| Position Title: |
| Ryal’s Minister for Children and Youth |
| Church or Organization: |
| St. Philip’s Episcopal Church |
| Denomination: |
| Episcopal |
| Location: |
| Durham, NC |
| Post Position Description: |
| St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, in the heart of downtown Durham, is seeking a creative, collaborative, child- and youth-loving leader to serve as our Ryals Minister for Children and Youth. In addition to immersion in both our children’s and youth programs, you’ll be integral to reimagining our formation offerings across the entire spectrum of ages. If you are seeking a vibrant, urban, inclusive, and engaged community, look no further. You will also be a member of a team of professionals who work together to welcome all, support our growing numbers of children and youth, provide pastoral response and care, and ensure beautiful liturgies that are inclusive and intergenerational. If this sounds like you, let’s talk. Qualifications • Ongoing close relationship with the Triune God, including honoring and caring for all of creation, following the teachings of Jesus Christ, and remaining open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in all areas of your ministry. • Lay and ordained leaders with experience in the Episcopal Church welcomed • An innate love and compassion for children, youth, and the volunteers that support them. • Three or more years of parish ministry or its equivalent secular experiences. • Proven experience leading, developing, and supporting volunteer teams. • Demonstrated strengths creating welcoming spaces and events, coordinating service opportunities, and administrating programs. • Strong interpersonal communication and conflict resolution skills. • Working knowledge of Christian formation, Episcopal liturgy, music, and prayer, with the ability to engage and teach the tradition in ways that are engaging, accessible, inclusive, and relevant to contemporary parish life. Primary Responsibility: Children and Youth Formation Through our Christian education offerings, we discover what it means to be loved by God and what it means to love God in an inclusive and affirming Christian context. This looks like: wonder and curiosity for our youngest; encouraging the questioning of our teens; and supporting our two dozen adult volunteers. You will be immersed in the following programs, making a deep understanding very important: • Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Designed to foster religious values of children ages birth through 6th grade, with Godly Play lessons mixed in. Using Montessori-based age groupings and approaches, the children learn about all aspects of our faith in an age-appropriate way that emphasizes curiosity and wondering. • Journey to Adulthood. Our signature program, created by parishioners of St. Philip’s and now used by congregations throughout the United States. Journey to Adulthood uses a developmental approach to youth faith formation, with a focus on building strong relationships among peers and mentors, who work together as our youth learn and grow. We are developing ways to support our youth across the entire congregation instead of relying on short-term youth ministers. • Intergenerational Aspirations. We are envisioning an approach that integrates these programs, along with adult formation, to grow beyond age-determined boundaries to support a more robust intergenerational formation approach at our parish. Together with our next Associate Rector, this is where your creativity and passion for ministry will shine. Reporting and Collaborative Ministry The Ryals Minister will report to God first and foremost, and locally with: • The Associate Rector, Formation who has responsibility the entirity of our formation offerings The Ryals Minister will collabortate with • The Rector in the overall leadership and vision of the parish • The Director of Music in the musical and choral offerings for children and their families • Lay leaders throughout the parish in fostering a creative, healthy, and collaborative culture of ministry where they feel safe to take risks and try new things • Families as the primary faith formers for their children Compensation and Benefits: • Competitive salary commensurate with experience and diocesan guidelines • Health Insurance plans including FSA and HSA options • Church Pension Fund pension benefits • Four weeks of yearly vacation • Professional development budget and expense reimbursement • Participation in diocesan clergy development and nationwide continuing formation opportunities About St. Philip’s St. Philip’s Episcopal Church is a beacon of God’s light and love in downtown Durham. At our core, we are all about Worship, Love, and Action: • Where Worship praises God for abundant blessings, feeds and uplifts souls, and teaches the way of Jesus Christ. • Where Love boldly welcomes all, celebrates and protects God’s creation, and encourages, comforts, and empowers others. • Where Action bears witness and condemns injustice, challenges systems that oppress, and shines light throughout the world fueled by the Holy Spirit. Located in the 400 block of Durham’s East Main Street across from the Health and Human Services building, we share our property with our 42-year partner, Urban Ministries of Durham, which supports the unhoused in our community with shelter, meals, resources, and hope. Come join us. To apply: send resume, cover letter and your Vocation Hub profile to The Rev. Maryann D. Younger, [email protected] by October 15. 2026. We can’t wait to hear from you. http://www.stphilipsdurham.org @stphilipsdurham on socials |
| What type of commitment are you seeking?: |
| Full Time |
| Email for more information: |
| [email protected] |
| Website for more information: |
| http://www.stphilipsdurham.org |