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University Gathering UMC (Seattle, WA): P/T Worship Leader

Reports to: Lead Pastor, Rev. Paul Ortiz

Status: half-time, 20 hours per week

Salary: 30k annually

Job Summary: The worship leader facilitates and energetically leads music during Sunday worship services, incorporating a variety of elements and diverse styles (hymns, choral pieces, and contemporary worship) that focus on welcoming and inspiring the church community into full participation in the bold mission of God’s love and justice in our city. The candidate must be passionate about embracing anti-racist practices, and centering LGBTQIA+ spiritual needs and realities, as they minister to, and help us build, a diverse faith community in the University District of Seattle.

Essential Functions

  • Communicate with the pastor and worship team on theme/sermon content for the week to create a well-planned and prayerful worship service, choosing songs that would lead people most effectively and respond to God’s word and presence
  • Recruit/audition volunteer musicians, singers, and choir singers
  • Frequently invite others to increase size and diversity (gender, racial/ethnic) of singers and musicians
  • Coordinate and oversee rehearsals (usually before service on Sunday morning)
  • Lead music during the service through vocals and instruments (ideally guitar, percussion, and/or piano), including opening, offering, communion, and closing songs
  • Exhibits a strong presence of public leadership and public speaking as they invite and lead us into worshiping God on Sunday morning

Other Responsibilities 

  • Participation in weekly worship meetings (over Zoom)
  • Connecting, being available for meeting or answering questions/taking suggestions of congregants
  • Arranging, writing, transcribing recordings/writing out scores and charts as necessary
  • Update songs with exclusively male pronouns for God to use more inclusive language (i.e., she, they, Godself) when possible

Minimum Qualifications

  • Formal or informal musical training (can range from self-taught, to private lessons, to college degreed with a music background)
  • At least 1 year prior experience leading worship in a congregational setting preferred
  • Experience working with congregations comprised and supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color strongly preferred
  • Ability to lead songs vocally and instrumentally
  • Knowledge of a wide range of Christian/spiritual songs that are diverse and relevant
  • Experience training and organizing musicians
  • Comfortable speaking and performing publicly
  • The ability to create goals and vision for the music team

Core Competencies

  • Public leadership
  • Detail-oriented
  • Passionate/Inspirational
  • Team building
  • Developing relationships

How to Apply

Please email your cover letter and resume to Pastor Paul Ortiz (paul.ortiz@ugathering.org) or (office@ugathering.org).  Optional, feel free to include up to three YouTube/Vimeo links to services where you are leading worship for reference. All applicants will be considered equally even if links aren’t included in your application email. For qualified applicants, we will follow up with scheduling an interview.

University Gathering United Methodist Church is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. To learn more about the church, visit www.ugathering.org.

Download this listing: Worship Leader Job Description 2022

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