St. Stephen’s Church in Richmond, Virginia, is a dynamic, innovative, and diverse parish, one of the largest in the Episcopal Church. Weekly in-person attendance at six Sunday services averages 700-800. Our youth ministry seeks to honor the unique personhood, gifts, and needs of our younger members in grades 6-12 by incorporating them as full participants in the life of our parish. In addition to formational offerings and numerous special events throughout the year, almost 80 youth serve monthly either as ushers or acolytes in our worship services. Coming out of the pandemic, no community has experienced greater developmental disruption than our adolescent population. In this light, we have labored to foster a supportive culture that responds to the unique mental health and societal challenges so many young people continue to face. Above all, we cherish the young people whom God has given into our care.

The Director of Youth Ministry will serve as the primary staff catalyst and visionary for the formation and care of our youth community in grades 6-12. They will work closely with the Director of Children’s Ministry, designated clergy, and lay leadership to foster an environment for youth and their families that prioritizes relational ministry, meaningful engagement, and honors the whole personhood of our younger members. A spirit of authentic warmth, inclusivity, kindness, and bold love should undergird all programming and interactions with both youth and families.

The position is full-time. The starting salary range is $50,000-$60,000 commensurate with experience, with retirement and life insurance benefits according to the standards of the Church Pension Fund. Health insurance also is provided, with an employee contribution of 10 percent of the annual premium for individual coverage, 20 percent of the premium for spousal (or adult plus child) coverage, and 30 percent of the premium for family coverage. Other benefits include annual paid leave and a continuing education allowance.

Church ministry experience and/or experience in an educational setting is a key qualification. Experience with Journey to Adulthood, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, or other similar curricula is a plus. Suitable candidates will be organized, insightful, able to collaborate well as part of a team, and adept at building trust and relationships with youth and adults alike. The director must maintain a healthy balance between the expectations of youth and their parents, as well as between the traditions of an established parish and the evolving needs of the community. All ministries have an eye toward sustainability and equipping the ministry of volunteers.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Oversee and coordinate youth formational and fellowship offerings, including:
  • Sunday morning formational offering (ex. Bible Study or appointed curriculum)
  • Bi-weekly Sunday evening formation and fellowship offerings (Journey to Adulthood), working alongside parent and parish volunteers.
  • Youth Confirmation program (a course of Wednesday evenings with a day/weekend retreat)
  • A mixture of fellowship (ex. laser tag, bowling) and service events (ex. ReWork Richmond, Shalom Farms) on approximately a monthly basis.
• Oversee and coordinate youth worship leaders, including:
  • Middle school ushers: training, scheduling, recruiting, and support. Ushers (grades 6-8) serve during the program year (September-May) in the 9:00 service, in teams led by parent captains.
  • High school acolytes: training, scheduling, recruiting, and support. High school acolytes (grades 9-12) serve at the 9:00 and 11:15 services during the program year, 10:00 service in the summer, and special occasions such as Christmas Eve and Holy Week. We are in the process of developing a parent captain ministry for the acolyte teams.
  • Oversee the resumption of a youth reader ministry for grades 6-12.
• Envision, plan, and execute special seasonal events in conjunction with the Director of Children’s Ministry, Family Ministry Guild, and other leaders. This includes events such as the Youth Christmas Pageant, Live Nativity, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, Vacation Bible School, and Shrine Mont parish retreat, and community service outings and periodic domestic and international pilgrimage/mission trip opportunities.
• Provide co-leadership of the Family Ministry Guild, with the Director of Children’s Ministry. Set the vision and support the development of this body of stakeholders and volunteers who meet monthly and assist in long-range planning and implementation of programs.
• Provide pastoral support to young people and their parents and cultivate and model healthy relationships by connecting in appropriate ways with members of the youth community and their families – by attending sporting events, school functions, and meeting students both on school campuses and in neutral locations, according to safe church practices.
• Contribute to a bi-weekly Family Ministry Newsletter as well as to the weekly Spirit, eSpirit, parish magazine Seasons of the Spirit, and youth-focused social media.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter, and list of references to Mary Feldman, Executive Assistant to the Rector and Vicar, by May 26: mfeldman@ststephensrva.org.