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Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church (HAUMC) is seeking a full-time Director of Worship and Music. This position requires skill and experience in leading a music program for an urban church that has a strong classical tradition and now yearns to relaunch its children’s and youth music programs and to expand to include a variety of musical styles and traditions of worship, utilizing both professional musicians and deeply committed and talented volunteers.
Who are we?
We are a vibrant, progressive mainline, urban United Methodist congregation, established in 1875. For almost 150 years we have served God by serving our neighbors in and beyond the City of Minneapolis. Our vision is to grow in our love of God and neighbor, welcome all people, and heal a broken world. We are committed to practicing radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission and service, with extravagant generosity. We are a reconciling/open and affirming community of faith where all are welcome always. More information about us can be found at www.HAUMC.org
Position Overview
The Director of Worship and Music will lead a worship and music ministry that engages musicians and worship leaders of all ages. This person of faith should be experienced in a variety of sacred classical and other music from wide-ranging national and international origins and genres, utilizing music to lead worshippers toward a deeper connection with God and neighbor and moves us to respond to God’s love and grace by working to transform the world.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Worship and Music
Collaborate with the Worship Team and ministers in designing worship that supports scriptural, liturgical, and theological alignment with our preaching themes utilizing music from various time periods, genres, and diverse cultural representations.
Plan music for Sunday worship, seasonal services, special programs and events, and recruit, rehearse, and direct choirs, ensembles, soloists, and instrumentalists. In addition, the Director will work to be attuned to the musical inclinations of the congregation as well as those we are seeking to welcome and include.
Partner with Hennepin families and the Director of Family Ministry to re-imagine our children’s and youth music ministries and conduct the music ensembles created from that process. Conduct the adult choir and adult bell choir.
Plan and conduct choir and musical ensemble rehearsals that bring out the very best in people by encouraging our musicians, both paid and volunteer, to grow both musically and spiritually.
Provide leadership for children and youth choirs, youth and adult bell choirs, and all other music ensembles or teams.
Oversee and collaborate with our principal organist and our full-time Worship Production Assistant.
Assist when needed in planning the music for funerals/memorial services, weddings, and special rehearsals and events where music is needed.
Effectively and efficiently administer the annual operating budgets for music and worship, dedicated music funds, and foundation funds designated for music and worship for all music program activities, which includes both paid and volunteer musicians. Maintain our relationship and contracts with our artists in residence brass quintet, Copper Street Brass.
Provide opportunities and training for volunteers of all ages to engage in music and worship leadership.
Recruit a substitute organist or pianist when our principal organist/pianist is unavailable to provide music for weddings, memorial services, and other special services in consultation with the principal organist and the ministers.
Supervise maintenance of and additions to the music library, i.e., provide materials, supplies, instruments, and other musical equipment for use in church programs.
Give oversight to the maintenance and care of our three manual, 79 rank Sipe organ in the sanctuary, the pipe organ in the chapel, four pianos including a concert grand, seven octaves of handbells, tympani, and all other musical instruments and worship related items and equipment.
Supervise and collaborate with our Worship Production Assistant to ensure we obtain all copyright releases for selected music, as required by law, and ensure that such releases are obtained by other staff when necessary. Collaborate and coordinate with our Worship Production Assistant to produce worship guides, media and communications assets, visuals, audio, and cameras for in-person worship and livestreaming.
Serve as the staff liaison to our Worship and Music Team and empower them in their work.
Other responsibilities as assigned.
Collaboration and Community Ministry
Attend staff meetings and work cooperatively, collaboratively, and respectfully with all staff to build and nurture the whole church community.
Plan programming that fits within the larger church calendar in a timeframe that allows for effective communication and marketing and cultivates staff and musicians’ partnerships.
Recruit, engage, and support all music directors and their choirs or music ensembles, regardless of direct leadership, to ensure a wholistic music ministry.
Participate in events involving the whole church and, as frequently as possible, programs led by colleagues to support and promote collaboration and community, ministry integration and a sense of belonging.
Create and develop musical programming that effectively draws in the neighborhood and larger community.
Team Development and Management
Recruit, train, develop, and supervise paid section leaders, volunteer musicians, and, when necessary, instrumentalists.
Create, maintain, and oversee paid choir member/section leader schedules. Submit check requests for contractor payments according to established procedures.
Promote a culture of excellence in worship leading and musical performance that values learning and commitment to the highest quality of musicality but also creates space for volunteers of all ages to learn and grow in a culture that is steeped in encouragement and grace.
Mentor and develop direct reports and engage with all staff members, ministers, and volunteers using a supportive, respectful, and collaborative approach.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
An advanced music degree in sacred music or choral conducting is preferred. However, all candidates possessing significant experience with an undergraduate degree are encouraged to apply.
This position requires strong and effective administrative, organizational, communication and relational skills which allow for healthy collaboration with volunteers, paid musicians, and staff colleagues.
Proficiency in MS Office, Google Suite, Zoom, and applicable music software (i.e., Finale, Sibelius) is required. Proficiency in Realm member database is a plus.
The position requires a broad knowledge of musical repertoire, both sacred and secular, classical and contemporary, coming from diverse traditions and the knowledge and ability to design worship that includes musicians of all ages and music from various time periods, genres, and diverse cultural representations in a cohesive and meaningful worship arc that speaks both to our intellect and our emotions.
Success Factors
With classical training, education, and high standards, bring a love for a musical repertoire from varied sacred and secular genres.
A high-level of emotional intelligence and maturity will provide grounding when ministering to a diverse community while working alongside colleagues with similar or very different areas of expertise.
With the variety of gifts, talent, and skills necessary for this position, knowing how and when to ask for support for those skills and strengths that need continued development is vital.
Creatively use music and the arts to newly engage those currently in our congregation and those in our broader community.
Keep our online community in mind and heart in program development decisions.
Ability and desire to creatively network and collaborate with other choirs and musical organizations within the Twin Cities area and beyond.
Schedule and Logistics
A standard workweek includes Sundays onsite with the rest of the schedule established in collaboration with the Senior Minister to accommodate staff meetings, rehearsals, and community-building activities. As is the nature of ministry, much flexibility is required. Staff members are encouraged to plan ahead and keep communication lines open for a healthy work/life balance. Currently, the staff has a hybrid onsite and remote work model.
How to Apply
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and a sample service plan you have created for Pentecost Sunday, and applicable multimedia (e.g. video links to worship services or recordings of musical ensembles you have led) to Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Attn: Worship Search Committee, 511 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis MN, 55403.
Recruitment Process
The Search Committee will begin reviewing resumes in February. The process may include phone or ZOOM interviews and an in person conducting audition with our choir.