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First Baptist Church Edmonton is a robustly Christian and radically welcoming Church located in the downtown of one of Canada’s largest and most dynamic cities, Edmonton, Alberta. For the first time in more than 16 years, we are seeking a new Senior Minister for this exciting and rewarding role. To find out more, please read on and take a look at the Candidate Information document here.
This is a rare opportunity to play a key leadership role in a robustly Christian and radically welcoming church that is vibrant, located in a downtown setting in a major urban centre, and that is taking decisions that will shape it for the next generation.
The Senior Minister will play a key leadership role in a destination church that has a long and rich history of serving its congregation, the city and surrounding communities, and supporting Baptist principles through many different organizations and initiatives. We are a church that seeks the peace and well-being (Shalom) of the city, that stands against oppression, that welcomes and makes space for those who have had difficult or traumatic histories with institutional religion, and that welcomes and affirms all of God’s children as God created them. Indigenous reconciliation is an important part of who we are and what we seek to advance, as is LGBTQ+ inclusion.
We have a liturgical style of worship and make joyous and reverent use of traditional Christian music. We have a long history of thoughtful and challenging preaching based in Scripture. We are a Baptist church and governed by Baptist polity. We seek to shape our future from within those traditions and approaches.
We have also recently decided to leave a denomination in order to allow us to recognize, accept and affirm all of God’s children, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. The decision to leave that denomination and, more importantly, the decisions that led up to that moment, are not open for reconsideration.
We are a congregation with a long history of thoughtful, prayerful and passionate engagement with those around us. This requires the leadership of an effective Senior Minister who has strong collaborative leadership skills, who actively seeks out and listens to voices from a broad range of perspectives from both within and beyond the congregation, who is a constructive spiritual teacher and leader, who works well in a Baptist governance context, and who works successfully with congregation and community members from a diverse set of backgrounds.
We seek a Senior Minister whose collaborative approach to leadership will bring strong spiritual guidance and formation, insight in supporting the Congregation in its journey in the years ahead, support in identifying the priorities it should pursue in meeting its mission, care for the congregation and its members, and encouragement and wisdom as we create the plans and work to deliver on those priorities. The Senior Minister must be able to work with the Congregation and Staff to reach consensus and shared perspectives and objectives. We have greatly benefited from a strong team approach that values all staff members and their contributions and would expect that practice to be continued.
As a candidate, you will have a robust Christian faith and will be excited about following the paths that First Baptist Church Edmonton has chosen. You will be an ordained Christian Minister and be eligible for accreditation with the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms, if you do not already have that accreditation. You will have demonstrated a deep and enduring commitment to Christian beliefs in your personal life, and, while your roots may not be in the Baptist Church, you will be familiar with Baptist governance, traditions, and distinctives, and will be prepared to promote and be guided by them as our Senior Minister. It is very likely that you will have graduated from a Seminary, Divinity or Theological program at a university or college, although strong candidates may be considered even where this is not the case.
First Baptist Church Edmonton will give full, fair and serious consideration to all qualified candidates, and is willing to hire a Senior Minister, regardless of gender, race, marital or family status, or sexual orientation.
If this exciting and challenging role is of interest to you, please apply by sending your curriculum vitae to email@example.com and add a letter telling us:
If this advertisement is still live on First Baptist Church Edmonton’s website, there is still time for you to apply.
Given that the Senior Minister works with youth, all applicable legal and related requirements to do so must be satisfied by the successful candidate.
The salary for this position is currently under review. All candidates reaching advanced stages in the selection process will be provided with the approved salary grid once it has been finalized.
All candidates are welcome to apply, but preference will be given to those who already have the legal right to work in Canada.