Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford, Massachusetts
Position Available: Children’s Program Director (formerly called Director of Religious Education)

13 hours/week
43 weeks/year, September to mid-June
$31/hour

Applications currently accepted on a rolling basis at: office@uumedford.org

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford seeks a part-time religious educator to serve as Children’s Program Director and share in programmatic leadership of our vibrant, lay-led congregation of 75 members  located in a historic building at the heart of a dynamic, family-friendly city four miles from downtown Boston.

The Children’s Program Director is responsible for creating and implementing a comprehensive and fun program of faith formation for about a dozen children. In partnership with our Coordinator of Worship and Community Life, and with the active support of our Board, the Children’s Program Director will provide support to our multigenerational community as we continue to live our vision of shared ministry. We expect the Children’s Program Director and Coordinator of Worship and Community Life to contribute to shaping our congregation’s future, and they can expect the Board to welcome their ideas and initiatives. The Children’s Program Director is supervised by the Board with one Board member designated as the point person. 

Responsibilities include:

Worship and Spiritual Leadership

• Be present at church for Sunday services, September to mid-June
• Support children’s active participation and sense of belonging in the opening portion of worship
• Create vibrant “Time For All Ages” presentations, and support lay leaders and visiting speakers who do the Time for All Ages on occasion
• Prepare two Children’s Program Services during the church year that involve young people in leading the Sunday morning service
• Work closely with the Worship Committee to coordinate children’s programming with the sermon theme

Classroom and Curricular Leadership

• Prepare weekly classes for children of many ages and diverse developmental needs, in one, two, or three groups
• Select, create, or adapt curricula appropriate to our community of children
• Serve as primary teacher in one classroom each week
• Maintain a children-generated classroom covenant congruent with Unitarian Universalist values
• Recruit and support program volunteers
• Supervise one paid Children’s Program Assistant

Administrative and Community-Building Leadership

• Work collaboratively with the Coordinator of Worship and Community Life, and with the Board, to support the overall vision of our congregation
• Build deep relationships with our church community, and especially with children and their families
• Organize occasional community-building events outside of regular worship time, both for families in particular and for the entire congregation
• Attend monthly Board meetings to the extent this proves useful
• Attend monthly Worship Committee meetings to the extent this proves useful
• Lead quarterly meetings of persons involved with the children’s program

Requirements include:

• Experience working with children, either as a professional or volunteer
• Familiarity with Unitarian Universalism and/or other liberal religious traditions
• Commitment to Unitarian Universalist values
• Enjoy working with children and families
• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Knowledge of how children think, learn, play, and develop
• Effective public speaking, storytelling, and/or performance skills

UUCM

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford is a historic congregation that seeks to be a spiritual home for people of free faith in Medford, Somerville, and the surrounding communities. Our history began with the gathering of Medford’s First Parish Church in 1663. Three hundred years later, it merged with First Universalist and Hillside Universalist to create our current faith community. Since 2024, we have been fully lay-led, with responsibility for weekly services shared broadly by members of our congregation, visiting ministers, and guests from many faith traditions. Our Coordinator of Worship and Community Life and Director of the Children’s Program help carry out the overall vision and mission of our community and are supported in their contributions by our Board, Worship Committee, and the congregation as a whole.

Please email resume and letter of interest to: Lourie August at office@uumedford.org