Director of Family Ministries

Job Description

Job Description for Director of Family Ministries Reports to: Senior Pastor | Status: Full-Time | FLSA: Exempt Directly Oversees: Children Ministries, Student Ministries, and Families Directly Supervises: Directors of Full-Day and Half-Day Christian Learning Center

Ministry Overview and Church Brief: Dalton First United Methodist Church is seeking an individual who nurtures a rich spiritual life to provide vision and coordination of ministry to children and students (ages 0-18), college-aged young adults (ages 19-26), their families, and a full-day and half-day Christian Learning Center. This person generates new ideas, effectively copes with change and uncertainty, practices integrity and transparent communication, enjoys working hard, has the capacity to build/launch ministries, and makes connections in the congregation to serve families in a variety of roles. In our welcoming and socially-conscious environment, this broad-minded person will help bridge all ages while developing and administering all aspects of ministry to support and encourage relationships and growth for children, students, and families in their faith.

Dalton First United Methodist Church is a storied congregation with a legacy of ministry spanning more than 175 years. The strong and large congregation is located in Dalton, Georgia. Dalton is a vibrant community considered by many as “The Flooring Capital of the World” and “Soccer Town, USA.” As a United Methodist Church,we exist to “Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World” and our philosophy for all ministries is "Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors.” We embrace new wineskins while building on deep foundations of ministry. We seek to share the Gospel and expand God’s Kingdom by bringing grace to the community to which God has called us.

Essential Functions:

• Build on the ministry’s foundation and grow the ministry sustainably.
• Recruit, develop and coach leaders to lead a growing and fruit-filled ministry.
• Imagine, develop and communicate a multi-year programming plan for Family Ministries; assess and evaluate
• success, failures, and relevance of ministry results and adjust accordingly.
• Initiate, build and maintain authentic relationships with children, teens, parents and volunteers
• Design, schedule, organize, and implement 3 family-focused community events each year.
• Lead and attend events, service projects, retreats, and mission trips; work as a team and in partnership with other staff.
• Help parents and guardians inspire curiosity and equip them to be strong spiritual leaders in their home. Empower parents and guardians with resources to be the primary influence of faith formation.
• Foster congregational awareness and involvement with children, students and family ministry through coaching
• and experimenting with intergenerational programming opportunities and worship service involvement.
• Establish an inclusive, safe, and welcoming environments; foster environments for worship, discipleship,
• fellowship, ministry/service, and evangelism.
• Provide targeted, effective and consistent communication and promotion of activities including impact stories to students, parents and congregation via email, monthly newsletter, bulletin boards, church website, social media, etc.
• Experiment, recruit, equip and train teams for mentorship.

Other Responsibilities:

• Create, manage, and continually review all budgets/finances for each ministry.
• Participate in weekly tactical ministry staff meetings.
• Participate in quarterly strategic ministry staff meetings.
• Lead quarterly family engagement committee meetings.
• Routinely meet for one-on-one coaching and ministry review with Senior Pastor.
• Effectively supervise and coach the Directors of the Christian Learning Center. Develop a strategic partnership with the goal of linking the CLC with the Church for maximized ministry effectiveness and fruit. Participate in quarterly
• Christian Learning Center board meetings.
• Participate in continuing education opportunities; network with other children, student, and family ministry directors and leaders.
• Be a life-giving and engaged participant in standing church programs and worship services, and other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• Experience leading family or children’s ministry or a minimum of 3 years relevant experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Embrace the Mission, Vision, Values and Strategy of Dalton First United Methodist Church.
• Familiar and comfortable with Wesleyan Theology
• Passion for engaging and nurturing children, students, and their families.
• Flexibility in hours and scheduling.
• Successfully pass background check and drug screening.

Core Competencies:

Self-starter: Demonstrates drive and work-ethic that fully invests one’s self in the ministry of the church. Mission ownership: Demonstrates understanding and full support of the mission, vision, values and beliefs of the congregation by consistently behaving in a manner congruent with them and supportive of them. Relationship building: Generates sense of approachability; fosters natural connections between others; supports culture of welcoming and connection in life of congregation; creates a spirit of openness that invites those who are spiritually or emotionally troubling to confide in him/her; demonstrates appropriate pastoral care, boundaries, and confidentiality.

Entrepreneurial: Has a track-record of launching and effectively building new ministries.

Process Management: Can visualize the larger picture of where ministry is heading; good at figuring out the key objectives, process(es) and resources necessary to get things done; self-motivated in providing direction and communication in accomplishing achievable goals; knows how to organize people and activities; can simplify and create realistic policy, timeline and infrastructure for repetitive processes, event and programs; decides in a timely manner and takes action keep larger picture in mind while tending to details.

Volunteer Management: Identifies, recruits and engages people in their areas of giftedness, skills and passions for volunteer positions; clearly and comfortably delegates both routine and important tasks and decisions; establishes clear expectations, providing training for each role; provides regular and ongoing feedback, development and appreciation about performance; creates a climate in which people want to do their best; makes each individual feel that their work is important.

Effective Communication: Provides the information congregation, parents and students need to know through storytelling and images. Creates environments people winsomely want to participate in. Uses verbal and nonverbal skills to deliver a message articulately and respectfully in a variety of settings and formats.

Teaching/Spiritual Formation: Demonstrates an understanding of discipleship as journey or process; selects curriculum that is relevant and contributes to a deeper understanding of scripture, theology and spiritual practice; designs effective lesson plans using a variety of learning styles and experiences to maintain interest, build connection to daily life and social justice issues, and promote deeper relationships while developing faith.

To Apply:

This is a full-time position of 40+ hours per week. Compensation includes salary, benefits and support for continuing education. Send your resume and cover letter to Alex Davidson, Chair of the Search Committee, at alexdavidson30@gmail.com.