Director of Religious Education Staff Opening – Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, Gray, TN
15 hour a week position with flexible hours except for expected attendance on 75% of Sundays
Pay and benefits within UUA Fair Compensation Guidelines Rates begin at $13,350/year for 15 hours, ($17.11/hour) and up
Start Date: March 1, 2023, or possibly sooner if available
About Us:
Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church seeks a Director of Religious Education for our steadily growing congregation of about 120 members and 30 children who are enrolled in our Sunday morning Religious Exploration Program.
We are a pluralistic religious community where many Unitarian Universalists hold additional identities. For example, our congregation includes people who consider themselves to be UUs, but also liberal Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and even agnostics or atheists. Some in our community focus on nature- or earth-centered philosophies and call themselves Pagans. We are guided by a common set of principles and ethical covenant. We seek education opportunities that will lead to growth and transformation, both personally and as a community for people of all ages — including children and adults. We are passionate about justice in society. We are LGBTQ+ affirming. Located in Gray, TN, just minutes from Exit 10 of I-26, we are right between Johnson City and Kingsport. The majority of our congregation comes from one of those two cities, with others coming from as far as Bristol, Elizabethton, Greenville and Roan Mountain.
We are looking for someone who is not necessarily Unitarian Universalist but is willing to grow into an understanding of our Principles and our Values, and our never-ending journey to live out our values. You can learn more about Unitarian Universalism here: https://hvuuc.org/unitarian-universalism
We are looking for someone who understands that youth and families are our future, and are enthusiastic about helping our program grow. We are also looking for an intergenerational awareness that can ensure our adult population is getting what they need to learn and thrive.
If this sounds like you, and if you’re interested, please let us know by sending your resume and cover letter to minister@hvuuc.org no later than January 31, 2023. Though earlier would be received with enthusiasm!
HVUUC values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. HVUUC encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.
If you are excited about this role but are unsure whether you meet 100% of the requirements, we encourage you to inquire and/or apply. We are open to the possibility that you will thrive and grow into the position with us.
Full Job Description and Program Description:
Director of Religious Education
Reports to: Minister
Effective: March 2023
Job Summary
The Director of Religious Education will provide trustworthy and inclusive leadership to the area of Religious Education at Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, developing and offering meaningful educational and connectional opportunities for all ages within our congregation.
Minimum Qualifications
• Two years of higher education in a Humanities field OR two years of experience (paid or volunteer) in a comparable field OR currently enrolled in a higher education institution actively working on a related degree (related degree may be broadly defined)
• Demonstrable experience in at least two of the following areas: leading and working with groups, communications and planning, volunteer recruitment and organizing, teaching
• Willing and able to work within an institution that is religiously diverse, LGBTQ+ affirming, and actively anti-racist
Essential Functions
• Programming: Designs Religious Education program offerings through research, collaboration and feedback. Often using existing UU resources. Evaluates programs for effectiveness. All while maintaining Safe Congregation Guidelines. Focus is on 9:30-10:45 Sunday morning programming, but other occasional programs for adults, kids or both may occasionally be done as well. (specific details about our existing programming can be found at the end of this document)
• Volunteer Management: Recruit, Coordinate and Equip volunteers including sign-ups weekly reminders, training, communications and recognitions.
• Administration: Meets weekly with minister, monthly with RE Collaborative, gives monthly report to the Programs Trustee, responds to emails and phone calls efficiently, maintains yearly registrations, works with the RE Collaborative on the budget
• Promotions and Communications: Uses church’s existing communication methods to promote RE programming including E-News, Facebook, website and brochure materials, all with support of our office administrator. We are a generation-diverse community and need generation-diverse communication.
• Nursery Support: Supervises and Supports the paid Nursery Supervisor when the need arises. Assists with emergency volunteer recruitment if the Nursery Supervisor goes through her list without any success.
Core Competencies
• Manages Responsibilities. Is able to work without close supervision; structures work-time in responsible ways; knows how to prioritize and triage needs; completes work within deadlines; can accept and work with constructive criticism
• Planning. Accurately assesses the length and difficulty of projects; sets objectives and goals; breaks down work into process steps; develops schedules in coordination with other church projects and local school schedules; anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks; evaluates results
• Developing Volunteers. Is able to identify talent and recruit capable people into the appropriate level of responsibility; helps volunteers grow through challenges and support; delegates appropriately; expresses appreciation; maintains open communication; listens to their feedback; holds people accountable
• Interpersonal Relationships. Relates well to all kinds of people inside and outside of the congregation; maintains an approachable demeanor; builds effective and constructive relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; is regarded as a team player.
• Trust and Integrity. Is widely trusted; seen as direct and truthful; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; adheres to an appropriate set of core values; acts in line with those values; maintains healthy boundaries
• Professional Development. Invests in continued learning; maintains self-care; builds and engages in relationships with colleagues
• Inclusivity. Seeks out and listens to the needs of marginalized peoples; considers disability needs in event planning; discerns who is not represented and works to lift those voices up
Programming (not officially part of the job description but helpful to know):
• Sunday Morning Programming (school year): Classes are from 9:30am-10:45am on Sunday mornings. We have a K-5 class that starts together and then breaks into two interest groups. A youth class (6-12). And two adult classes that mostly manage themselves. Occasionally we will have a Comprehensive Sexuality Education Class that is for a specific age group that will “break out” of an existing class for a limited number of weeks.
• Summer Religious Education: Topical one-off volunteer led topics for all ages. We’ve had interviews with firefighters, sushi rolling classes, storytelling, art projects. Anything’s possible during the summer!
• Special Events for Families: Trunk or Treat, Easter Egg Hunt, and other after-church special activities. You’ll get a lot of support from your RE Collaborative for these.
• Occasional Adult Education Opportunities: Sometimes there’s interest for an adult class that happens outside of the Sunday-morning format. This will generally be initiated by an adult expressing interest in exploring a specific interest, or may come from a need that you notice.
• Youth Group is not currently meeting, we would love DRE support of our volunteers to get this moving
• We have done a week-long summer camp in the past, but not since the Covid pandemic started. Reviving this could be an optional project though gauging volunteer and family interest and support would be the first step
We are open to using your expertise to evaluate our programs, and can change our approach based on an assessment of what is best for our church.