Other Details

SENIOR PASTOR Job Description

The United Parish is a blended faith community in Winchendon, Ma. that combines our United Church of Christ, Methodist, and Baptist heritages in our ministry. We welcome all to worship with us, where we embrace both traditional and contemporary styles.

We are presently seeking a senior pastor to lead the congregation deeper into the redemptive power of the gospel as well as share the hope of Christ within our congregation and community.  Our pastor will need to lead, build and inspire our leadership teams toward our vision and disciple leaders who will change the world.

The Pastor must be deeply passionate for the love of Jesus Christ and His Church and be aligned with the qualifications of the office as detailed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Peter 5:1-4. The Pastor must believe and teach that the Bible is God’s holy and divinely inspired Word of God. This position requires a Batchelor’s degree and 5-10 years’ experience in pastoral ministry in a similar-sized church. A Master’s degree and seminary training is preferred. This position requires humility, a healthy degree of self-awareness, and a definite pastoral calling to serve. Currently we have a dedicated staff, and an experienced council and diaconate ready to assist the pastor in addressing whatever challenges may arise. The United Parish is eager to see the ways our vision and congregation will impact your life, just as much as we look forward to your impact on ours. This is an exciting time for the United Parish and we value you and your family’s role as we grow deeper in Christ together.

Primary Responsibilities

The position description establishes the core functions necessary for the senior pastor of the United Parish. Though you are ultimately responsible for each area, this is beyond what one person can achieve. Building and managing teams to accomplish these roles is crucial.

Spiritual Development– A focus on individual and congregation efforts to follow Jesus.

• Practicing spiritual disciplines through the use of individual and communal prayer, scripture study and meditation, and worship services.
• Empowering the congregation to live out our vision of hope and healing.
• Encouraging the congregation to pursue Christ’s lordship in all areas of life.
• Result: An authentic focus on Jesus, personally and in community, which results in testimonies of individual spiritual growth and the Lord is adding to the numbers of those being saved.

Sunday Worship– Creating an atmosphere where worshiping Christ is central and the authority of God’s Word is proclaimed.

• Passionate and articulate preaching of God’s Word, relevant across many stages of spiritual maturity.
• Perform the church sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as well as other traditions associated within the represented denominations of the United Parish.
• Will assist the diaconate in finding suitable speakers to fill the pulpit in times of the pastor’s absence and provide additional oversight as needed.
• Result: Congregation grows deeper in faith through corporate worship and hearing the gospel preached. Congregants feel comfortable inviting new people and those new people feel welcomed.

Staff/Leadership Management– Provide empowerment within clearly defined roles to maximize staff potential.

• Provide insight and guidance to staff concerning goal setting, strategies, programs and resources (volunteers, finances, facilities).
• Ensure staff meetings take place for the purposes of prayer, planning, communication and problem solving.
• Address any and all staff issues and evaluations in accordance with the Church Policy Manual, Covenant, and By-Laws in a timely manner. Document these issues when necessary.
• Work to develop a culture of collaboration, direct communication, dependence upon God, love for the congregation, and passion for God’s purposes within the staff/leadership team.
• Result: Staff/Leadership feels adequately supported and challenged to fulfill their unique call. Staff is unified and cares deeply for one another.

Leadership Development– Helping people discover and exercise their spiritual gifts.

• Multiply our impact by following Christ’s model of discipleship.
• Encourage children’s and youth leaders’ potential and programs.
• Develop a ministry for the care of people experiencing emotional, spiritual, and physical needs.
• Result: More and more people move along the discipleship path and are always recruiting new people to walk alongside them. Congregants feel empowered to live out their unique calling.

Administrative Oversight-Provide efficiency and organizational structure to maximize fruitfulness.

• Work with and report to the Church Council.
• Work with the Diaconate and encourage use of their ministry skills within the congregation.
• Report to the Pastoral Relations Committee.
• On-going communication with the Church Office Administrator.
• Responsible for providing leadership and spiritual guidance within stewardship campaigns and building restoration projects as needed.
• Responsible for and supportive of decisions which are to be communicated to the congregation in an accurate and respectful manner.
• Responsible to guide key initiatives/strategies through each of the leadership teams in a manner that fosters collaboration and respect for the role each team plays.
• Result: Like the individual parts of a single body working together, a healthy functioning organization remains essential for realizing our vision.

