Position Opening – 2018-2019 Interim Director of Religious Education
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, NJ
Introduction: The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, a 300+ member congregation in central New Jersey, is seeking a full-time, 11-month, Interim Director of Religious Education (I-DRE) to lead our Lifespan Religious Education (LRE) program during the 2018-2019 church year. The I-DRE will follow the seven-year tenure of our current DRE and will help our congregation understand our LRE program through a fresh perspective. We anticipate re-visioning our LRE program, exploring new LRE structures and approaches, and expanding the congregation’s investment in LRE, all while maintaining an active and meaningful LRE program.
Skills Needed
Our I-DRE must be highly skilled in all aspects of volunteer relations, from recruitment to communication and support to new volunteer development. They must be familiar with UU curricula across the ages and be well-versed in the general aims and values of UU religious education. They must understand shared ministry and seek to learn with, listen to, and grow with volunteers in leadership development and capacity. The I-DRE must be conversant in basic database management, record keeping, and other administrative functions. And the I-DRE must show an obvious sense of joy and enthusiasm when working with young people, support a sense of community-building among our RE families, and be able to convey the importance of the congregation’s LRE program to people of all ages, whether they are related to anyone in the program or not.
Staffing Structure
The I-DRE will be a part of a eight-member staff team, with two additional contract employees, that supports, encourages, and equips each other for success. The Team works across ministry areas whenever possible and proactively communicates about areas of potential collaboration, meaning that all staff must be able to engage across program areas. The I-DRE reports to the Executive Team, which consists of the Minister and Congregation Administrator, and is directly supervised by the Minister. The I-DRE works with a part-time Youth Coordinator, and is responsible for developing and leading the Religious Education Committee, a group of lay leaders who help organize, support, and promote the LRE program.
Responsibilities
– Ensure that our weekly religious education program is vibrant, engaging, and well-staffed with new and existing volunteers, particularly from nursery through middle school.
– Work closely with the Youth Coordinator to ensure that the Youth Group is well-staffed, active, adaptive, and meaningful.
– With lay leaders, plan, support and assess our Coming of Age and Our Whole Lives programs.
– Communicate, through traditional and newer ways, with the congregation and broader community about our program and what makes it important and attractive.
– Develop, with the Minister, an Adult RE Committee to enhance a sense of shared ministry in that area.
– Develop, with the Minister and denominational and/or LREDA leaders, an Interim RE Plan that will foster a new vision of and deeper sense of congregational commitment to our LRE program.
– Attend weekly staff meetings, lead the majority of the Sunday morning “Story for all Ages,” parts of the liturgy, generally be present and welcoming on Sunday mornings, occasionally be a part of the entire Sunday morning liturgy, and be present, when possible, for congregational multi-generational events.
– Coordinate the annual “RE Sunday” service in May, and support the annual “Youth Sunday” service, which is often in April.
– If not already, become a member of the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) and agree to its Code of Professional Practice. The congregation will pay the dues.
Compensation
Compensation is scaled by the Fair Compensation Standards provided by the Unitarian Universalist Association for a congregation of our size in our geo-index (5). Benefits include health insurance, pension contribution, paid sick, vacation, and federal holidays, and professional expenses.
Terms
This position concludes at the end of May, 2019. A search for a permanent DRE is expected to commence in the spring of 2019 and will overlap with
Apply
Please email resume and cover letter to Rev. Bill Neely. Questions are welcome: please contact Rev. Bill Neely at the same email address, or by phone: 609-924-1604, ext. 111.