Position: Community / Outreach Pastor
Part time: 3-5 days per week
Location: Cnr Dunmore St & Pendle Way, Pendle Hill
Our Community Pastor will help us lovingly connect with our community. They will engage in ministry amongst young people and our culturally diverse community and be a chaplain to our community programs…
The Position
Pathways Community Church seeks to appoint a Community/Outreach Pastor who would work outside the congregation to lovingly connect into the wider community. The person will be passionate about connecting volunteers and clients in our community programs, children and our culturally diverse community, with the love of Jesus.
Pathways Community is a church affiliated with churches of Christ in NSW and ACT and a not-for-profit community organisation (Pathways Community Care). We want to see people helped in practical ways and to offer them the opportunity to put their faith in Jesus.
The position is 3 to 5 days per week and remuneration will be commensurate with experience.
This role has three areas of engagement:
- Engaging with people in the wider community of Pendle Hill – those who are yet to have any contact with Pathways Community. We have a long history of engaging with young people and we are aware of the cultural diversity of our community, particularly the significant Indian community and are keen to make contact with them.
- Our formal funded programs connect us with a variety of people in need. Our community pastor will work with Pathways Community Care staff as a chaplain to these programs – building positive relationships and opening pathways for people to explore faith.
- This role will oversee and proactively bring Christian engagement into two programs that are part of Pathways Community Church. Common Groundz Café is a community café in a community with a significant public housing population. It aims to create a safe, welcoming and engaging space for members of that community. Stepping Stone provides Sunday lunch and Wednesday dinner for people sleeping rough.
The position will be responsible to the Eldership and oversee Common Groundz Community Café and our Stepping Stone program. Pathways Community is a church affiliated with churches of Christ in NSW and ACT and a not-for-profit community organisation (Pathways Community Care).
The Church
Pathways Community Church, located in Pendle Hill has been active in Sydney’s west for 80 years. With a rich heritage of community service, we are a small church community and community service organisation including short and medium-term accommodation, an aged care volunteer visitors scheme, early intervention and emergency relief programs, meals for rough sleepers and community cafe.
We believe the church has something to say and do in our community – to engage with injustice in practical ways, to speak into a world that is intolerant, and to model a loving community centred on Jesus. We have an informal style of gathering and worship, an inclusive sharing and teaching program, and a creative approach to service in the community. We believe the church goes beyond the walls of Sunday morning and expresses itself not only in words, but action.
The Pathways community centre is open most days, providing various welfare and outreach programs. We are looking for a person who resonates with our approach to ministry and has the personal skills to engage with people who are part of the Pathways Community and those in the wider community. This position does not have a congregational role. We are not looking for someone to preach or to do pastoral care. We would want the person to be part of Sunday gatherings on a regular basis.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Establishing a connection with local schools and taking SRA (Special Religious Education) classes there.
- Developing associated activities that connect local children with Pathways Community.
- Developing activities that connect local youth with Pathways Community.
- Developing activities that connect with the local Indian community.
- Engaging as a chaplain to Pathways Community Care programs, particularly emergency relief, ikidz, play group, craft group, and short and medium term accommodation.
- Overseeing the operation of Common Groundz Community Café.
- Engaging as a chaplain to Common Groundz Community Café and the wider community through café activities.
- Engaging as a chaplain to the Stepping Stone program.
Key Selection Criteria
- An easy, calm and engaging way of relating to a wide variety of people, especially people on the margins of Australian society.
- Passion for justice, the marginalised and for people to know Jesus.
- Demonstrated ability to connect people on the margins into the Christian community.
- Relevant ministry training.
Desirable Criteria
- Community Development or Social Work qualifications or experience.
- Ability to manage a team.
- Experience in a similar ministry situation.
Application Process
Send an email with a one-page response to the Key Selection Criteria and Desirable Criteria to elders@pathwayscommunity.org.au or ring Colin Scott on 0401 671 349.
There is no closing date – applications will be considered as they are received
Pathways Community Church
Cnr Dunmore St & Pendle Way PENDLE HILL NSW 2145
Ph: (02) 9636 7400