UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST SUMMARY CHURCH PROFILE
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH of LITTLETON United Church of Christ LITTLETON, MA
Senior Minister
Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ, Central Association
June, 2019
1. POSITION POSTING a. LISTING INFORMATION
b. SCOPE OF WORK c. COMPENSATION & SUPPORT d. WHO IS GOD CALLING TO MINISTER WITH US?
1a. LISTING INFORMATION
Church name: Congregational Church of Littleton, United Church of Christ Street address: 330 King Street, Littleton, MA 01460 Supplemental web links: www.ccol.org
Additional ecumenical affiliations: Littleton Council of Churches (Baptist, Unitarian, Catholic, Latter-Day Saints)
Conference: Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ Association: Central Association UCC Conference or Association Staff Contact Person: Rev. Kelly Gallagher Associate Conference Minister [email protected] 413-210-1124 https://www.macucc.org/staffdetail/366278
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?
The Congregational Church of Littleton (CCoL) is alive and thriving with the Holy Spirit! Located in a quiet and small but growing New England town that still has farming and green space, we are looking to build on our many strong programs including worship, music, Christian Ed, junior and senior high youth groups as well as some adult classes, and service to our local and wider communities. The church facilities have recently undergone major renovations and consist of a highly-visible meetinghouse in the center of town on a well-traveled state road, and a parsonage in a quiet nearby neighborhood within walking distance to the town’s highly-rated high school. We want to capitalize on our location and facilities to grow our congregation’s membership by reaching out to a broader community of people. Meanwhile, we want to continue to help our existing members deepen their faith and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. We want to see our church become a more active presence in both the local and wider communities. To do this, we need professional leadership to walk with us and help us develop our ministry. We seek an open-minded, vibrant leader who delivers captivating sermons and is able to engage across all ages, genders, orientations and ethnicities.
The Pastoral Search Committee expects to receive resumes from interested candidates over the summer months, but does not plan on scheduling interviews until September due to limited availability of committee members on their summer schedules. We will strive to acknowledge all received resumes in a timely manner, hopefully within a week or two, at which time a contact person will be identified to answer any questions a candidate may have.
What we value about living in our area: We value the “rural/ community feeling” that Littleton and surrounding towns offer. We value the school system as well as the many activities offered for children, families and elderly throughout the year. Located in central New England, Littleton is within commuting distance to Boston with its rich opportunities but we treasure our “small town” atmosphere. The mountains and the ocean are a day-trip away. There are numerous conservation areas, rail trails for biking, shopping opportunities, and easy access to main thoroughfares such as Routes 495 and 2. The cultural opportunities are numerous for such a small community. Bloomberg recently named Littleton the best small town in Massachusetts for raising children.
Current size of membership: 238
Languages used in ministry (other than English): None
Position Title: Senior Minister
Position Duration: Settled – a called position intended for longer-term ministry in which the minister moves church membership to the CCoL and moves standing to the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Compensation Level: Full Time
Does the total support package meet conference compensation guidelines? Yes
1b. SCOPE OF WORK
At CCoL, our expectation is that the Senior Pastor is the leader of our church, guiding not only the staff, the day to day operations and the worship services of the church, but also proactively participating in the committee meetings that typically take place on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings. Given that leadership role, we feel it is important for our Senior Pastor to establish and maintain consistent office hours to ensure reliable availability to staff, church members and the community.
The members of CCoL recognize that our pastors can engage in ministry at any time and in any place. As such we expect our Senior Pastor to be intentional in taking 1.5-2 days off per week, engaging in self care. Likewise, our church wants to be respectful of our Senior Pastor’s life schedule. Subsequently we want our Senior Pastor to establish and communicate reasonable personal boundaries.
Scope of work for full time PASTORAL POSITION (40-50 hours weekly) ● Lead us in study and prayer to increase faith and promote a healthy walk with God. ● Prepare and lead Sunday worship including scripture study, crafting of liturgy and bulletin, sermon preparation, guiding/finding lay liturgists, planning music in coordination with musical staff or volunteers, preaching, offering of prayers, and possibly wrangling small humans during the Children’s Time. ● Work with us to improve our skills in leadership, teaching and preaching. ● Energize and deepen our spiritual connections and faith understandings. ● Identify helpful resources and opportunities for lay persons to take part in prayer, Bible study and worship services. ● Work with people in the church to create ministry and programs. Plan for new directions in ministry. ● Provide pastoral care in collaboration with the diaconate and lay people. ● Engage with the community both within our doors and beyond our town, showing the church as an ambassador of God’s love. ● Officiate at weddings and funerals. ● Attend meetings and give leadership as needed to church programs, in collaboration with lay leadership. ● Participate in wider church activities such as conference and association meetings. ● Demonstrate faithful financial development and stewardship. ● Supervise staff with fairness and good interpersonal skills. ● Be available to the wider community to a reasonable extent. ● Continue to engage in that ministry activity that fills you with passion and excitement. ● Have fun! ● Good news: we do not expect our pastor to walk on water. We leave that to our Savior.
