Snapshot

Denomination: Presbyterian – ECO

Weekly Attendance:  350

Location: Midland, TX

The Role: Student Director

Meet First Presbyterian Church Midland:

First Presbyterian Midland has been worshiping and growing together in West Texas since 1885.

Through generations of booms and busts, Midlanders at FPC hold fast to the one thing that is sure and unchanging, the love of God shown to us in Jesus Christ. As our community members have explored the depths of the earth for some of the richest natural resources in the world, we have sought to explore the depths of the soul, growing deeper in our love for Jesus and for one another, finding the truly abundant life only God can give.

We’re blessed to be a worshiping body of believers with diverse worship expressions and traditions. In all our services, we aim to exalt God, to draw closer to him, and to be sent out in our city and world with the good news that Christ is Lord. During our Sunday morning worship services, we offer nursery and children’s ministry. Of course, children are always welcome to remain in worship with their families, too.

About the Student Director:

We are searching for a Student Director to lead the Student Ministry toward our mission. We believe Jesus Christ must be at the center of our lives, and the making disciples of Jesus at the core of our ministry. Identifying and developing leaders formed in the image of Christ is critical for the church. This kind of leadership is marked by humility, servanthood, creativity, and passion.

The Student Director’s Responsibilities Include: 

• Building, developing, and mentoring an intergenerational, Christ-centered leadership team to invest in students and families.
• Investing heavily in student and family relationships while also training others to do the same by: going where students are, learning who they are, and casting a compelling vision of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
• Collaborate with leaders of other ministry areas to offer intergenerational discipleship opportunities.
• Organizing excellent middle school and high school gatherings and experiences that help students encounter Jesus and belong to a Christian community.
• Partnering with families to help raise their students to become disciples.
• Building strategic relationships with local schools and organizations to reach students and families in our community.
• Regularly involved with all staff and attends staff meetings, attends Christian Formation meetings, and Sunday worship.

What You Bring: 

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Student Director:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree, preferred.
• Experience building a spiritually flourishing ministry across generations.
• Experience leading and developing a growing servant-leader culture – to be a leader of leaders.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Effective communicator.
• Self-starter.
• Team player.

Personal Characteristics & Qualifications

• Passion for Jesus, students, families, and intergenerational ministry.
• Willingness to be a part of ECO and involved in our presbytery.

What it’s Like to Live in Midland, TX: 

Midland-Odessa is known for its unique West Texas culture, the legion of oil rigs that stand on top of dusty plains, and Friday Night Lights, a book and film based on one of the town’s high school football teams. Yet there’s more to this West Texas town than meets the eye. Spend some time here and you’ll discover more than a few surprises, such as a working re-creation of William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, a replica of Stonehenge, and the second-largest meteor crater in the United States. Not only that, but the Midland-Odessa area also has a thriving arts scene with top-class performers and a world-class performing arts center. All of these elements combine to make Midland-Odessa and the Permian Basin a destination that has something to offer everyone.

The city was established in 1881 as an important railroad stop for the Texas and Pacific Railway, and it didn’t take long for it to develop into a major cattle shipping center. However, its real boom came in 1926, when the discovery of oil would change Midland-Odessa from a ranching and shipping community to an industrial one. Since then, it has grown to be a lively town that is part of the thriving Midland-Odessa area.

Although Midland-Odessa is a truly modern city, it still retains its cowboy spirit. Experience it for yourself at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo, one of Midland-Odessa’s premier events that features a rodeo, livestock show, a competitive horse show, and plenty of live country music. Of course, the rodeo is just one of many events it hosts throughout the year. Other events include a craft beer festival, a car show, and a regional fair.

When you’re ready to hang up your cowboy hat, catch a performance at the Globe of the Great Southwest, the aforementioned recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre located on the campus of Odessa College. The Permian Playhouse is another theater in Odessa that produces a wide variety of plays and musicals throughout most of the year. Meanwhile, the Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale has much to offer you music lovers out there. The company includes a symphony and three instrumental ensembles that offer top-class performances at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, a world-class facility situated between Odessa and Midland. Finally, the Ellen Noël Art Museum of the Permian Basin, one of only two Smithsonian-affiliated museums in Texas, presents the works of more than 400 American artists.

All of this just scratches the surface of what Midland-Odessa has to offer to visitors and resident families.