Frequent questions to the Youth Ministry Office not only include questions about wage and benefit guidelines (see Youth Ministry Salaries), but also about job searches. Organizations want to post and advertise open positions, and youth ministries professionals want to know where to look for openings. The Youth Ministries office is not equipped to handle these logistics. Fortunately there is an office with expertise in the area of gifts discernment and career opportunities within the Episcopal Church. I encourage you to read the invitation below from my colleague in our office, Tori Duncan. I have almost completed my Ministry Portfolio and am happy to share my experience if you are curious. I am hopeful that we can fully engage with the Office For Transition Ministries to help further legitimize professional lay ministry and to take advantage of this church wide network in discerning employment opportunities.
I am hoping that you will communicate with the youth leaders of The Episcopal Church on my behalf that they are welcome and encouraged to register with the Office for Transition Ministry, thereby receiving access to a Ministry Portfolio and our database. Many positions are posted in and searched through our system, and I would like to have known as many leaders in your networks as possible! The OTM Ministry Portfolio emphasizes gifts and skills, experience and call from God as the key factors to discern possible candidates for a position, and I know your colleagues would enrich our database significantly. This seems like a win-win opportunity for the Church!
Individuals may register with our Office using the link on the OTM Portfolio landing page at: www.otmportfolio.org, or via a link on the Transition Ministry page of The Episcopal Church’s website: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/transition-ministry. Once the request for registration is submitted, we will provide the appropriate process to the individual directly. We request a lay leader have the Lay Certification form signed by his/her bishop, and require confirmation of canonical residence and good standing by clergy.
Thanks for helping me spread the word that the OTM Portfolio is not just for clergy registrants. We currently have over 16,000 individuals (both lay and ordained) registered, and believe that the richness and value of the tool comes with the participation of our gifted colleagues in ministry. Thank you!
The Rev. Victoria Duncan, Office for Transition Ministry
And for those not yet engaged with the Office for Transition Ministries, Forma is doing a pretty amazing job of tracking openings at their Jobs Corner here.
Faithfully,
Bronwyn Clark Skov, Officer for Youth Ministry