4/25/2024
Youth & College Director – Full-time
Supervisor: Senior Pastor
FUMC Tupelo is seeking an outgoing, dynamic individual with a passion for cultivating and building formative, nurturing relationships with youth. Our historic downtown church provides abundant opportunities and resources for youth ministry based on the Wesleyan theology of love, acceptance, and the extension of God’s grace to all.
SUMMARY
Duties required, but not limited to, planning and implementing programs for FUMC’s youth and college age members with an atmosphere of spiritual formation. Must be a self-starter and goal-oriented worker as it relates to student ministry development and programming. Must continually connect the youth and college ministry to the church body as a whole.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Plan and implement programs, Bible studies, worship times, fellowship events, mission projects and other activities for FUMC’s youth and college age members
- Exhibit a team-oriented, collaborative spirit. Develop and nurture relationships with the FUMC youth and their parents
- Be involved in the life of FUMC through worship leadership and staff participation
- Create an atmosphere of spiritual formation with the youth ministry
- Provide a safe nonjudgmental place for the youth to bring their struggles and questions
- Be a visible presence for youth and college age students by attending community and school events where students are attending and/or participating. Allow this to be a great way to get to know unchurched students in the area
- Recognize conversion is not a moment, but rather an on-going, on-growing process that reflects joy and freedom in Christ
- Support a content and relationship-driven ministry for students, with an eye toward strategic growth planning for the future, rather than merely program and activity-driven ministry
- Establish a workable, regular system of communication with youth, parents and volunteers
- Recruit adult volunteers of all ages to assist in youth ministry
- Lead and recruit volunteer leaders for youth and college activities including Sunday School and mid-week Bible studies for Jr. High and Sr. High (age appropriate for each)
- Cultivate/teach students various age-appropriate ways of personal Bible-reading and spiritual formation, continually demonstrating the importance and relevance of prayer and the scriptures
- Provide students and parents with a variety of guides, aids and devotionals to help individuals find their own authentic ways of faith formation and discipleship
- Lead students in ways that foster mutual support and the gift of community in Christ
- Oversee and guide the Youth Parent Council volunteers
- Provide pastoral care for students
- Actively recruit unchurched youth while maintaining a proportional emphasis on discipleship & nurture
- Attend FUMC Tupelo weekly staff meeting
- Attend the Lee County Youth Pastor monthly meeting
- Work with the Director of Children’s Ministries to ensure a seamless transition for 6th graders into the youth ministries
- Value the various worship styles of FUMC Tupelo
- Exercise discretion and confidentiality
- Follow the employee policies of FUMC Tupelo
DESCRIPTION
The Youth Director is a vitally important part of the ministries of FUMC Tupelo. We are a congregation that believes in welcoming all people as part of our inclusive ethos.
We seek a Youth Director for grades 7-12, as well as students in college or graduate/professional school and their families. The ideal candidate would demonstrate a contagious enthusiasm for Christ and youth with proven gifts of administration, communication (oral and written), leadership, and a deep grounding in United Methodist theology.
The Youth Director will organize and implement ministry to, with and alongside students and volunteers to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. An effective Youth Director would help create and implement a strategic plan to equip and empower youth and adult leaders to companion and form students to live in community with mission as a way of life.
The Youth Director will coordinate retreats, inspire, vision and collaborate with area sister UMC churches and other youth/college spiritual formation opportunities within District 5 church partnerships for youth.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES – None
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
This is a fulltime position. To perform this job successfully and professionally, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty to his or her utmost ability. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE
- Associate degree, theological training preferred, but not required
- Experience with campus and/or youth ministry and a passion for showing young people the love of Christ
- Experience interacting with middle school and high school students
COMPUTER SKILLS
- Knowledge and ability to use MS Office products such as Word and Excel
- Ability to use email and the internet
- Ability and willingness to learn various church software
LANGUAGE SKILLS
- Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions
- Ability to ask and respond to pertinent questions related to job duties
- Ability to communicate effectively and courteously with all persons
- Ability to speak, read, write and understand English
REASONING ABILITY
- Ability to work through problems that arise during daily performance of duties
CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES AND REGISTRATION
- Must possess a valid Mississippi Driver’s License and a Social Security number and card
- Must have no outstanding criminal issues
- Must pass a criminal background check
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation, which does not create undue hardship, will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing this job, the employee will be required to stand (sometimes for extended periods of time), walk, sit, talk hear; use fingers to handle or feel; stoop, kneel; reach with hands and arms; lift up to 15 pounds.
