Student Ministry Coordinator (Full-Time) – Jacksonville Beach, FL

Palms is a diverse and transformative community of believers embodying the grace of Christ by:

• Serving as bridge builders for a divided world
• Working as ambassadors for compassion and reconciliation
• Growing servant leaders for God’s work in a rapidly changing world

Core Values

• Compassion and Love – We nurture an open and inclusive environment that respects differences and welcomes everyone.
• Spiritual Growth – We teach and practice lifelong spiritual growth.
• Service and Connection – We are the body of Christ as we respond to the needs of others.
• Creative Spirit – We joyfully embrace innovative approaches to God’s work.
• Honesty and Integrity – We are open, trusting, and direct in our relationships

Over the years, Palms has kept the focus of being a community where a family could come to serve God together. Providing engaging worship, education for all ages, care for the whole range of the community and serving in Jacksonville Beach and the world, Palms seeks to serve God as a family of faith. Moving to our current location over 50 years ago, Palms updated its facilities to serve the church and the community better. As a community, Palms has always looked beyond itself into Gods’ world and has been instrumental in the formation of local mission organizations such as Pablo Towers, BEAM, Mission House, and Beaches Habitat.

Reports to: Pastor/Head of Staff

Job Summary

The Student Ministry Coordinator has responsibility for the church’s ministry to all students, grades six through twelve. The Student Ministry Coordinator will work to build relationships with the students of Palms, to foster their connection to one another, to provide weekly opportunities for fellowship and growth, to coordinate a Sunday school program, to encourage students’ involvement in other aspects of church life, to coordinate service opportunities, and to plan and lead retreats and trips throughout the year.

Essential Functions

• Plan and lead core elements of student ministry, including
  • weekly fellowship gatherings for middle and high school students;
  • a weekly Sunday school program for students during the Sunday morning education hour;
  • an annual confirmation program for 9^th grade students;
  • and trips/retreats for throughout the year for service and spiritual growth as appropriate.
• Recruit, train, and support lay leaders to be involved in all aspects of student ministry at Palms.
• Work to involve students in the overall life of the church.
• Maintain open communication with students and their families.
• Coordinate fundraisers to support youth programs as needed.
• Engage students in planning and leading worship for annual Youth Sunday.
• Coordinate as appropriate with other staff to create opportunities for intergenerational ministry.
• Support the pastoral staff in providing pastoral care to students and their families.
• Serve as a staff resource to the Nurture Team (i.e., Christian education committee).
• Participate in worship as requested.
• Attend weekly meetings with pastoral/program staff and with whole church staff.
• Other duties relevant to student ministry as assigned by the Head of Staff.

Core Competencies

• Personal Competencies
  • Compassion and Care
  • Influencing Others
  • Mission Ownership (Especially Theology)
  • Time Management
• Organizational Competencies
  • Helping Orientation
  • Team Orientation
• Managerial Competencies
  • Process Management
  • People/Volunteer management
• Pastoral Competencies
  • Spiritual Maturity
  • Spiritual Formation/Discipleship

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent required.
• Experience in youth ministry (preferred).
• Working knowledge of social media and current technology.
• Effective communication and planning skills.
• Desire to continue to develop professionally and to grow spiritually.