Youth Ministries Associate

Position Summary:
Reports to: Pastor to Youth and Their Families
Education Qualification: -College Degree + Prefer two to four years of relevant experience
Work Schedule and Number of Hours: Full Time Position
Compensation: $40,000 + 100% of employee medical benefits, and pension options.

Areas of Ministry Focus:
Sr. High (8th-12th Grade):
Faith formation including Sunday night “UMYF” style programming, Sunday School, developmentally appropriate service projects, and varied pastoral care tasks. The phyouth program serves 35-50 students on a weekly basis and still has plenty of room to grow. With electric energy, this fast-paced ministry setting introduces student led, “youth” style faith formation to our students. A deep joy for creativity, innovation, discipleship, relationships, and authenticity are essential attributes for directing phyouth Ministry.

Sr. High Sunday School:
Coordinating teachers, special guests, and 8th-12th grade students in the process of growing their faith through Sunday morning programming.
Midyouth Bible Study and Confirmation Host:
Engage 5th-7th graders for a robust, comprehensive Bible Study rotation that focuses on Bible Literacy, basic Wesleyan theology, and prepares students for confirmation. This Bible Study will be written and taught by the Youth Ministries Associate.
In addition, the Youth Ministries Associate will also be a guiding presence during confirmation classes on Sunday afternoons when Midyouth Bible Study is taking a break.

Co-leadership of the PHUMC Church Basketball League with Minister to Youth and Families:
Pulaski Heights Youth Ministry has provided a church league basketball program for almost 50 years! This beloved ministry has made a roaring comeback after pandemic lockdown. The contemporary youth ministry team works together to both carry on the tradition and breathe new life into this fun and exciting ministry opportunity.

Position Style
We are waving “goodbye” the days of siloed ministry—to be Associate of Youth Ministries at Pulaski Heights is to be on a larger team of 8-12 staff members with what we call “Lifespan” ministries. We work collaboratively on “all church” (cradle to grave!) events. We believe deeply in intergenerational relationships as one of our primary purposes in ministry. Being a part of this work is Holy and necessary to serve at Pulaski Heights.

In addition, though there is a certain amount of hierarchy in the way our youth ministry leadership is arranged, its primary relationship is a team that works together for the good of our leadership, community, and students. These two positions work jointly on communication (one newsletter), large scale fellowship events (for all 5th-12th grade participants), vision for the culture and branding of the youth ministry as a whole, and certain service projects for all participants as is appropriate. This vision and team, overseen by Pastor to Youth and Families, strives to integrate both youth experiences as a cohesive seven years of faith formation. Responsibilities and Personal Attributes

Communication:
• Contribute to the curation and creation of monthly youth ministry newsletters alongside Minister to Youth and Families and our full time administrator.
• Work with Communications office on large scale announcements and social media posts.
• Communicate directly with 8th-12th grade parents and students about upcoming events and ministry needs via email, text, PHUMC app, and mailings.
• Work with Minister to Youth and Families to curate calendars for school year and summer at least 6-10 months in advance of events.
• Utilize staff meetings, church calendar software, etc to communicate the needs of youth programming.
• Communicate the story of our Sr. High ministry in innovative and profound ways to further the witness of what God is doing in our church with our young people.
Relationships With Students and Their Families:
• Will abide strictly by the standards set by our church’s Safe Gatherings policy.
• Will cultivate environments where young people feel welcome, loved, and included.
• Will build relationships with parents and volunteers and acts as their minister and supporter as much as the young people we serve.
• As is available, will use their work hours to be present in the community at extracurricular activities our students participate in.
• Will provide certain levels of basic pastoral care for students in trauma-informed ways when students experience grief, loss, and regular yucky teenage challenges.
• Will cultivate creative ways of allowing organic intergenerational relationships to take place in their ministry setting.
Discipleship Formation:
• Strong commitment to discipleship as the “why” of your ministry.
• Coordinate Confirmation teachers, students, and parents through the confirmation process.
• Plan and lead retreats for phyouth on an annual basis.
• Write and execute programming for phyouth on Sunday nights.
• Integrate discipleship as a component of Sunday youth programming in tangible ways.
• Will attend and encourage students to make relationships beyond the church walls in the United Methodist Connection through participation in Arkansas Annual Conference Youth Events.
• Partner with Youth Worship Coordinator to integrate times of worship into programming and retreats.
• Help young people practice and understand the “skills” of discipleship: prayer, reading the Bible, worship, and participating in service to others.
Leadership Cultivation:
• Facilitate and empower youth student leadership team to make decisions that directly impact their ministry experience: choosing topics, themes, games, and service projects for their ministry area.
• Empower youth to participate in visible leadership—giving the youth sermon, reading in corporate worship on Sunday morning, worship leadership in music, etc.
• Will attend Perkins School of Youth Ministry and other continuing education on an annual basis.
• Will identify and empower students who have a distinct calling to ministry.
• Will recruit and equip a diverse team of adult volunteers for the Sr. High Ministry Area including Sunday night programming and Sunday School teachers.

PHUMC Youth Church League Basketball:
• Associate of Youth Ministries will assist the Pastor to Youth and Families to oversee and manage the contract-hired team who runs registration, the league commissioner, referees, score keepers, etc.
• Will work with Minister to Youth and Families to cultivate a healthy, positive, Faith-based experience for all players, coaches, and fans.

Mission and Service:
• Will design and facilitate service projects with United Methodist affiliated Non-profits and local non-profits for 8th-12th graders with development and learning styles in mind.
• The primary basis of Midyouth mission is education surrounding poverty and justice as they prepare to engage the world as young adults. This position has the awesome responsibility of helping them expand their understanding of the world and how they can be an active part of what God is doing in the world.
• Will design or embrace existing local mission service days each summer.
• Will oversee, or accompany the Pastor to Youth and Families on, Summer

Learning and Service Trips.
Personal and Theological Attributes:
• Must be strongly United Methodist in their faith and theological understanding.
• Must believe in infant baptism and the important role of confirmation in the life of a young person.
• Be flexible and have a good attitude
• Have a good sense of humor when things don’t go according to plan.
• Have a real, robust life outside of ministry that demands time away from church obligations and offers lifegiving rest and balance.
• Willingness to be a team player and a servant leader.
• Other ministry related tasks as assigned.

If this description makes you excited about possibilities, creativity, and a collaborative setting, please submit a cover letter and resume to Pastor to Youth and Families erowland@phumc.com.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Pastor to Youth and Families erowland@phumc.com.