Worship Director

First Congregational Church of Essex – Worship Director
 

Church: First Congregational Church of Essex
Location: Essex, MA
Hours: 5-10 hours/week (part-time)
Compensation: $15-20/hour (based on experience)

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Church & Role Overview:

First Congregational Church of Essex is a small-town church that has been faithfully serving Jesus and our neighbors for over three centuries. With an average weekly attendance of 75-80, we are a close-knit community where people can truly know and be known.

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The Worship Director leads and curates the musical elements of Sunday worship, inspiring the congregation to engage fully in worship and praise. This role emphasizes balancing traditional hymns and contemporary worship music, ensuring all selections are theologically sound, singable, and engaging for congregational singing. The Worship Director collaborates with the Lead Pastor and other church leaders to create meaningful worship experiences throughout the year.

 

Spiritual and Personal Qualifications:

1. Walks in a personal, Spirit-led discipleship to Jesus Christ.

2. Holds to the historic Christian faith as expressed in the Apostles’ Creed.

3. Possesses experience, training, and expertise in music and worship leadership.

4. Demonstrates creativity and takes initiative in proposing and developing song selections.

5. Demonstrates excellent relational skills across all generations.

 

Core Responsibilities:​

Worship Planning and Leadership:

• Curate and lead music for weekly worship services, integrating both traditional hymns and contemporary praise songs to create meaningful, participatory experiences for all ages.

• Ensure all music selections are theologically sound, singable by the congregation, and align with the Scripture/themes of the week.

• Prepare music resources such as PowerPoint slides, sheet music, or other media for the congregation and worship team.

• Recruit, organize, and lead musicians/singers as needed to support worship leadership.

• Introduce and teach new songs to expand the congregation’s repertoire and bring fresh music into the worship service.

• Adult Choir (based on gifting): Select anthems, teach the music, and rehearse with the choir during the week (currently Thursday evenings), then direct the choir during Sunday worship services (September to June).

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Special Services and Seasonal Responsibilities:

• Assist with special non-Sunday worship services (e.g., weddings, funerals, Good Friday, Christmas Eve).

• Coordinate offertory music during summer when the choir is on break.

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Administrative and Collaborative Duties:

• Prepare the annual music budget and manage music-related resources.

• Maintain CCLI subscriptions and uphold copyright compliance.

• Coordinate music coverage during planned absences (up to 4 Sundays per year, negotiable).

 

 

This role may also be combined with the Youth Pastor role, depending on a candidate’s interest and gifting.

You can learn more about the Youth Pastor role here: fccoe.org/youth-pastor