Posted 2/29/2024
Job Title:
Director of Lifelong Formation and Evangelization
Hours:
Full time
Parish:
St. Michael in Old Town
1633 N Cleveland Avenue
Chicago, IL
Description:
The Director of Lifelong Formation assists the pastoral team with lifelong formation efforts to ensure everyone in the parish encounters Jesus Christ and deepens their commitment to Him and His Church. The scope of this role is to discern, design, and implement ongoing formation opportunities for everyone in the parish.
The Director is responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving the formation initiatives. The Director must demonstrate the strong leadership skills necessary to identify, develop, and retain strong teams including volunteer leaders critical to the success of parish ministry.
Essential Job Functions
• Implement lifelong faith formation initiatives that allow parishioners to encounter Jesus Christ and encourage them to grow spiritually and intellectually as disciples.
• Develop faith formation initiatives for people of all ages in the community including children, youth, adults, and families.
• Seek new methods and implement ways to regularly engage parishioners and the community in faith formation (including hospitality, prayer, learning, and service opportunities).
• Energize the faith community through a structured Religious Education program (Kindergarten – 8th grade).
• Oversee enrollment and staffing of volunteer catechists for the Religious Education program.
• Identify, form, and support the spiritual growth of catechists and volunteers.
• Support catechists and volunteers in lesson plan development to ensure programs achieve overall goals, objectives, and vision for strong lifelong formation in the parish.
• Train and supervise staff and volunteers to ensure that formation strategies and materials comply with Church teachings, align with Archdiocese of Chicago policies, and are appropriate for age or cultural settings.
• Communicate available faith formation opportunities to parishioners through multiple forms of media.
• Develop and implement young adult faith-based activities commensurate with their generational perspective.
• Collaborate with staff members and community leaders to ensure that opportunities bring all levels of faith formation beyond learning to missionary discipleship.
• Manage annual budget for Lifelong Formation in collaboration with Pastor and Director of Operations.
• Ensure that the ministry complies with the guidelines for Protecting God’s Children for those who minister with and to children per the Archdiocese of Chicago policies.
• Maintain membership in professional ministerial organizations and seek opportunities to grow personally, spiritually, and intellectually.
• Aid in planning sacramental liturgies with the Director of Liturgy and Music.
Requirements:
• Practicing Catholic with understanding and support for Catholic Church teaching, mission, and values. Previous experience participating in a parish faith formation program. Demonstrated ability to collaborate with clergy, staff, parish leaders, volunteers, and program participants.
• Understanding of Lifelong Formation and its key methodologies, components, and strategies; comfortable with various methodologies and pedagogues in developing disciples. Ability to form and nurture a community of missionary disciples through encounter, accompaniment, and sending forth.
• Fluent in related Church documents, especially national and local. Mature discipleship is evidence in the ability to comfortably witness one’s faith journey. Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills. Familiarity with technology used for communicating and presenting.
Preferred Job Skills and Experience
• Master’s Degree in Pastoral Studies, Theology, Faith Formation, or equivalent.
• Five or more years as part of a parish staff.
• Three or more years as Director of Religious Education.
Special Directions:
Internal Candidates (existing employees) – Please complete the subject field of your email with the following: “Internal Candidate – Job Title – Full name”
External Candidates - Please complete the subject field of your email with the following: “Job Title – Full name”
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