Canon for Spiritual Formation/Christian Education

Principal Function: The Canon for Spiritual Formation works with the Dean, clergy, and key lay leaders to renew and revitalize all aspects of the Cathedral’s formation and educational ministries, including the offerings for children, youth, and adults. In a post-COVID world, the new Canon is in a unique position to help the Cathedral leadership entirely reimagine formation in ways that are intergenerational, intercultural, bilingual, dynamic, experiential, and not necessarily experienced in a traditional classroom setting.

The core task of the Canon is to help the Cathedral become a people who can both articulate and embody the distinctive perspective of the Christian faith in the “middle way” that is Anglicanism and the Episcopal Church. The Canon helps the Cathedral leadership build practices of integrative reflection and action, developing knowledge and understanding of faith and of the spiritual habits that will strengthen and nurture us and then lead us into meaningful engagement with the world as bold witnesses of Jesus Christ in a pluralistic world. 

The Canon has three areas of concentration in their ministry:

• Empowering the members of Christ Church Cathedral to grow as maturing, faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Welcoming spiritual seekers and newcomers to the Cathedral in exploring the Christian faith in a safe and open setting.
• Inviting our downtown neighbors of many different faith backgrounds and no faith backgrounds into meaningful, transformative spiritual conversations and formative experiences.

In doing this work, the Canon will intentionally seek and include a variety of theological voices and leaders that reflect the richness and diversity of our city and community.

The Canon is an executive leader in a multi-staff environment and provides leadership to and supervision of staff and volunteers involved in all aspects of formation ministries at Christ Church Cathedral. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Duties include, but are not limited to: 

Ministry Leadership 

• Articulates the mission and vision of Christ Church Cathedral and ensures that all programs, services and parish leaders work to further this vision and mission.
• Collaborates with the Cathedral clergy and the Rector and Dean to develop and implement a comprehensive Christian formation and education program for adults in both English and Spanish. The program should offer multiple entry points and reach out to a wide audience with different learning styles and ability levels. As part of this work, the Canon will establish baseline numbers of participating adults at the beginning of her/his ministry and then track program participation on a weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly basis.
• Directs and guides the Director of Youth and Children’s Formation in the development of a comprehensive Christian formation and education program for our young people.
• Identifies, recruits, trains, supports and motivates leaders and volunteers for the formation ministry, including training in Safeguarding God's Children and Safeguarding God's People (for the prevention of abuse and sexual misconduct in the church) as diocesan standards require.
• Coordinates lectures, guest speakers, seasonal retreats, and fellowship opportunities in cooperation with other ministries within the Cathedral and with other congregations and the Diocese.
• Recruits writers for seasonal meditation booklets and readies them for publication.
• Stays up-to-date with training in Safeguarding God’s Children and Safeguarding God’s People and reports any suspected child abuse or neglect, as required by the Diocese, Church, and state regulations. 
• Shares in the keeping of the Daily Office each weekday, being present for the Morning and Evening Prayer every weekday (with the exception of the Canon’s day off).
• Supports and nurtures his/her colleagues in our mutual ministries through prayer, honest feedback, care, and transparency. 
• Takes and safeguards a Sabbath day each week, seeks regular guidance from a spiritual director, takes a yearly retreat for her/his own spiritual health, and plans personal absences with consideration for overall organizational health and leadership.
• Attends worship on Sundays and Holy Days, attends staff meetings, and maintains regular hours on site.

Administrative Leadership

• Manages and supervises the Director of Youth and Children’s Ministries and guides the Director in the supervision of the Youth Ministry Coordinator and the Nursery Coordinator.
• Prepares and manages the approved Spiritual Formation ministry program budgets in coordination with the Chief Operating Officer, purchasing items needed and submitting reimbursement requests, as necessary.
• Attends weekly staff meetings, as assigned ensuring progress in team goals and coordination in all areas. 

Additional Duties 

• Performs other related tasks as assigned by the Cathedral Canon, the Rector and Dean, or their designees. 

Supervisory Responsibilities: Supervises the Director of Youth and Children’s Formation within the individual ministry, and assists the Director in their supervisory roles. Incumbent carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Church’s policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; scheduling and approving time worked; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. 

Education and/or Experience: This position is open to and intended for a layperson (non-ordained). While membership in the Episcopal Church is not required, a familiarity with a progressive Christian tradition and theology is expected. A Master in Divinity (M.Div.) or Master in Theological Studies (M.T.S.) or Master of Arts in Christian Formation or Master of Arts in Education (M.A.) degree, or equivalent leadership experience in education or spiritual formation, is required. Previous supervisory experience working in a church or a similar educational environment is desired. 

Other Skills and Abilities: 

• Conversational proficiency in Spanish highly desired; bilingual ability a plus. 
• A Christian committed to Jesus Christ, and to the church as the Body of Christ.
• Personal and professional character that demonstrates an authentic commitment to Christ and Christian standards, providing a good model for all ages.
• A passionate desire to help people discover the love of God and to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Demonstrated skills and attributes in:
• Christian maturity, grounded in a life of daily prayer, regular worship and Bible study.
• Responsibility, organization and effective, healthy communications.
• Building fun, caring and trusting relationships with kids and adults.
• Flexibility and patience.
• Initiative, solution-oriented problem solving, reliability, and accountability.
• Group/team leadership, training, mentoring, teaching, facilitation.
• Demonstrated experience with various children and youth curricula and with adult curricula and varied learning styles.
• A demonstrated ability to recruit, train and support volunteer teachers.
• A demonstrated ability to work with, support, and manage conflict.
• Sensitivity in maintaining confidentiality while navigating complex family situations (e.g. families undergoing divorce or life change).

Computer software skills required include: Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drive and Adobe. Ability to operate a printer, copy machine, scanner and other office equipment is desired. Incumbent must have the ability to adapt and conform to shifting priorities and demands and execute accordingly. In addition, this position requires competencies in counseling, organizing and leading while paying close attention to detail. 

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently will sit, walk, and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee occasionally will climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and taste or smell. 

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less), distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more), color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors), peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point), depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships), and the ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus). 

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally is exposed to working near moving mechanical parts, the risk of electrical shock, fumes or airborne particles and outdoor weather conditions when walking between the Church and the parking garage and when traveling away from the office for meetings, seminars, etc. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud during services. 

While the Church offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, this position requires work beyond these hours and on the weekends. It also may require both domestic and international travel. 

Christ Church Cathedral is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer