Other Details

The ECO Church at Herrin is a church of 62 covenant partners (plus quite a few actively attending friends) with two worship services every Sunday. We are seeking our next full-time pastor. Our successful experience creating our modern worship service and facility in 2003 propels us to discover what are the flourishing next steps that God wants us to take to be a vital part of God’s church in the mid-21st century.

Herrin is a bedroom town of 12,800 that is part of the Carbondale-Marion metropolitan area, home of Southern IL University, John A. Logan College, and the Federal penitentiary at Marion, plus a major area mall and a busy regional airport with daily flights to major hubs. Herrin is 100 miles from the St. Louis Gateway Arch, and is even closer to Cape Girardeau, MO and Paducah, KY. For those who like to fish, hunt, and hike, we are also right next to the lakes of the Shawnee National Forest, an IL extension of the Ozark Mountains. Herrin has a growing population and an award-winning hospital. Herrin’s annual Herrin Festa celebrates the Italian part of its heritage, and attracts major performers including Foreigner, Kansas, and the Marshall Tucker Band. 23% of Herrin’s population is under age 20, 26% are ages 20-40, 27% are ages 41-60, and 24% are over age 61.

Our church is served by two buildings:

1. A traditional brick church built in 1906 with a sanctuary that seats 180, and an education wing that contains offices for pastor and secretary, 6-8 classrooms, and a dining room and kitchen facilities.
2. A renovated contemporary worship building known as the Carpenter’s Place that seats 110 equipped for coffee fellowship on Sunday mornings.

Combined average worship attendance (post-Covid) is 42. Sunday School attendance is approximately 20-25. Total contributions for 2022 were $127,564, with $113,041 toward the operating budget. Our staff consists of a Secretary, Music Coordinator, Treasurer, and Financial Secretary (all part-time).

Organizations and activities in the church include a Women’s small group, a Thursday small group, monthly “Deep Dive” elective classes, a Praise Band, a weekly family dinner, a monthly brunch, a Thanksgiving Dinner, teams that serve at the Herrin Pantry and the Herrin House of Hope, and worship services on Christmas-Eve Eve (December 23), Ash Wednesday, and a Maundy Thursday Seder service.

Duties and Responsibilities of the installed Pastor whom we seek:

• Preach the Word of God based solidly on Scripture and boldly share the Gospel with confidence and courage.
• Lead worship in such a way as to creatively communicate the excitement of the Gospel while simultaneously maintaining the Reformed tradition of worship through both contemporary and traditional formats.
• Administer the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and perform weddings and funerals.
• Provide pastoral care by visiting church and non-church people within our reach in their homes, hospitals, and nursing homes as needed.
• Lead the church to discover how to increase our number of visitors and friends whom we can nurture to become part of our community of faith.
• Coach the Elders, other Church leaders, and staff to develop a team ministry, coordinating their work as necessary.
• Work with and actively recruit covenant partners to empower Church ministries for the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

We envision all the above to be done by a pastor who joyfully exhibits trust and commitment to Jesus Christ regardless of circumstances, who communicates positively and clearly with Session, leaders, and members, who inspires the congregation to listen to God, grow, and share their love of God with others, who strives to lead the congregation into a deeper relationship with our Savior, and who exhibits integrity in all their behavior.

Salary and terms are negotiable, including up to five weeks’ vacation. Housing prices in our area compare favorably with elsewhere! See www.bestplaces.net/compare-cities/.
Applicants may be ECO-ordained, candidates for ECO ordination, or ordained in another denomination, but all applicants must wholeheartedly affirm the Essential Tenets of ECO and meet the same educational and other qualifications required for ECO ordination.