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The New Church Development Committee is seeking to identify congregations in our Presbytery who are being called by God to create new ministry that has as one of its main objectives the creation of a new faith community and ultimately a new self-sustaining congregation. We are seeking to partner with these congregations in creating new pastoral positions of evangelism and new ministry in their congregations. 

Position Description: Working on the staff of one of our congregations, named here the Sponsoring Church (which may consist of one of more congregations working together), these pastoral leaders be responsible for creating new ministry focusing on the unchurched (those who have little or no church life experiences) and the dechurched (those who in the past were involved in the life of a congregation but for sometime have not been). These pastors may be Ordained and Installed positions, Commissioned Lay Pastors, Elders or non-ordained people. Although on the staff of the Sponsoring Church and fully accountable to that Session, these pastors will be directed to do ministry in new locations and areas while maintaining a direct relationship with their Sponsoring Church.

Explanation:
These new pastoral leaders will be called to create new ministry which may include home Bible study groups, youth ministry programs, Christian education programs for children and youth, a ministry of pastoral care, mission trips and worship. The type and style of the new ministries will be defined by the new pastor in cooperation with those she or he is ministering to and with. The Sponsoring Church and the New Church Development Committee will assist the new pastor in defining goals for ministry, remembering that the long term goal will be the creation of new faith communities and ultimately new, self-sustaining congregations. 

The search process for the new pastors will be a cooperative effort shared by the Sponsoring Church and the New Church Development Committee. The New Church Development Committee will create a new ministry team to liaison with the Sponsoring Church and the new pastor.

These new pastors will function as a member of the staff of the Sponsoring Church including direct accountability to the Session and Head of Staff, participation in staff meetings, full reporting to the Sponsoring Church session, and an intentional effort to recruit church members for participation in the new ministry.

The Sponsoring Church will be expected to contribute significantly to the total salary of the new pastor. The Sponsoring Church will provide full administrative support and office space for the new pastor as well as a community of care and accountability.

Through the New Church Development Committee, the Presbytery will partner with the Sponsoring Church in providing for the salary of the new pastor. In addition the new pastor will meet regularly with representatives of the New Church Development committee, the Executive Presbyter and the Sponsoring Church=s pastor for mutual support, sharing, planning and prayer. 

The session of the Sponsoring Church will intentionally seek to partner with other Presbyterian churches for both financial support and active participation for the new ministry.


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