Part Time Pastor

Our diverse and faithful community is prayerfully seeking a new permanent pastor to guide us during a time of fresh beginnings following the retirement of our long-time pastor. We are inviting a pastor to preach on Sundays and to oversee and develop other ministries to shepherd the spiritual needs of the church and of the church we hope to become. Our ministry priorities are preaching, teaching/bible study, pastoral care, leadership development, and community engagement, including young adult and family-focused ministries.
(While a full-time permanent pastor is our ultimate goal, we want to leave room to allow God to move and do not wish to overlook any candidate who may be bi-vocational, for example, or who may want to start on a permanent part-time basis, with an option of moving to full-time in due course should it be mutually desirable.)

Overview of Church and Community
Fourth Avenue Baptist Church gathers weekly for worship in rich diversity, coming together from many backgrounds, holding many perspectives, to worship one Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Our members span every generational demographic, from youth to seasoned saints, married and single, ‘stable’ and transient wounded, though most regular and committed attendees trend towards middle- and elderly-adults. Scriptural-based preaching and music form the bedrock of our services, as means of worship and encouragement, and connection and outreach. Our team includes an organist, choir director, custodian, church administrator, church Council, and church trustees.
With the retirement of our long-time pastor, we are in a time of transition and fresh beginnings; We are eager to enter into a new season of ministry and although we do not yet know what that will bring, we know that God has plans for both us and for the community.
Fourth Avenue Baptist Church is located in Ottawa’s Glebe neigbourhood at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Bank Street, where God has been working through us for over 127 years. And though we are seeking to update and develop new outreach initiatives, our community involvement to date has included participation in the Centre Town Churches Social Action Committee (CCSAC) and the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale, being the home to Encore Fashions, selling consignment quality items for men and women. More recently, we are working with the Glebe Business Improvement Area to beautify and steward our church courtyard for public access use, including with respect to hosting music concerts with local artists. Our church building is also intentionally used as a space to help others, including by being home to two other church congregations and other tenants such as a local choir and music lessons teacher.
In short, our congregation make-up and downtown location is ripe with opportunity for a pastor-leader with a heart for growth, outreach, and fresh beginnings.

Church Purpose | Mission Statement
We seek to present Him to all people in a creative and caring way by our music, our words, and our deeds.
We seek to create a loving environment where everyone is accepted and can grow to his or her full potential in Jesus Christ, through service, worship, outreach, fellowship, and discipleship.

MDiv (preferred) or equivalent theological training and ministry experience
~The focus will be to preach and teach God’s word by leading service on Sundays, and to oversee and develop other ministries to shepherd the spiritual needs of the church and of the church we hope to become. Our ministry priorities are preaching, teaching/bible study, pastoral care, leadership development, and community engagement, including young adult and family-focused ministries.
A candidate would also be expected to perform baptisms, communion, weddings, funerals, and youth education, if and when required. The candidate will work with the church Council, administrator, trustees, choir director, and members, including by attending monthly leadership meetings.

Christian faith lived out with integrity and sincerity
~Pastor-leadership skills, including motivated to implement a shared vision, being a servant leader, good communicator, respectful of differences and other perspectives, being adept at time management/administration, and having a sense of fun and humour.