United Parish of Winchendon

39 Front St. Winchendon MA 01475   978-297-9808

Pastoral Search Church Profile 2024

Document Incorporated April 23, 2024

https://unitedparish.com/

https://www.facebook.com/unitedparishofwinchendon/

United Parish of Winchendon Church Profile

Vision and Mission Statement

Proverbs 29:18 MEV

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but happy is he who keeps the teaching.”  Our Vision is to be a congregation that longs to be the “city that is set on a hill (that) cannot be hidden” Matthew 5:14 MEV. We believe everyone needs the hope Jesus offers, therefore, our passion is to help people find that hope and grow in a relationship with Him. To be the light that Jesus has called us to be. Our vision is to create an environment where worship, fellowship, and service inspire our congregation to evangelize and embrace our community through Christ’s love.

Our Mission is to be led by a Shepherd who “keeps the teaching” by challenging believers to grow in the grace and admonition of the Lord through the presentation of the true message of God’s salvation.

Pastoral Leadership Responsibilities

The United Parish is a blended faith community in Winchendon, MA that combines our United Church of Christ, Methodist, and Baptist heritages in our ministry. We welcome all to worship with us, where we embrace both traditional and contemporary styles.

We are presently seeking a senior pastor to lead the congregation deeper into the redemptive power of the gospel as well as share the hope of Christ within our congregation and community.  Our pastor will need to lead, build, and inspire our leadership teams toward our vision and disciple leaders who will change the world.

The Pastor must be deeply passionate for the love of Jesus Christ and His Church and be aligned with the qualifications of the office as detailed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Peter 5:1-4. The Pastor must believe and teach that the Bible is God’s holy and divinely inspired Word of God. This position requires a Bachelor’s degree and 5-10 years’ experience in pastoral ministry in a similar-sized church. A Master’s degree and seminary training is preferred. This position requires humility, a healthy degree of self-awareness, and a definite pastoral calling to serve. Currently we have a dedicated staff, and an experienced council and diaconate ready to assist the pastor in addressing whatever challenges may arise. The United Parish is eager to see the ways our vision and congregation will impact your life, just as much as we look forward to your impact on ours. This is an exciting time for the United Parish and we value you and your family’s role as we grow deeper in Christ together. Please see the pastoral job description for additional details.

Demographics of the Church

The United Parish is a blended community of denominations. There are approximately 104 members. The average attendance for Sunday worship services in-person is 50-70, on-line 10-20 viewings.

Sunday School occurs during church worship in Fellowship Hall. The average attendance ranges from 5-15 children from ages 3-11 years old. In addition, there is a nursery along with an area for parents who want to be with their children. They are able to see the live-streamed worship service.  For children ages 12-18 there is an Upper Room teen ministry, attendance varies. On Sunday evenings we have an active Youth Group (5^th-12^th graders).  They are taught bible lessons, do fund raising activities, go on retreats, movie nights, and lending a helping hand at the church.

Our attendees on a regular basis ages are:

0-18   20        19-30   17         31-50   17        51-70   30         71 +   38

The majority of our members (approximately 75%) live in Winchendon, and 25% coming from surrounding areas. As a congregation, we keep in-touch through texting, email, zoom, live streaming and telephone.

Worship and Music

The music and worship at the United Parish reflect our traditions and vision through the incorporation of both contemporary and traditional elements.

As a blended body of believers encompassing all our traditions, we follow the Liturgical Church calendar while allowing the freedom of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in our worship.

The United Parish music consists of a generous mixture of Choir, Praise and Worship teams, soloists and special music, as well as a youth band. These musicians and groups cover a variety of musical styles.

The United Parish is blessed to be led by a very highly skilled professional organist and choir director, who is also a concert performer. Her expertise is the guiding force behind our worship experience.

Here at the United Parish, we value our children and bring them up in the church. “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 NIV

There are several programs at the United Parish for children of all ages including three programs on Sunday morning during church service and we have one program held on Sunday night.

