UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST SUMMARY CHURCH PROFILE Trinity Congregational Church Gloucester, Massachusetts Minister Northeast Conference, UCC October 22, 2018 God is able to provide you with every blessing, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
POSITION POSTING LISTING INFORMATION SCOPE OF WORK COMPENSATION & SUPPORT WHO IS GOD CALLING TO MINISTER WITH US? LISTING INFORMATION Church name: Trinity Congregational Church Street address: 70 Middle Street, Gloucester, MA 01930 Supplemental web links: www.trinitycongregational.org Additional ecumenical affiliations (e.g. denominations, communions, fellowships): Grace Center, Interfaith Commission, Clergy Support Group Conference: UCC Association: UCC Conference or Association Staff Contact Person (Name, Title, Phone, Email): Wendy VanDerHart, Conference Co-Ordinator, 781-369-1396, VanderhartW@macucc.org Summary Ministry Description: In a short paragraph, reflect on where your church is going and what it might look like when you get there. What do you need to get there? Who are you seeking to join you on this part of your church s faith journey? Trinity Congregational Church of Gloucester, MA seeks a new minister to help us grow. With its roots going back to the First Parish of 1633, Trinity has a long tradition of reaching out to our fellows and helping those in need. Trinity Church is an institution whose history is part of the very fabric of Gloucester, America s Oldest Seaport, a town whose rich tradition of diversity and tolerance encompasses residents from all walks of life, from artists and writers, fishermen and Gloucester, Trinity Congregational Church October 2018 PAGE 1
financiers, to carpenters and shopkeepers, teachers, actors, restaurateurs and entrepreneurs. The natural beauty of Gloucester s seacoast, salt marshes and beaches, and the rugged grandeur of her granite outcroppings stand in mute contrast to the tragic human loss of over 12,000 of our fishermen across the span of 400 years: we in Gloucester understand both the beauty of God s creation and the meaning of sacrifice, compassion, and community. Our current Congregation is composed primarily of older members, and therefore we are looking for a new minister to help us grow in size and spirit through an infusion of younger members. We want to continue to grow as servants of God and to bring others especially those in younger generations with us on our mission to give back to our community through worship and service to others. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity further, we cordially invite you to apply for the position of Pastor of Trinity Congregational Photographs: Insert 1 3 images of your church, its people, its parsonage or building or gathering space, etc. Gloucester, Trinity Congregational Church October 2018 PAGE 2
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What we value about living in our area (2 3 sentences): We live on Cape Ann, a place where people come from all over the world to vacation. The ocean is the dominant influence for all that we do. Our weather is tempered by the ocean, our lives are touched daily by the interaction between the land and the sea. We are a diverse community. We are a caring community. It is a small city with a village feeling. Current size of membership: 75 people, represented by 59 families, 14 children. The membership is made up of people who are either members, attend regularly, or contribute with time and/or money. Languages used in ministry (other than English): English is the language used in the ministry. Position Title: Settled a called position intended for longer-term ministry in which the minister moves church membership to the congregation and moves standing to related association. Position Duration (choose one, delete the other options listed): Settled Settled a called position intended for longer-term ministry in which the minister moves church membership to the congregation and moves standing to related association Gloucester, Trinity Congregational Church October 2018 PAGE 4
Compensation Level (choose one, delete the other options listed): We would like a full-time minister for our church. We are willing to consider a part-time minister. Does the total support package meet conference compensation guidelines? Yes, as of the data the conference has given us dated 2015. SCOPE OF WORK (add here the Scope of Work developed by your church using the Call Agreement Workbook) Core Competencies: (List three core competencies that you imagine could be foundational in your next minister s relationship with the church. For example, a church seeking a pastoral care minister might hope to call someone who is caring, sensitive and sociable, while a church seeking an executive minister might want an organized, detail-oriented and time-conscious person.) Someone who connects with people, is imaginative and caring, a positive engaging sociable leader. COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT Salary Basis (from the Call Agreement Workbook, equal to Cash Salary plus Value of Parsonage/Housing Allowance): $ Benefits (choose one): Salary plus Benefits Pastor Compensation Worksheet 2018 Trinity Congregational Church Base Salary $58,000.00 Based on Full Time, Mid-Level for under 75 members (middle of range) with Housing Allowance SECA Allowance $4,437.00 7.65% of Base Pension Contribution Pension Contribution $8,120.00 14% of Base Life-Disability Insurance $870.00 1.5% of Base Health Insurance $16,000.00 Based on Plan B Age 40 Married with Children Total Annual $87,427.00 Professional Expenses $1,000 Education Expenses $500 Gloucester, Trinity Congregational Church October 2018 PAGE 5
What is the expected living situation for your next minister (e.g. parsonage, living nearby with a housing allowance, living elsewhere to commute as needed)? Living nearby with a housing allowance. Comment on the residential/commuting expectations for your next minister. Living in the Cape Ann area. State any incentives (e.g. school debt reduction or retention bonus after a certain number of years in position): Sabbatical after five (5) years. Describe peer and professional supports available for ministers in your association/conference: Interfaith clergy meet regularly in Gloucester. Area minister from the UCC conference, Wendy VanderHart. There is a supply ministry list that is used when the minister is away. Pastor Parish Committee s role within the church is to support the minister and review any issues that come up. This Committee is for open communications. If applicable, describe how your church will adopt part-time adjustments in the pastoral schedule to support a minister s bi-vocational employment: Not applicable WHO IS GOD CALLING TO MINISTER WITH US? Describe the ministry goals you envision your next minister co-collaborating with the congregation to achieve. We want to be the church that people want to come to be it for hearing the Word, helping the community, gathering families together or enriching our faith journey. We have the community outreach which takes energy and time, we need to build our faith community. We want to broaden our music ministry. We want to replenish the drive to do God s work. We want a minister who is a shepherd of the flock and who is present and available to the congregation. We want someone to recognize our needs and our strengths. We want a compassionate, caring individual who has a true love of God and can be a conduit of this love to the church family. Gloucester, Trinity Congregational Church October 2018 PAGE 6
Describe how your vision of the minister you are now seeking will assist the congregation in making an impact beyond its walls. We want someone to help our youth feel empowered to reach out to build their own community of peers to grow a youth group that supports its members. We need help with strengthening the music ministry of this church using different ways to incorporate all styles of music into the services, events and life of the church. We want someone who understands how to tap different resources to help us on our way. We have an active outreach to clothe, house, and feed those in need. What we need is to be reminded why we do these works. Specify language requirements or culturally-specific capacities preferred in a next ministerial leader, and why those matter to the congregation s sense of calling. The language requirements are English. We are using The Message as our scripture readings. This shift to current language style is also needed in our music ministry to help the younger generation relate to the music of the church. 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. Our next minister should further equip our congregation s ministry if the following strengths of character as listed from The Marks of Faithful & Effective Authorized Ministry were embodied by the person in question. CARING FOR ALL CREATION: Demonstrating excellent communication skills, including being a good listener. Providing hope and healing to a hurting world. Respecting the dignity of all God s people. ENGAGING SACRED STORIES AND TRADITIONS: Bringing life to sacred stories and traditions in worship proclamation, and witness. Leading faith formation effectively across generations. Bringing the sermon home. WORKING TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE AND MERCY: Engaging in mission and outreach. BUILDING TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS: Empowering the Church to be faithful to God s call, reflective of Christ s mission and open to the surprises of the Holy Spirit. Gloucester, Trinity Congregational Church October 2018 PAGE 7