Job Posting: Interim Worship Coordinator for the Riverside Church

The Riverside Church

Position Description

Requisition No.: TRC 0137

Job Title: Interim Worship Coordinator

Reports to: Senior Minister

Department: Worship

Date: March 2012

Scheduled Work Week: Sunday – Thursday

Job Summary

To coordinate the work of lay people and staff who are responsible for the preparation for and celebration of regular worship services; to develop worship practices that reflect Riverside’s interracial, interdenomina­tional, and international character; to develop collaborative worship planning processes; and to develop and implement strategies for liturgical change at Riverside, with attention to the prophetic, educational, aesthetic, and pastoral dimensions of such change.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Facilitate planning for Sunday, seasonal, and festival services involving clergy, program staff, music staff, staff, and lay members.
• Schedule clergy, program, lay, and youth leadership participation.
• Communicate with various Riverside departments such as Program Services, Building Services, Communications, and Information Technologies concerning worship needs.
• Assist clergy, program staff, music staff, and other worship leaders in the writing of prayers, litanies, etc., and in inclusive language usage.
• Oversee production of the Sunday, seasonal, and festival worship bulletins, working closely with the Senior Minister’s Office, Music Department staff, and Communications Department.
• Staff the Worship Commission, including serving as liaison to the Flower Committee, Communion Committee, and Ushers; and sit on the Music Committee.
• Prepare the Worship budget; administer the Worship budget with the Worship Commission.
• Coordinate the chancel flower schedule.
• Coordinate with Senior Minister’s Office on all invitations to outside preachers to preach in Riverside’s pulpit, including details of travel, housing, and honoraria arrangements as necessary.
• Convene meetings of the Worship and Music Team for planning and evaluation of the Worship and Music Programs; report outcomes of these meetings to Worship Commission.
• Serve as worship director on Sunday mornings; direct rehearsals, oversee chancel set-up, resolve disputes; serve as “point person” for worship leaders, ushers, program and building service personnel, and worship volunteers.
• Provide educational opportunities for clergy, program staff, music staff, and lay members to reflect upon and evaluate theological, cultural, and performance aspects of worship, festival, and sacramental practices.
• Oversee maintenance of vestments, chancel furnishings, and vessels.
• Develop a library of worship resources to be available to all planners of worship.
• Collaborate with and support Riverside’s education programs which have to do with worship; provide resources for program events which have a liturgical component.
• Provide opportunities for performance coaching to lay worship leaders.

Experience and Education Requirements:

• Membership and ordination in a denomination which is a member of the National Council of Churches.
• Master’s degree (M.Div. preferred) or comparable education
• Coursework in liturgy
• Understanding of diverse denominational worship practices
• Experience in planning and leading worship as a part of a team
• A clear understanding of the theology and values of the Riverside Church and its commitment to faith development and social justice, and a willingness to work with the church to achieve its ministry.
• Experience in working with clergy and lay people, preferably in a congregation with a multi-cultural membership and a staff with ethnic diversity.
• Demonstrated ability to interact in a collaborative manner with other ministries and staff.
• Proven understanding of the dynamics of staff relationships, implementing change, strategic planning and conflict resolution.
• Experience in administration, developing budgets, controlling expenditures and supervising staff
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Working knowledge of The Riverside Church.
• Ability to behave within the Staff Vision of The Riverside Church- “Love is our Aim and Mutual Respect our Pathway”.

Forward to hresources@theriversidechurchny.org