• For newborns up to 3 years of age, there is a mothers’ room with all the necessary accommodations for small children. Parents can leave their child with our volunteer staff or the parent can stay with their child, and not miss the service upstairs. The service is live steamed on a TV in the mothers’ room.
• For children 3 to 11 years, we have a rotating volunteer teaching staff. The staff utilizes a curriculum called “The Gospel Project for Kids.” The curriculum includes a video, worksheets, and game and craft suggestions for that week’s lesson. The curriculum covers the Bible from beginning to the end. Our Children’s Ministry Director puts the weekly lessons together each week.
• Children 12 to 18 years, meet in a class they call the “Upper Room.” Our lead teacher does not use a set curriculum. Instead, he plans out the lesson each week for the youth based on what the youth are asking him about and then using a historical style of teaching, digs deeper into the bible.

The Christian Education Committee plans the activities that involve the children of the church. They also plan a minimum of four outreach programs for the community, including:

• Around Easter, we have a free dinner and Easter cookie decorating for children and their parents.
• On the Friday before Halloween is Trunk-or-Treat. There are usually 22 to 25 cars from the congregation. The Director provides a flier to the Winchendon schools. There are between 150 – 250 kids that attend this event.
• At the Holly Bazaar held in December, we offer a free coloring contest and a free make your own gingerbread house activity. The Director provides the coloring sheets to the Winchendon schools. Parents can enjoy shopping at the Holly Bazaar.
• Our biggest outreach is Vacation Bible School (VBS) for children age 5 to 11 years. This is a free, three-day event held from 8:30 am until 12:00 pm. It is held the last week of June on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday or in August if there are too many snow days. The Christian Education Committee chooses a theme in January/February. A team of volunteers come together and build our props, decorate, make snacks and check children in/out. The lessons are taught in five ways through science, crafts, games, drama and bible study.  On an average we host 45 to 55 children for this event.

The Sunday night program is our Youth Group (5^th to 12^th graders), run by our Youth Ministry Director. The youth group meets every Sunday except on holiday weekends from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Our lessons are taught by a rotating staff. All but one of our leadership team were once a part of one or more of our programs held here at the United Parish.

The youth group holds many events, including our two largest events – our winter and summer retreats. The winter retreat called, Encounter (a group build program), is in February and the summer retreat called, Ascend (an individual build program). Both are located in Jaffery, NH, at Monadnock, through Berea Ministries.

Other events include: a youth group dinner the first Sunday of each month, apple picking, movie nights, fear walk, lock-ins, yard sales and helping around the church.

In the past we have also had a Youth Band that on occasion led worship for the congregation. The Youth Band is not active at this time. We look forward to having a youth band again when we have youth who are interested in performing through singing and instruments.

Community Outreach

The United Parish is extremely involved with Outreach needs to our community. As a congregation we are blessed to have the calling and are able to assist with outreach projects.  The following are projects that we give back to the community through, not limited too;

• Murdock Pantry
• Our Neighbors Kitchen
• Nursing Home Ministry
• Summer Solstice
• VBS (Vacation Bible Study)
• Giving Tree (Tree of Sacrifice)
• Parade of Palms on Palm Sunday
• Christian Concerts (Needhams)
• Fall Festival
• Trunk & Treat
• Church Dinners
• Ladies’ Fellowship Ministry (hosts ladies half-day retreats)
• Mens’ Fellowship breakfasts
• Winchendon Council of Churches
• Craft’n & Creation (yearly make donations, i.e. Linus quilt project & pillowcases for children in the community)
• Living Nativity on Christmas Eve
• Holly Bazaar (children’s coloring contest / cookie decorating and music / Nativity sets (creche’) in the Sanctuary
• Scouting

Missions

The United Parish is blessed to be able to donate to a number of thriving missions. Along with taking on creative ways to reach out to those hurting through the gift of prayer or talents.  The Mission Committee has divided generous giving’s into three categories; Local, Foreign and Military missions. They are;

In addition, this past year (2023) the United Parish was blessed to donate to the following;

• Earthquake Victims of Turkey and Syria
• Daystar (Israel)
• Operation Christmas Child (gift boxes)

