sick days and ten paid holidays. A three-month sabbatical is offered after each five years of service, with the expectation of at least one year of service following a sabbatical. We are open to negotiating the compensation package if health, dental, and vision insurance are covered by a spouse or partner.


Pastoral Relations Teams

Each of our clergy has their own Pastoral Relations Team consisting of three to five church members selected by the Pastor and the Council. This Team facilitates an open relationship between the minister and the congregation and provides a framework for mutual understanding and creative conflict resolution. 


What is the expected living situation for your next minister?

Ideally, we feel that living within an approximate 30 minute commute will allow for active involvement with our church community. Living within the community we serve isn’t necessary.


Describe peer and professional supports available for pastors in your association/conference:

We expect our pastors to be involved in local and regional clergy groups and to seek opportunities for continuing growth which we support through reimbursement. Some resources include the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, Downers Grove Ecumenical Clergy Group, and the Fox Valley Association clergy groups, plus standard institutional support through the wider UCC.

Who is God Calling to Minister with Us?

Describe the ministry goals you envision your next Pastor collaborating with the congregation to achieve.

The next Pastor will work to increase the leadership pool for our Sunday School program and expand the depth and breadth of our current Faith Formation programming, working with the congregation, Pastors, Co-Directors, and the Ministry of Faith Formation.


The new pastor will actively work with our Senior Pastor to more fully realize this new model of clergy partnership that will replace the traditional model of senior pastor/associate pastor.


Ideally, our next Pastor will have experience and an interest in social media and will be able to celebrate and expand our Faith Formation Ministry using these tools.


Describe how your vision of the pastor you are now seeking will assist the congregation in making an impact beyond its walls. 

We envision our Pastor of Faith Formation as an active, engaged participant in community events and organizations beyond our walls such as our Community Kitchen food pantry, the Youth Outlook LGBTQ2IA+ Drop-in Center, DuPage PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter), or other opportunities listed in Appendix A. 


We believe that when our clergy meets our community where they are, as they are, the spirit of welcome and love is extended in ways that surpass words. 


Specify language requirements or culturally-specific capacities preferred in a next pastoral leader, and why those matter to the congregation’s sense of calling.

English is the first language for almost all of our congregation; we do not require other languages to be spoken. 

The Marks of Faithful & Effective Authorized Ministry

Based on what you have learned about who your church is, who your church’s neighbor is, and who God is calling the church to become, describe four areas of excellence from The Marks of Faithful & Effective Authorized Ministry that your next minister will display to further equip the congregation’s ministry in these areas.


It is our prayerful hope that our Pastor of Faith Formation will enrich the members of our faith community in building transformational leadership skills by identifying their spiritual gifts, empowering and encouraging  them to utilize these gifts as leaders within our community. The ideal candidate will, much as the model of Jesus, meet people where they are, loving and challenging them to deepen their walk with God.


The individual God is calling to our congregation will empower our Church to respond to God’s call, recognizing that God calls different people in different ways. Our ideal candidate will encourage leadership development of self and others through continuing education and lifelong learning, while also performing necessary and appropriate administrative tasks. The candidate will be faithful to God’s calling, reflective of Christ’s mission, and will be open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit. 


Our Pastor of Faith Formation will exhibit the ability to engage us in sacred stories and traditions by drawing upon their inherent knowledge of the church and its roots. The minister will help our community relate our faith story to their daily lives. 

 

Our pastor will exhibit strong moral character, excellent communication skills, and personal integrity while respecting the dignity of all God’s people. The understanding and the ability to minister to all stages of human development across the life span will be tantamount to their success in strengthening both inter- and intra- personal assets.  


Our Pastor of Faith Formation will participate in theological praxis and will practice theological reflection and engagement as part of one’s sense of pastoral identity. We believe that as a spiritual leader to many, our pastors also need to ensure that their own spiritual life is cultivated and nurtured. We encourage our clergy to take two days off as Sabbath during the week for study and reflection along with time away for theological development recognizing that one cannot give without also being open to receive what God is still speaking to us. 


We will seek to partner with our clergy, encouraging them to continue in their own daily practice of spiritual care. In having that foundation of practice, our Pastor of Faith Formation will integrate theological reflection in teaching, preaching, and ecclesial and community leadership using a variety of theological perspectives. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS    NEXT PAGE