Children's Ministry Pre-Teen Associate

OBJECTIVE:

To advance the mission and vision of Valley Church by providing spiritual formation, connecting with students, parents and volunteers in our preteen program.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:

• Education: Degree in a ministry or education or a field relating to children and/or families.
• Experience: 5+ years of volunteer or paid experience in children’s or youth ministry.
• Church Home: Must be a regular and involved attender at Valley Church.

COMPENSATION/STATUS:

Full-time, 40 hours per week, annual salary (commensurate with experience). Full-time, hourly, non-exempt status. Benefits include group health insurance, paid vacations, etc. Refer to Personnel Policies for details.

ROLE: The CHILDREN’S MINISTRY PRE-TEEN ASSOCIATE IS …

• DNA Carrier: Completely embraces and contagiously communicates the mission, values, strategy and impact measures of Valley Church.
• Catalytic Leader: Able to rally people to a cause.
• Volunteer Developer: Responsible for recruiting, developing and impactfully connecting thousands of volunteers to programs and services vital to the community.
• Healthy Relationship Champion: Minister to, encourage, pray for and be personally involved in the lives of volunteers and families. Coordinate with room leaders in the shepherding of volunteers and maintaining healthy relationships in their small groups.
• Team Builder: Can build teams and identify high-capacity leaders. Empowers others to lead. Experienced multiplier/builder (rather than just a great doer, this role is a great equipper).
• Solution specialist: Able to identify problems and find solutions.
• Time manager: Able to prioritize, organize and execute next steps to move ministry forward.
• Team player: You are part of two larger teams: Children’s Ministry team and church staff team. We support, help and serve each other as needed to accomplish the vision and mission.

The Children's Ministry Pre-Teen Associate is Not:
o Program Director: A babysitter for preteen kids through programs, events or gatherings, but rather a disciplemaker. Discipleship and outreach are equally important.
o Lone Ranger: You don’t do the work of the ministry alone. Empowering and equipping your team of volunteers is a must. You exist to multiply ministry effectiveness.
o Star of the Show: Lead with humility. You will be “up-front” but must maintain personal relationships with volunteers, parents and students. Equip others to lead from “up-front.”
o Clock in/Clock out role: This is not a regular 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday work schedule.

Personally: The Children's Ministry Pre-Teen Associate is:*

• Theologically and missionally aligned: Agrees with the theology and mission of Valley Church and the EFCA.
• Highly Relational: Loves, enjoys and excels at relating to individuals within the church as well as unchurched members of the community.
• Disciple: Fully devoted to following Jesus in everything he or she does.
• Trustworthy: Has unwavering loyalty to Christ and the church. Understands sensitive situations and maintains complete confidentiality. Skilled with diplomatic endeavors.
• Conflict resolver: Able and unafraid to work through interpersonal conflicts, ministry misalignment or issues of sin. True peacemaker.
• Self-aware individual: Knows where he or she is weak; finds others to fill in those gaps. Emotionally intelligent and healthy.
• Humble Learner: Can take direction and feedback well and has a great desire to learn.
• Person of integrity: At the core, they make solid decisions based on lifelong, biblical values.
• Flexible: Understands the complexity of working with a variety of staff and perspectives, and collaboratively works with patience, flexibility and grace.
• Personable: Friendly, caring and approachable for the kids, parents, volunteers and staff. Truly enjoys teaching and connecting with preteens.
• Preteen culture translator: Be knowledgeable of preteen trends and culture. Continually seek to relate to and engage preteens and to resource volunteers and parents to do the same.
• Responsible: Able to take ownership of commitments.
• Time manager: Does not require external systems to prioritize; is intrinsically motivated.
• Energetic Multi-Tasker: Able to work on a broad range of projects and levels.

Job: The Children's Ministry Pre-Teen Lead Associate is responsible for:

• Leadership: Provide primary leadership for all 4th and 5th grades for Sunday school and Wednesday night programming; while also assisting the CM team with additional needs.
• Ministry mindset: Understand that our first calling is to serve the whole church, followed by serving in our specific ministry area. Understand and communicate the essential role and vision of children’s ministry and its relationship to the vision and mission of Valley Church.
• Curriculum development, large and small group teaching: Create, develop, collaborate with others and edit age-appropriate curriculum and activities. Lead Bible studies and teach in both large and small group settings.
• Leadership pipeline: On-going recruitment of volunteers. Training and teaching of large group leaders/small group leaders. Develop a teamwork attitude among volunteers. Work with director and other CM staff members to develop and deliver training and teaching to all CM volunteers. Identify potential leaders and move them to the next level.
• Security: Communicate and maintain children’s ministry policies and procedures as needed to ensure the safety and well-being of workers, children and their families.
• Communication: Disseminate curriculum to leaders. Encourage, teach, disciple and communicate vision to CM teams on a weekly basis. Communicate with parents and students regularly in ways that are purposeful and engaging.
• Teamwork: Promote a spirit of harmony and goodwill toward leadership, staff and volunteers. Work together with CM to execute on-going events and new or short-term programs.
• Volunteer appreciation: Plan, organize and prepare for events/gifts that show appreciation to volunteers. Work with other CM staff to develop a clear plan to implement.
• Bridge building: Creatively plan ways to engage with preteens not yet part of Valley Church to provide on-ramps for engagement and community. Vision cast, resource and help parents and students to build bridges into our community.
• Creativity: Use their God given talents and gifts in various capacities. This might include utilizing social media or videography, teaching, music, event planning or other specific ways God leads.
• Other duties as assigned by director: Including but not limited to - Great Pumpkin Party, Easter with Kids and summer events and programs.

Relationships of the Children's Ministry Pre-Teen Lead Associate include:

Reports to director of children’s ministry
Works closely with children’s ministry team: elementary associate, preschool associate, administrative assistant.
Hand in hand ministry lead
Middle school ministry
Leads children’s ministry volunteers

Success of the Children's Ministry Pre-Teen Lead Associate is defined by:

• A healthy, growing, outward-focused ministry.
• Engaging, age-appropriate environments and experiences that are shaping preteen’s faith.
• A vibrant student and adult volunteer culture, creating opportunity to serve in meaningful ways that stem from their giftedness. Volunteers are supported and appreciated.
• Families are engaged and connected to the faith steps their pre-teens are experiencing.
• Discovering new ways, methods and initiatives to further the mission and engage with pre-teens outside of Valley Church.
• Healthy relationships with preteens, parents, volunteer leaders, and staff.
• A growing heart for reaching non-believers in your own life.
• Developing and training volunteer leaders.
• Wholehearted involvement in the church.
• Families are resourced to provide discipleship at home and reach their community.
• An aligned pre-teen ministry with what’s going on throughout the rest of the church.