Stewardship

The United Parish is blessed to embrace a generous congregation, that meets the needs of our church and community, through tithes, prayer, time, and talents. A few activities that have and are still being used throughout the year are;

• The Giving Tree
• The Christmas tag tree (outreach to school students and our community)
• Donations, Memorial Steeple, Window lighting, Sunday School etc.
• Helping with the bazaar, dinners yard sales etc.
• Raising funds necessary to meet the annual church budget

Boards, Committees, and Groups

Church Finances

United Parish Expenditures for the Past Five Years

United Parish Income for the Past Five Years

Church History

The roots of the United Parish run deep through the town of Winchendon and extend back to the early settlers of this area. Our Methodist history roots date back to 1796; our Baptist roots to 1783 and our Congregational roots to 1762. Members of The First Congregational Church in Olde Centre founded the meetinghouse in which we currently worship, in 1844.

In 1970, the North Congregational Church, the First Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church joined together as one church body to form the United Parish of Winchendon. The three churches came together at a time when the First Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church were experiencing financial hardship. The three churches rallied together in an effort to preserve their ministries.

Town of Winchendon Massachusetts

The Town of Winchendon, otherwise known as “Toy Town,” has a population of 10,365 people. It is surrounded by four towns ranging in population from 6,000 to 20,500 people: Ashburnham, Templeton, Gardner, and Rindge, NH. Several places of interest in our area include the Winchendon Historical Society which is managed by volunteers and offers exhibits as well as a variety of programs and the Beals Memorial Library that recently went through a substantial renovation. The library offers activities and programs for both adults and children.

The town is run by a Board of Selectman, managed by the Town Manager, who is selected by the Board of Selectman. There is a full-time police and fire department with ambulance and rescue services.

Winchendon is a small, friendly community with so much to offer. In the way of recreation and entertainment we have Lake Dennison State Park, the North Central Pathway for hiking and biking, several conservation areas and playgrounds. In addition, Mount Graceland Trust maintains and controls land with hiking trails opened for the public to enjoy. Lake Monomonac straddles the border between Rindge, NH and Winchendon and provides opportunities for various recreational activities including boating, fishing, or simply relaxing by the water.

The recent addition of the Winchendon Community Parks includes the addition of a new outdoor amphitheater for outdoor concerts and events. The Clark Memorial YMCA is located downtown and is a nonprofit community service organization that promotes swimming, gymnastics and soccer programs to name a few options available.

In just a short drive, you can reach Mt. Monadnock and go for a climb or the Quabbin Reservoir for fishing, bird watching or a hike.

The Red Apple Farm is just a 15-minute ride where you can find many different kinds of apples and pumpkins to pick in the fall, a variety of fruits in season and many locally produced specialty foods.

Smith’s Country Cheese is located in Winchendon and is a family owned and operated working dairy farm and creamery for over 30 years.

Winchendon has its own public school system which offers education from pre-school through 12^th grade.

Other schools and colleges in the area include Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School (Fitchburg, MA). College level education in the surrounding areas; Mount Wachusett Community College (Gardner, MA), Fitchburg State University (Fitchburg, MA) and Franklin Pierce College (Rindge, NH).

There are many churches in the town of Winchendon. Some have joined in ecumenical services over the years. The denominations include Baptist, Methodist, Congregational, UCC, Catholic, Assembly of God, Unitarian Universalist and other bible based independent churches.

Winchendon’s downtown area has several businesses and shops. The downtown area recently went through a major renovation creating a user friendly and welcoming main street. Throughout the town there are several pizza and sub and sandwich shops, Chinese restaurant, and local diners offering lunch and breakfast. There are several very nice restaurants for dining within 30 minutes’ drive. Complete shopping experiences locally include Rindge, NH about 10 minutes from town and Gardner, Athol, and Leominster, MA about 25 minutes from town.

Other points of interest in Winchendon include:

Senior Center, Winchendon Community Action Committee aka CAC, Healing Program, Historical Old Center, Historical Society, walking/ bike trail.

Town wide activities include the Summer Solstice, Fall Festival, along with various holiday activities.  The majority of the local businesses in town are independently owned offering a wide variety of services.