First Presbyterian Church Meridian - Meridian, MS is hiring: Minister Of Music i

Director of Music & Worship Ministries

First Presbyterian Church

Meridian, MS

We are looking for someone who will...

• Coordinate the participation of the choir, praise band, accompanists, soloists, and vocal/instrumental ensembles in the worship service
• Bring the ability to play the piano or guitar (if possible, the organ), along with knowledge or background in leading singers and musicians
• Be willing and able to assist the pastors in leading a blended worship service that incorporates contemporary music (from the last 10 years, including the RUF Hymnal) with traditional church music
• Be willing and able to serve as a worship leader, and to utilize the gifts and abilities of church members in the worship service, which includes the ability to sing solos.
• Be willing and able to direct a church choir as a vital part of the worship service
• Be a cooperative and flexible team player with the ability to support and facilitate volunteer workers
• Must be above reproach in his marital and personal life.

HISTORY & CURRENT STATUS

First Presbyterian Church (FPC) is a historic, downtown Presbyterian church that has worshipped in and ministered to Meridian, MS, since 1856. In 1990, it left the mainline Presbyterian church to join the more biblically conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church. At that time, the church was a traditional Presbyterian church with formal dress, clerical robes, and no contemporary music elements.

The current pastor, Rhett Payne, arrived in 2002 with a church planting and revitalization background. The church committed to developing ministries for young people and saw steady growth in children, youth, and young adult involvement. The church also began to develop a less formal worship style, adding piano and guitar. Clerical robes started disappearing from weekly worship, and the dress slowly moved from neckties to button-ups and polos. FPC is committed to blended worship, combining traditional and contemporary worship elements.

Over the last few years, FPC's ministries have grown dramatically, particularly among young families. The children, nursery, and youth ministries have grown steadily alongside the adult ministries. Worship attendance has grown from an average of 170 in 2010 to an average of 240 in 2017, and currently 329. The median age of the church membership is 38. Newcomers are growing in their faith. Visitors are investigating Jesus. And leaders are being trained to invest in the growing ministries.

Being a downtown church, in recent years, it has purchased property surrounding the building to provide sufficient parking and room for growth in the future. FPC's history creates great joy and satisfaction, considering the Lord's faithfulness to this congregation for over 150 years. However, as the people of FPC look to the future, they are excited because they know that the best is yet to come!

First Presbyterian Church is part of theEvangelical Presbyterian Church(EPC). ClickHEREfor more information about the church's beliefs.

CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY

The Music and Worship Ministry at First Presbyterian is healthy and thriving. The church has a committed group of volunteers who lead worship, including instrumentalists, singers/soloists, and an established choir of about 25-30 people. Currently, upwards of 50 people participate in FPC's bands and choirs over the course of the year. Two part-time accompanists, both playing organ and piano, are also employed.

The Director of Music & Worship Ministries reports to the senior pastor and oversees music volunteers and part-time accompanists. This person works with the Senior Pastor to plan and lead the Sunday worship services. A worship committee exists to provide additional help and support for the director.

As an evangelical Presbyterian church, First Presbyterian is highly committed to orthodox theology and Bible teaching. This includes a high value placed on theologically rich music. Worship services incorporate current worship songs alongside modern hymn arrangements, with a particular affinity for hymn arrangements byIndelible Grace Music.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of a bachelor's degree and feel comfortable coordinating a choir and building volunteer bands. The person will be a strong vocalist who can play an instrument (piano is preferred, but not necessary). Someone who is a self-starter, plans well, and coordinates others is needed. Finally, this person should be spiritually mature with the heart of a minister who shepherds others.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church motto is, "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity; truth in love." The Director of Music & Worship Ministries must agree with the EPC's essentials of the faith but doesnt necessarily have to be a convinced Presbyterian or Calvinist. However, the person who will be most comfortable at First Presbyterian Church is someone who has evangelical convictions, leans toward Reformed or Calvinist theology, agrees with infant baptism, and has complementarian views.

Above all, the Director of Music & Worship Ministries should lead with godly humility, loving the Lord and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

LOCATION & DEMOGRAPHICS

First Presbyterian Church is located in Meridian, Mississippi, the eighth largest city in the state. About 35,000 people live within the city limits, and another 235,000 people live in the surrounding area. Located at the intersection of Interstates 20 and 59, Meridian is 93 miles east of Jackson, 154 miles southwest of Birmingham, Alabama, 202 miles northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana, and 231 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee.

In Meridian, youll find a historic downtown full of great architecture and more than a dozen locally owned boutiques and other specialty shops (some featuring Mississippi-made merchandise), plus six museums, two stunning retro theaters, Civil Rights and Civil War heritage trails, and Mississippis oldest live-music scene. Elsewhere in the city, browse for antiques, get your blood pumping with a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, let a lake-centered urban park or a riverside waterfall soothe your spirit, and take a whirl on a vintage carousel guaranteed to make you grin. For more information on what it's like to live, work, and play in Meridian, go toVisitMeridian.com.

The area is served by two military facilities, Naval Air Station Meridian and Key Field, which employ over 4,000 people. NAS Meridian is home to the Regional Counter-Drug Training Academy (RCTA) and the first local Department of Homeland Security in the state. Students in Training Air Wing ONE (Strike Flight Training) train in the T-45C Goshawk training jet. Key Field is now home to the 186th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard and a support facility for the 185th Aviation Brigade of the Army National Guard.

The area is also served by two military facilities, Naval Air Station Meridian and Key Field, which supply over 4,000 jobs to residents of the surrounding area. NAS Meridian provides training for naval carrier pilots and other enlisted personnel. Also housed at the base is the Regional Counter-Drug Training Academy (RCTA), which provides narcotics training for law enforcement in many southeastern states. Key Field is the site of the famous flight by brothers Fred and Al Key, who set a world endurance flight record in 1935, and is now home to the 186th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard and a support facility for the 185th Aviation Brigade of the Army National Guard. The site also contains an exhibit reviewing the history of aviation, and houses Meridian's Aviation Museum.

Meridian is incredibly affordable, with the cost of living at around 27% below the national average according toBestPlaces.net. According to the same source, a typical home here costs around $107,000.00, and even some of the most desirable neighborhoods can boast home prices as low as around $170,000.00. The low cost of living, amenities, and proximity to larger cities make Meridian an attractive place to live.