Director of Music, St. Paul's Lutheran Church (20 hours per week) (Santa Monica, CA)

Director of Music, St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Santa Monica, CA
Part-time: 20 Hours per week under one year renewable contract
Competitive compensation consistent with experience

About St. Paul’s. St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Santa Monica, founded in 1926, is a congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), committed to living out our faith through worship, learning, service, and by pursuing justice, reconciliation and wholeness for all.  The word "evangelical" in both the name of our congregation and of our denomination means that we are centered in the Good News of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. We fully embrace our Lutheran theological heritage, which invites us to be radically inclusive and wholly welcoming of all regardless of race, age, ability, gender expression, or ethnicity. St. Paul’s is an inclusive and intergenerational Christian community in which faith relationships with God are nurtured and deepened.

We are also a Reconciling in Christ congregation within the ELCA since 2001. "Reconciling in Christ" means that St. Paul's Lutheran Church has adopted an affirmation of welcome for all people, but particularly those who might not feel welcome in other faith communities.  We are intentional in our embrace and inclusion of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender individuals.

Overview of the Position.  Worship is at the heart of all we do. Worship sends us forth to live as God’s people in our families, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. The role of the Director of Music is to ensure that God is glorified, and the gospel proclaimed through the musical life of the congregation. The Director of Music is responsible for leading the musical expression of the people – the assembly, choral groups, solos singers and instrumentalists – among whom organists have been especially important for Lutherans. The congregation has an Abbott & Sieker 17 rank tracker organ installed in 1974 as well as a 1917 Steinway piano. The Director of Music works together in ministry with the pastor and people of St. Paul’s to involve the worshiping community in making high-quality, beautiful music together to the glory of God.

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in music, church music, or other related degree or experience.
• Demonstrated skill and competency at the pipe organ and piano, and a working knowledge of inclusion of other instruments.
• Demonstrated skill and competency directing volunteer ensembles, both vocal and instrumental, to serve in worship as a choir or small group.
• Interest in and willingness to work with children to develop and encourage their participation in the worship and music of the church.
• Interest in and willingness to engage in congregational life to recruit and involve people in making music as individuals and in ensembles.
• An understanding of and commitment to the extension of the ministry of St. Paul’s into the community, offering the treasures of worship and music as a means of communicating the love of Christ for all people.
• Knowledge of and embracing Lutheran heritage and liturgical practices, including familiarity with liturgical seasons, lectionary, hymnody, and appropriate choral music.
• Excellence in communication and organizational skills.
• Desire to participate in a collaborative work environment, embracing and mindful of liturgical tradition, while bringing creativity and innovation to the communication of the Gospel.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

1. Support congregational song through musical leadership and accompaniment on the pipe organ and piano for weekly worship on Sunday mornings, special services appropriate to the liturgical calendar including Advent/Christmas, Lent/Holy Week/Easter, and other designated worship opportunities for the congregation.
2. Select preludes, offertories, postludes, and ensemble music, including pieces from a diverse musical idiom, appropriate to the liturgical calendar and seasonal theme. Supply information on selected music (organ, piano, choral, and instrumental) in a timely manner for inclusion in the weekly bulletin.
3. Participate in worship planning with the pastor and prepare a worship musical design each week to assist the parish administrator in bulletin preparation; proofread the bulletin before printing.
4. Embrace the rich variety of musical idioms in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal and other resources to enhance the congregation’s worship experience.
5. Be aware of the congregation’s commitment to the use of inclusive language and expansive imagery of God when selecting anthems and hymns and make changes to lyrics as appropriate.
6. Conduct the choir at weekly rehearsals. They currently sing on Sunday mornings, early/mid September through late May/early June depending on the church calendar.
7. Through music, engage the children and youth in the life of the congregation via singing and instrument skills, thereby fostering their participation and sense of leadership in worship.
8. Provide for solo, small ensemble, or instrumental music for Sundays during the summer months and for special services during the year when the regular choir is not scheduled to serve.
9. Provide music for wedding and funeral worship services if available when requested for a fee established by the Church Council and paid in advance.
10. Arrange for substitute musicians and provide preparation support for them during the Director of Music’s time away from regular duties at St. Paul’s.
11. Maintain the music library and supervise the care and maintenance and the repair of the organ and piano.
12. Maintain professional competency by adequately planning, preparing, and practicing, as well as attending continuing educational opportunities.
13. Participate in Worship & Music Committee meetings as scheduled. Work with the Worship & Music Committee to propose an annual budget.
14. Participate in a yearly performance review by the Executive Committee of the Church Council.
15. Encouraged to attend congregational activities, particularly following worship, as schedule permits.
16. Additional tasks as mutually determined with the Pastor.

Candidates should email a cover letter and resume to cantorsearch@stpaulsantamonica.org   or mail the same to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 958 Lincoln Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90403 by June 15, 2019. The search committee will contact those candidates it would like to interview and audition by June 30, 2019.