Ministerial Resident for Thriving Congregations Initiative
In 2020 Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary (SOT/SEM) received a grant from the Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative. We will partner with the Diocese of Saint Cloud to nurture the mission of the newly formed Area Catholic Communities (ACCs) and with Saint John’s Abbey Center for Latino Ministry, Casa San Benito, to strengthen the parishes intercultural competencies. The partners are eager to build intercultural bridges with local faith communities and foster a culture of co-responsibility. This will require a substantive shift and expansion in mindset. This grant provides an opportunity for SOT/SEM students to prepare for future ministry within Church structures and gain skills in facilitating systemic, organizational change to foster learning communities for ACCs and other innovative initiatives with a vision of thriving, and a capacity to live into that vision. In addition, we will keep our finger on the pulse of Christian practices that lead to thriving and co-responsibility.
Overview
The Ministerial Resident (MR) in Thriving Congregations Initiative provides an opportunity for students to learn while ministering to and with the people and parishes in the Diocese of Saint Cloud through the diocesan offices. The successful candidates will embody a sensibility in building intercultural bridges, developing systemic changes that advance co-responsibility for the mission of the Church and developing Christian practices.
Work Schedule: 15-18 hours per week, for 13 weeks each semester, Fall, Spring and Summer
Hourly Rate: $10.41. In addition, the Ministerial Resident will receive a $1,000/semester living stipend.
Student will need a car to travel to diocesan office or parishes.
Responsibilities include:
- Supporting the Director of Thriving Congregations Initiative and diocesan staff with support in a variety of grant activities including Thriving Learning Communities, Bridge Building with community agencies, lay leadership development and website development. These activities will be scaffold as one gains knowledge and basic competencies.
- Examples of work projects:
- Developing resources and formation for the Christian practices.
- Facilitating one-on-one gift discernment with parishioners
- Contributing to training resources
- Providing support to Diocesan directors related to their activities for Thriving Congregations.
Qualities:
Reliable, positive, team spirit, proactive, detail oriented, creative, communicator, able to balance academics and formation with work-life and able to ask for help
Work Office:
The Ministerial Resident will be officed in the Diocesan Pastoral Center to support the Associate Director Lay Leadership and the Director of Pastoral Planning, downtown Saint Cloud.
Other
- Will participate in theological reflection with peers twice a semester.
- Will take the Strength Finders inventory, Intercultural Development Inventory, and Gift Discernment indicator. In addition, they will receive feedback from a qualified administrator of each indicator.
To apply:
- Read the grant proposal for Thriving Congregations
- Respond to these questions
- What excites you about this initiative?
- What do you want to know more about?
- How does this initiative support your vocational goals?
- In what type of ministerial work environment do you thrive?