St Mary’s

at Priest in Charge (3 years with option to be elected Rector)
Location Sparta
Date Posted March 15, 2023
Category Newark (Margo Peckham Clark)
Job Type Full Time
Setting Town
Compensation Complies with Diocese minimum and is somewhat negotiable
Diocesan Compensation Info www.dioceseofnewark.org
Health Benefits Full Family
Housing Supplied Housing
Is there a rectory? Yes
If there IS a rectory, is it optional or required that cleric live there? Required
If there IS a rectory, is the compensation figure above inclusive of fair market value of rectory? No
Equity Allowance Yes
Budget 240,000

Description

Liturgical style and practice

Broad, trending low

Strengths

https://youtu.be/nYGvKpPNPgU

This parish is wonderfully self-aware and eager to discern what it means to be the church of the future.  They engage fully and broadly in conversation to dream and discern about the future.

There is wonderful inter-generational music and a genuine sense of the Holy Spirit in the music ministry.

This parish is focused on stewardship and has some singular dimensions to their financial practices for a pastoral size parish.  They do not currently rent any of their facilities and they do not draw from capital funds to pay operating expenses.  They have operating reserves sufficient for funding a three year Priest in Charge and there is a pledge of $50,000 to the capital fund/endowment for each of the next three years (including 2023).  The parish has also installed solar panels on the Rectory and Church that are projected to be profitable within the next 2-3 years.

There is a neighboring Lutheran (ELCA) church that may be open to conversation.

Challenges

This parish has many of the struggles that pastoral size parishes are facing throughout ECUSA.

This parish trends slightly purple as far as the political outlook of the members, there is probably some additional work to be done on this.

This is a relatively extroverted parish that is eager to engage with their community, they need a priest who will come alongside them and share this enthusiasm.

Contact Information

Applications and inquiry should be made directly to The Reverend Canon Margaret A Peckham Clark, Canon for Congregational Life.  Applications should include a cover letter addressed to the Vestry, Resume, Current OTM portfolia and any other materials a candidate wishes to include.