Thanks for your interest! We hope you enjoy learning more about Central Presbyterian Church. Seek the welfare of the city and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:7 Central Presbyterian Church is a diverse and inclusive congregation in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas. We re seeking a Pastor to serve as Head of Staff and lead us in continuing to follow Christ as we nurture discipleship. Central has a tradition of leadership in Austin. We want to call a Pastor who will help us discern the next challenge that God has for us. Central Presbyterian Church at a glance Membership Children s Christian Education Adult Education Youth Group Approximately 380 members with 172 average attendance in worship 56 active in Sunday School with other regular activities such as children s choir and service projects Two Sunday classes with additional classes other times of the week 12 active on Sundays after church The Central Mission Serving a full house (75) of our homeless neighbors each Thursday morning Building Use Every weekday with a variety of service organizations Lay Leadership 15 elders serving on Session, 15 deacons, and 3 trustees; 9 mission teams led by elders and staffed by volunteers We worship joyfully at 11:00 on Sunday mornings. Ours is a singing congregation blessed with leadership of an outstanding choir. Our progressive congregation is known for its inclusive, welcoming, and friendly spirit.
Who We Are Central has been seeking the welfare of Austin and praying to the Lord on its behalf for 177 years. Our location a few blocks from the Texas Capitol, the seat of power, in one direction, and Front Steps, the Austin Regional Center for the Homeless, in the other direction, provides us with many opportunities to serve our community. Our commitment to diversity is a vital aspect of our vision for ministry. In the 1990s, Central committed to supporting the ordination of LGBTQ Presbyterians to serve as ministers, elders, and deacons. Many longtime members who disagreed with this commitment left Central. The transition was painful, but the conviction regarding being called to help lead this change strengthened our congregation. The majority of new members say they first came to CPC because of our message of diversity and our reputation for being an inclusive, welcoming church. Many of our most recent new members have been young adults with small children. One of our major strengths is being welcoming and friendly, but we still have work to do to assimilate new members into the life of the church. We want to provide more opportunities for connection. Both new and long-time members have expressed a strong interest in creating opportunities for fellowship other than on Sunday and in developing a network of small groups. Our members come from throughout the Austin-metropolitan area, although some members live downtown, we re not a neighborhood church. So our challenges include a lack of parking and Austin s traffic congestion. As we continue to welcome new members from across the city, we d like to have an increased focus on attracting even more people from the downtown community to worship at Central. We enjoy a traditional style and order of worship, but are open to including new forms such as drama, liturgical dance, and visual arts. Our music program is an especially beloved part of our church life, and we look forward to calling a pastor who values the role of music in our spiritual lives. Palm Sunday Procession
What We re Doing Now Here are a few examples of Central s current commitments. Children and youth Our youth and children s programs create an environment in which children and youth are nurtured in their faith and discover their spiritual gifts. We support our youth group for the mission trip they undertake each June, as well as the Presbyterian Youth Triennium. Our youth come from diverse backgrounds, and this year s Youth Sunday service was especially moving as several of them spoke candidly and movingly about their faith and their families. Children's Sermon Mission We allocate at least 10 percent of pledges received to mission. Our second-mile giving includes a Share the Love Mission Fair the Sunday before Valentine s Day, which benefits each of our mission partners, and a dessert auction each summer to benefit the Manos de Cristo back to school program. The Mission Team also leads us in sponsoring refugee families for resettlement in Austin. Mission Supply Room The Central Mission Every Thursday morning in our fellowship hall, CPC volunteers and staff welcome homeless and low-income people who need help. We provide breakfast, fellowship, a sense of community, financial assistance, clothing, and other necessities. Building use Our downtown location and large building enable us to provide convenient meeting space for other nonprofit groups, including a Burmese church, English as a Second Language classes, Alcoholics Anonymous, the Interfaith Hospitality Network, and the Cold Weather Shelter Program for homeless women. Central offers a free concert featuring local performers at lunchtime each Thursday, and also serves as a venue for Austin s South by Southwest music festival and other concerts, as well as the Texas Book Festival. SXSW Performance at CPC
What We Have to Offer Central Presbyterian Church Sanctuary CPC is a dynamic church deeply committed to expressing the Gospel in worship, in caring for each other, and in reaching out to our Austin community. Our lay leadership represents the diversity and talents of the congregation and helps lead us in a team approach to each area of our ministry. Members have many opportunities to grow their faith through worship, Christian education, and fellowship, and to live their faith through service. Our congregation serves as a loving spiritual home where we can each experience a true sense of belonging, celebrate our joys, and find support when we face life s challenges. We have a longstanding relationship with Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and having seminary student interns is part of our mission. Austin is a great place to live with wonderful cultural and recreational opportunities.
What You Would Be Doing By conducting a member survey, discussion groups, a conversation with the Session, and interviews with each staff member, we have discerned the pastoral gifts Central seeks in our new Head of Staff. As one CPC Elder said: We want someone who will enable us and hold us accountable for doing what we say we want to do. With that in mind, we seek a Pastor who is: A dynamic, progressive preacher who is theologically and intellectually curious and demonstrates a profound faith in the transforming power of God in Jesus Christ An authentic, spiritually mature leader who will inspire us to grow in faith A confident Head of Staff, a proficient, well-organized administrator to oversee and inspire both staff and lay leaders A good communicator who is comfortable in a variety of settings Experienced at engaging the talents of members and encouraging their involvement in ministry Collaborative and able to foster dialogue and a strong sense of belonging among members Comfortable leading in an environment of growth and change, helping us focus on what s next for CPC Experienced at mission outreach in an urban setting Able to challenge us to even greater engagement in our community and the world, encouraging us to thoughtful leadership in issues of justice and peace Culturally proficient in leading an urban church with a diverse membership Current Staff: Interim Head of Staff: Scott Opsahl (at CPC September 2015 to November 2016) We are currently identifying ongoing transitional leadership Associate Pastor: Kim Rogers (in current position at CPC since 2013) Parish Associate for Pastoral Care: Tom Estes (since 2002) Parish Associate for Adult Christian Education: Mary Swierenga (since 2011) Christian Educator for Children & Youth: Carolina Treviño (since 2011) Office Manager and Webmaster: Win Bent (since 2004) Director of Music: Cindy Couch (since 1984) Organist: Nathan Quiring (since 2007) Children's Choir Director: Hannah Boyd (since August 2016) Bookkeeper: Koreena Malone (since 2014) Wedding Director and Thursday Concert Organizer: Kathy Thomas (since 1991 and 2003, respectively) Church Sexton: Lettie Mendieta (since 2008) Church Grounds Keeper: Brandon Lairson (since 2008) For more information about our congregation and our mission, visit www.cpcaustin.org or email us at pastorsearch@cpcaustin.org.