Core Competencies: The CCoL is looking to expand its ministry and presence in the community by building a stronger worship, outreach and programming environment that is open and inclusive to all who come through our doors and who are present with us locally and abroad. As such our future ministerial leadership should bring strong communication skills and be able to engage across all ages, genders, orientations and ethnicities. In addition they should be open-minded and able to adapt to change and new ideas that facilitate the growth of the church and its lay leadership program.
1c. COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT
Our church closely follows the UCC Massachusetts conference clergy compensation guidelines. We support a total compensation package of at least $100,000, which includes a cash salary, business expenses, benefits and the use of a parsonage including utilities. Salary and benefits to be negotiated. We also expect that our next pastor will have 2 weeks of continuing education time per year, and to use it. We also anticipate granting sabbatical time as noted below.
The Senior Minister will be expected to live in the parsonage (doing ordinary upkeep and light tasks), which is located approximately 1½ miles from the meetinghouse. The parsonage is a newly renovated two-story home on a quiet street within the community, on a wooded lot of approximately 1 acre, within walking distance to the high school. The house includes 4 bedrooms, 1½ baths, functioning living room fireplace, two-car attached garage connected by a breezeway, central A/C and oil heat by forced hot air, rear deck and a side screened porch. The parsonage comes unfurnished but includes a washer, dryer, kitchen stove, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator. Our hope is the next pastor will have a primary voice in choosing interior paint and carpet colors (for those portions that are not hardwood).
The pastor shall be present at the meetinghouse regularly for office hours; worship services; Council; committee, staff and special meetings; special events or functions (i.e. weddings) as well as for travel in the greater community/region for pastoral care visits (i.e. homes, hospitals, nursing homes), funerals, special events or functions.
Sabbatical Leave – Three (3) continuous months of paid full-time sabbatical leave will be considered at 6 year intervals. Substitute pastoral coverage will be arranged during that time. The Senior Minister will continue in CCoL service for at least one full year following the conclusion of sabbatical. Sabbatical time is exclusive of vacation time.
CCoL is active in the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ and its Central Association. Our local pastors meet together on a regular basis both through the Littleton Council of Churches (which includes lay members) and as a group of clergy.
1d. 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 need to learn how to better reach out to and involve both Generation X and Millennial members, knowing they have different perspectives and needs from other generations. ● New membership/recruitment of young families and families of all compositions ● More representation/activity in the community ● Revamp committee composition/membership - new members participating. Switching up the committees so it’s not the same 20%. Re-energize. More lay participation and wider range of participating members to include more younger people.
Describe how your vision of the minister you are now seeking will assist the congregation in making an impact beyond its walls. ● Community programming (ex. if open and affirming, then hosting events promoting diversity) ● Extending visitation to non-church members ● Interfaith outreach for relief/mission/programming - local and abroad
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 that your next minister will display to further equip the congregation’s ministry in these areas.
CCoL would like our next pastor to demonstrate areas of knowledge, skill, passion, and creativity as it pertains to the “big picture” marks of Exhibiting a Spiritual Foundation and Ongoing Spiritual Practice, Engaging Sacred Stories and Traditions, Working Together for Justice & Mercy, and Strengthening Inter- And Intra-Personal Assets. A pastor who has strengths in these areas will further allow us to nurture the vision we have for our church and community.
EXHIBITING A SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION AND ONGOING SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
● We want our pastor to be authentic: loving God, following Jesus Christ, and being guided by the Holy Spirit; living and sharing a life of discipleship. ● Understanding the power of the Holy Spirit at work through the elements of Christian worship to nurture faith. ● Encouraging and nurturing others in spiritual formation and faith development over the lifespan. Recognizing and resourcing constituents who have multiple or no religious affiliations.
ENGAGING SACRED STORIES AND TRADITIONS
● Crafts and delivers engaging sermons, linking biblical literature/sacred stories to current issues, as well as being an effective communicator across generations.
WORKING TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE AND MERCY
● Being welcoming to everyone. Building engagement in sacred conversations about social issues with the intent to make us a more welcoming and non-judgemental community for all. ● Engaging in mission and outreach. ● Building relationships of mutual trust.
STRENGTHENING INTER- AND INTRA- PERSONAL ASSETS
● Respecting the dignity of all God’s people. ● Understanding and ministering to all generations. ● Demonstrating excellent communication skills in working with committees and individuals. ● Helping us open our arms and hearts to all people.