Director of Children and Youth Ministries

Purpose: The spiritual and emotional development of children and youth is a core value of First Presbyterian Church (FPC)of Fort Thomas. This position provides vital leadership in planning and implementing the Children and Youth Ministries of FPC as we guide the spiritual formation of children and youth in our church and in our larger community.

Accountability: Accountable to the Senior Pastor, Personnel Committee, and the Session as a whole. Evaluations will be conducted by the Head of Staff and the Personnel committee and a representative from the Christian Education at least once a year.

Hours: 20 hours per week

Vacation: 2 weeks of vacation per year. This may include 2 Sundays.

Responsibilities:

  A: Children’s Ministry:

1. Support and serve as a resource to the Christian Education Committee in coordinating and unifying the children/youth activities of the church into an integrated and effective ministry.
2. Maintain current list of children in the church and their ages (and participant children whose families may not be members)
3. Supervise Nursery Care and serve as an initial point of contact for scheduling of childcare needs.
4. Suggest, evaluate, plan, develop, purchase, and oversee implementation of curricula for children (birth-5th grade), youth (6th-12th grade).
5. Oversee Vacation Bible School or similar summer educational opportunities: recommend curriculum, recruit and support leadership, assist with logistics.
6. Organize landmark moments in child’s faith journey: birth, baptism (gift), 4yr old Bible, 2nd grade Communion class, 3rd Grade bible, Confirmation
7. Support children’s worship experiences
8. Schedule children’s sermons in coordination with the pastor.
9. Plan and coordinate meaningful participation of children in worship services, particularly at Christmas and Easter.
10. Coordinate the Children’s choir. (do not have to direct, but may)
11. Provide information to the congregation and the community, such as Presbytery Summer Camp. Participate in Presbytery further ministry education as applicable.

B. Youth Ministry: 

1. Create and Lead a Youth Group (Middle School and High School). 

• Connect youth to adult mentors
• Collaborate with other churches to develop ecumenical youth activities and programs.  
• Lead and direct youth group meetings and activities (typically weekly). It is expected that some of the youth group activities will be conducted in settings other than the church and may include outreach activities designed to involve the wider community in addition to youth from FPC and other churches.  
• Use a variety of methods to communicate effectively with the youth (social media…)
• Develop methods to form supportive and encouraging relationships with the youth.
• Encourage the development of a missional perspective in the participants in the program.

1. Other youth activities

• Organize and supervise fund-raising activities as needed.
• Coordinate retreats, camps, mission projects, and other special events for youth.
• Coordinate intergenerational activities with youth and parents, and support programming and fellowship for parents with teenagers
• Coordinate and equip youth for participation in worship as liturgists, readers, etc.
• Coordinate Youth Sunday worship services (typically 1 per year).

C. Provide opportunities for shared responsibility through developing other leaders: 

1.  Empower and mentor other individuals to contribute leadership to different aspects of the Christian education and youth programs.

• Recruit and train teachers, facilitators, and other leaders for children ministry/Sunday School.
• Recruit, train and equip youth advisers to assist with Youth Group meetings and activities.
• Oversee and advise volunteers and paid youth intern(s) or youth assistants, as required. 

1. Model the characteristics of collaborative leadership. 

D. Other responsibilities:

    1.  Attend regular staff meetings; be at the church during the Sunday School hour and 

          attend Sunday service. 

2.  Hold regular office hours (flexible, but set with Head of Staff)

    3.  Serve as the staff liaison to the Christian Education Committee. 

4.  Serve as the staff liaison to Wise Owl Preschool

5.  Coordinate curriculum and instructors for the Confirmation Class 

(typically every other year)