We are looking for a motivated senior pastor to shepherd the current congregation and promote church growth throughout our larger community. Duties include preparing and delivering a weekly sermon, developing and presenting Biblical church programs for all ages, leading an effective program of visiting the sick and shut-in, meeting monthly with a board of directors to oversee the progress and needs of the church, working with and leading church staff on a daily basis, and promoting outreach through digital media. The church has an on-site childcare facility which is a separate entity. The senior pastor will be required to work closely with the director of the childcare program and implement programs through the church which will encourage the children and parents. The ideal candidate should have excellent people skills. The candidate will demonstrate a welcoming, hospitable attitude, spiritual and personal integrity, and a willingness to provide leadership on a daily basis. If you have previous experience in providing pastoral leadership for a church, we’d like to meet you. Ultimately, a successful senior pastor will provide for the needs of the current congregation and reach out to provide for the needs of the larger community.
Greetings from the congregation of First Christian Church, Poplar Bluff, Missouri
We want to welcome you to our church. While we are a small, aging congregation. We are also a fairly dynamic group of individuals. Almost everyone attending is involved in some service to the church and many are very active in various community organizations.
Our usual attendance on Sunday morning is 30 or less. At least half of those are over 70 years of age. We enjoy each others company. We have a fellowship time before the worship service when people can visit which includes coffee and donuts.
Our worship service is traditional. We have a music minister who is a wonderful musician. He sings and leads us on the grand piano. We also have an organist who accompanies him on the pipe organ. We follow a traditional order of service, issue an invitation each Sunday, and always invite everyone to share the Lord’s Supper. Elders and Deacons offer communion and collect the offering.
We have two adult Sunday school classes with faithful attendees in each. At this time, we have no children or youth. Our Christian Women’s Fellowship is very active and ministers to many of the needs of the church. We have a fellowship dinner once a month after worship and also once a month on the third Tuesday.
Our church facility is welcoming and well maintained. It was completed in the early 1960’s and is a perfect example of mid-century modern design. We have a large sanctuary, multiple Sunday school rooms, and a large fellowship hall. We have added some handicapped accessible features over the years. Our Sunday school rooms are welcoming and well furnished—ready for children, youth, or more adults. We have a large, well-maintained parking lot.
We have had a day care on-site since the early 1980’s. It is run by a separate board of directors the majority of whom must be church members. The president of that board is a church member. A director is hired who takes are of the day-to-day management. The day care pays rent and partial expenses for other things. It is licensed for up to 99 children. Christian Community Care Center has had a very good reputation in the community since its inception. They follow a Bible based curriculum. The director recently wrote several grants which allowed a major remodeling of their part of the church building. Church members are currently meeting with the children weekly to encourage their Christian journey.
We have a Boy Scout troop that has met in the church Fellowship Hall since the 1970’s. Many Scout’s have achieved Eagle status through that program and many have gone on to be community leaders. The church currently has funds designated to provide scholarships for scouts who need assistance to participate in Scouting programs.
We are good stewards of our funds. We have several protocols in place to make sure money is handled and utilized appropriately. The chairman of the board of directors prepares a budget each year based upon anticipated income and expenses. We have a few designated funds. One of which is specifically designated for church growth activities. We look forward to finding someone with a vision to utilize these funds to help the church grow—numerically and spiritually.
We would also welcome you to our home town—Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Poplar Bluff is the county seat of Butler County. It is a medical, industrial, commercial, arts, and entertainment hub for surrounding counties. The area is growing. Three Rivers College provides local access to higher education. Out door activities can be enjoyed in the local parks and on the numerous waterways or trails which are within a short driving distance.
This is just a brief overview of our church and our area. We hope it helps you get a picture of who we are. We look forward to hearing from you if you think we would be a good match and we could work together to fulfill the future God has intended for us.
