Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church – Seeking Two Associate Rectors

Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church, an inclusive, dynamic, 1500-member, mission-focused Episcopal Church is seeking to hire two Associate Rectors to become a part of our creative and collaborative team.   

Saint Stephen’s is in the heart of Cahaba Heights at the intersection of Vestavia Hills, and Mountain Brook, Alabama.  Founded out of a trailer in 1973, focused on mission and outreach, Saint Stephen’s has grown to one of the largest and most vibrant congregations in the Diocese of Alabama.  Today, Saint Stephen’s continues to be a beacon for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the building of community while focusing its sights continually on the needs of those outside her open doors and windows.  While the church has a neighborhood feel, with a widely successful preschool, it draws from 38 zip codes in the greater Birmingham area.  The identity of the congregation continues to be focused on both outreach/service and stewardship of creation.  In 2018, the church launched a campaign completing 12,500 hours of volunteer service and has created several new programs helping the congregation better care for creation including the installation of an apiary, monthly Holy Hikes, an ambitious program to remove invasive species from the property, and a new relationship with a local organic farm.

 One position will be filled immediately and the other by the end of the 2nd quarter of 2020.  The best fit will be filled first. 

Both Associate Rectors will:

Share in the wider pastoral care of the community of Saint Stephen’s and the larger community.

Along with other clergy, they will participate in the regular full life of a priest at Saint Stephen’s, including, but not limited to:

·      Preach and preside at liturgies across all worship services and communities

·      Attend and fully participate in vestry and staff meetings

·      Teach formation offerings

·      Represent Saint Stephen’s in the wider church and community

·      Empower the congregation to live into the vision of outreach/service and stewardship of creation as core components of the Christian Faith 

·      Serve in the regular rotation for providing pastoral care

Associate Rector for Life-Long Formation

Formation Responsibilities include:

·      Cultivate a vision for small group formation for people of all ages to grow in their faith

·      Lead the program staff through the planning and implementation of the Wednesday Night Live program

·      Work with other clergy, develop a comprehensive Sunday morning formation program including diverse offerings from outside speakers

·      Resurrect and lead the Saint Stephen’s lecture series committee to provide one to two dynamic outside lectures for the larger community each year

·      Support and nurture the Director of Children’s Formation, assistant ministers, the leadership team, and the Children’s Formation Program

·      Support and nurture the Director of Youth Ministry, assistant ministers, interns, the leadership team, and the Youth Program

·      Collaborate with Director of Membership to provide resources, small groups, and formation for new parents and young families

Additional Responsibilities include:

·      Serve as the principal chaplain to young families

·      Other duties as assigned by the Rector

Associate Rector for Pastoral Care and Liturgy

Pastoral Care responsibilities will include:

·      Organize and maintain the lay and clergy pastoral care processes of Saint Stephen’s

·      Organize, implement, and supervise care teams

·      Design, curate, and manage formation for all pastoral care providers including care teams, healing intercessors, and lay eucharistic visitors

·      Collaborate with the clergy to develop small groups around grief support

 Liturgical Responsibilities will include:

·      With staff and congregational leadership, convene, coordinate, collaborate, and create formation and continuing education for all liturgical areas

·      Lead efforts to cultivate new liturgical leaders, and coordinate formation opportunities for all people involved

 Additional Responsibilities include:

·      Serve as the principal chaplain to the Boomers (parishioners aged 60+)

·      Other duties as assigned by the Rector

To Apply:

For either position, please send a letter of inquiry, resume, and OTM portfolio to the Rev. John Burruss at john@ssechurch.org by August 1, 2019.