Boston Family Church Seeks New Pastor Couple

We at the Boston Family Church have recently announced our search for a new couple to pastor our community. In the July meeting of the local Church Council, the current pastor, Jim Edgerly announced his decision to step down after working in local church leadership for over 12 years.

Because of Boston’s importance as a hub for higher education and its influential role in the United States’ history, True Parents consistently emphasized the importance of having a Unification presence in the city. Our church has been active in Boston since the late 1960s and a six-story church center was purchased at 46 Beacon Street, a prime downtown location, in December 1975. Almost every single speaking tour by True Father and members of True Parents’ family included a stop in Boston, beginning with the Day of Hope Tour in 1972.

Presently, Boston has over forty first- and second-generation Unificationist families. The community meets at 46 Beacon Street each week for Sunday Service followed by our very popular “One Dollar Community Lunch.” The pastor typically gives two Sunday Messages each month, with guest speakers from within the community and from New York and Bridgeport filling out the schedule. Sunday attendance is generally from 60 to 100 people, including Sunday School.

The Boston Family Church is guided by an active Local Church Council that was recently expanded from six to eight members. Reporting to the Church Council is a Finance Committee that oversees the annual budget. Included in that budget are the income and expenses relating to the management of 46 Beacon Street with its two floors of public spaces and sixteen apartment units that house Unificationist families, young professionals and college students. The Finance Committee sends out a Financial Report to the

community each quarter, which summarizes the community’s tithing record and provides complete disclosure relating to all sources and uses of local church income.

With support from the Church Council, Pastor Edgerly has recently initiated “Family Enrichment Sundays,” which occur every other Sunday. Family Enrichment Sundays provide education and expertise on topics that are vital to the well-being of the families in our community. The first topic, still underway, is “Family Financial Management.” That will be followed by topics such as “Marriage Enrichment,” “Blessed Family Tradition,” “Sexual Integrity,” and “Social Activism.”

Ministries at Boston Family Church include Principled Education, Blessing Preparation, Young Adult Ministry, Youth Ministry, Evangelism, Sunday School, Sunday Service and Technical & Facilities Management. The church currently has four paid staff, working on a part-time to full-time basis. Our evangelism team has a weekly outreach activity on a nearby college campus and a weekly “Meet-Up” study and discussion group held in a nearby shopping area on Saturday afternoons.

Our community is fortunate to be part of the broader New England district, which has a long tradition of synergistic cooperation and communication. Examples of the benefits of this regional cooperation are Camp Aurora, in operation for the past 21 years; the Refresh Retreat, a quarterly Divine Principle workshop held in Glen, New Hampshire; and various education programs held in New Hampshire, Boston and Worcester, which provide a regional benefit.

Every year, new students and young professionals from our broader faith community arrive in Boston to make it their home. This brings a lot of new faces and energy into our community. Our intention is to select a new pastoral couple who will be well-suited to provide appealing spiritual leadership to this youth-oriented environment that we know is so important to God’s providence. The outgoing pastor, the Church Council and our ministry team are all eager to do whatever is required to support the success of our new leadership.

Boston Family Church Seeks Full Time Pastor

Job Title: Pastor

Job Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Job Type: Full Time

Job Description:

The Boston Family Church has been active since 1976. Our community consists of approximately 40 Blessed Families and a large number of college and graduate school students and young adults. The Pastor is supported by an elected local Council with input from the local community. Church ministries include Sunday service, Sunday school, youth ministry, young adult ministry, and evangelism.

The annual church budget of the Boston Family Church is approximately $300,000, primarily funded by rental income and tithing from members. Primary uses of funds are operating the church building at 46 Beacon Street, personnel costs and ministry expenses.

The broader Unification community of Boston includes a large number of college and graduate students and young professionals. Through this hiring, the local council seeks to improve the ability of the church to actively engage, serve and grow this segment of the community.

Essential duties and responsibilities

1. Convey God’s word to the congregation.

2. Oversee the spiritual well-being of the local church members. This may include education, counseling, worship services, small group ministries, camps, etc.

3. Build, support and mentor Ministry Team to provide best service to the community.

4. Promote church growth; support development of Tribal Messiahship as a top priority.

5. Encourage service to the local community

6. Act as point of contact with the National Headquarters of the FFWPU.

7. Prepare local church plans in partnership with the council.

8. Oversee local church administration- hiring and oversight of church staff, church records, membership lists, etc.

9. Participate as a member of the church Council with the special position of spiritual advisor. The pastor has the privilege of casting a tie-breaking vote if necessary.

10. Operate within the budget approved by the Church Council

11. Administer pastoral functions such as those related to birth, membership, Il Shim education, engagement, marriage blessing and death.

Term Three years (selected by Local Council and approved by National President) Term can be renewed or extended

Travel Occasional, determined by community’s need

Required Qualifications:

Dedicated faith, having received True Parents’ marriage blessing

Extensive experience in teaching Divine Principle

Exemplary family life and life of faith, including tithing

A minimum of 2 years prior experience in ministry activism and leadership (paid or volunteer)

Demonstrated ability to deliver meaningful Sunday messages based upon True Father’s teachings

A heart to serve and care for blessed families

Desired Qualifications:

Commitment to the continuous study and teaching of God’s word (DP, Eight Textbooks, Father’s Words).

Excellent written and verbal communications skills

College graduate and formal ministry education/training

STF, GPA, NGA graduate

Demonstrated leadership skills

Character qualities of personal integrity, enthusiasm, warmth, self-control, compassion and humility

(The council conducts an annual review of the pastor’s performance for the sake of improvement and communication)

Benefits & Compensation based on full time commitment

Salary is commensurate with experience and availability. The salary for an amply experienced and qualified full time person would be $2500 per month plus free residency at the church building, or an additional $1500 per month if the pastor chooses to live in separate home.

Health insurance (90% of the premium paid by church), dental insurance, life insurance and 403b retirement plan available.

How to reply:

Email your resume plus 2 recommendation letters to David Stadelhofer: dystad2@ gmail.com. For questions call. Deadline for application is September 24th, 2016.