Coordinator for Ministry to Youth

Job Description

Job Purpose
Work collaboratively with the Office of Mission & Ministry team to strengthen all Hispanic and English-speaking parishes of the Diocese of Kalamazoo in living out the mission of the bishop. This position will promote parish support and create a culture of discipleship and leadership within the parish communities through youth ministry, young adult ministry, outreach to young people and development of young disciple leaders throughout the diocese. Directly evangelize staff and key volunteers, serving as a messenger of the faith, and training them to do the same to build up young people that are witnesses and living as missionary disciples.

Major Responsibilities
Youth and Young Adult Ministry
• Implement a plan for discipleship development of youth, which provides continuous support and spiritual development, including leading prayer opportunities, ministering to needs, and teaching the faith.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive program for training parishes to minister to youth and young adults, implementing a comprehensive ministry program within all parishes within the diocese.
• Minister to youth through retreats and pilgrimages, including but not limited to "The Presence", confirmation retreats, young adult retreats, World Youth Day, annual Michigan Young Adult hike.
• Oversee, organize, collaborate and promote the mission of the bishop regarding youth and young adult ministry.
• Establish and promote young adult adoration nights throughout the diocese.
• Assist parishes seeking spiritual renewal programs, evangelization tools, advice on implementing parish evangelization plans, etc. geared toward youth and young adults.
• Develop and implement a plan for parishes for comprehensive volunteer recruitment, training and retention programs.
• Oversee and implement curriculum for parish High School Religious Education, training YM's (Youth Ministers) in areas of curriculum sacraments and policies.
• Direct and give guidance to YM's in the parishes over issues (spiritual, theological, or from policies) that arise in religious education programs.
• Coordinate with other members of the diocesan staff to provide spiritual and evangelistic conferences and retreats to build evangelistic disciples of staff and volunteer throughout the diocese.
• Partner with outside organizations to assist in developing leaders, providing services, and to build a culture of discipleship.
• Various projects and tasks as assigned.

Other Mission and Ministry
• Parish Point person for a region of parishes and pastors, to engage staff, communicate programs, give spiritual support, and assist in implementing the bishop's mission. Execute plan for spiritual development within parishes which may include retreats, trainings, prayer events etc.
• Collaborate with others in the department to support parishes, teach and train parish staff, maintain contact with parish for ministry information, and develop support for parishes and staff.
• Collaborate with department on major programs and initiatives such as retreats, pilgrimages, conferences and trainings, including teaching the faith, leading prayer, giving spiritual guidance, and ministering to staff needs.
• Various tasks as assigned.

Education and Experience
• Bachelor's degree in theology or equivalent is required.
• Preferred minimum of three years in a parish, seminary, or religious institute working with programming and/or spiritual development.
• Preferred experience with:
o Collaborating with clergy and parish staff.
o Volunteering or working in ministry to youth or young adults.
o Working with adults in training and discipleship.
o Strategic planning and visioning, project management, data management and analysis.
o Communicating with and organizing a list of volunteers.

Skills and Qualifications
• Must be a disciple of Jesus, with active prayer life, with strong knowledge of and commitment to Catholic teachings and practices to perform role consistently aligned with the Catholic faith.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs is required.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are required with the ability to effectively listen, communicate with others and skills to present to a group.
• Ability to work effectively and collaborate with a team with a willingness to help wherever needed and to build and maintain positive working relationships.
• Must be able to problem solve and make informed decisions according to level of authority.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational skills to meet deadlines, multitask, and to shift priorities to meet diocesan needs.
• Must possess a high degree of confidentiality and professionalism, welcoming attitude, and a commitment to the highest level of customer service.
• Must pass Background check and fulfill diocesan Safe Environment programs.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish, knowledge of Burmese would be beneficial.

Other
This job summary is intended to describe the functions and nature of work performed by the person assigned to this position. It is not intended to describe all responsibilities, duties and skills required.
• Regular, reliable attendance is an essential function, and all employees are required to follow any other job-related instruction and perform any other job-related tasks as requested by their supervisor.
• While performing duties, employees must sit for long periods of time, use their hands in repetitive motion tasks, and answer telephone calls. The position also requires some standing, stooping, climbing stairs, and bending while filing.
• This position is located at the Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo Pastoral Center and will require travel to other diocesan offices, parishes and schools as required by position responsibilities and/or diocesan management. This position will be exposed routinely to typical office noise levels and/or exposure to various weather conditions.

Please apply on Indeed: https://www.indeed.com/job/coordinator-ministry-youth-d7f0d715d17b582a

About the Employer

The Catholic Diocese of Kalamazoo is the territory of Catholic churches and community led by Bishop Edward M. Lohse. The diocese was founded in 1971 when the Second Vatican Council called for the creation of smaller dioceses so that bishops could be more available to the people they serve. Today the diocese encompasses 5,337 square miles of nine counties in southwest Michigan: Allegan, Barry, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch and includes 59 parishes and missions as well as 20 Catholic schools.