SecondFirst Church, Rockford, Illinois, is seeking an energetic, resourceful, and reliable individual to lead their Music Ministry. This is a part-time position. As a federation of two historic downtown congregations (Second Congregational UCC and First Presbyterian (PCUSA)), we seek to be a welcoming, invigorating, and diverse place to explore the heart of Christ and be sent out to serve the Rockford community and beyond. We are looking for someone to oversee the entire music ministry which consists of the Sanctuary Choir, four handbell choirs, and other small groups.
The Director of Music responsibilities will include:
- To rehearse the Sanctuary Choir and direct their participation in the traditional Sunday worship service (Sept-May) and other services as needed. To coordinate special music for the Sundays when the Sanctuary Choir is not scheduled to sing.
- To establish a caring and nurturing rapport with the choir members that creates a supportive community within the choir.
- To create an environment of musical excellence which fosters the musical growth of the choir members and can additionally attract new choir members.
- To establish effective communication with the choir regarding rehearsal schedules and musical selections for worship.
- To choose, in collaboration with the pastor and the organist/accompanist, the weekly music to be performed by the choir.
- To meet regularly with the Worship/Music Ministry team, organist/accompanist, and handbell directors to coordinate the music ministry.
- To maintain the choral library and oversee procurement of new music.
- To allocate the music budget with oversight from the Worship/Music Ministry team, coordinating with the Business Manager for paying of outside soloists and musicians.
- To provide anthem information in a timely fashion to staff in order to meet printing deadlines and ensure appropriate permissions are obtained to comply with copyright compliance.
The ideal candidate has training in choral conducting and experience leading volunteer adult singers in a sacred setting. A Bachelor degree in music or equivalent experience is desired. A commitment to both musical excellence and nurturing community within the choir is paramount. Formal music education (or experiential learning) and keyboard skills are preferred. Familiarity with traditional and modern Christian music literature and the liturgical calendar is important. Multi-cultural music experience is a plus. The ability to communicate effectively in conjunction with strong organizational and managerial skills is desirable.
Please submit a cover letter telling of your interest in the position, along with a resume and salary requirements to: debbie.wise@secondfirst.org.