Emmaus Campus Ministry at the University of Montana seeks to call our next pastor
Emmaus Campus Ministry at the University of Montana seeks to call our next pastor! Join us at this unique and vibrant campus ministry where we seek to live our faith through service to others, open and honest dialogue, spiritual grounding, and collaborative peace and justice work. We journey with students as they encounter questions, doubts, and joys during a transformational season in life.
We are accepting applications for a rostered minister, with the position starting as early as August 2023. A successful candidate will lead all aspects of our campus ministry, and also manage three residential houses with up to 15 residents as well as recruit student participants from the larger campus community.
About Emmaus Campus Ministry
Emmaus Campus Ministry is a loving, accepting, inclusive Christian community at the University of Montana. We grow together, laugh a lot, and work to find our place and passion in life. The Ministry provides space for soul-tending and personal growth within the rhythms of school, work, and everything else. We don’t have all the answers, but we love to ask the hard questions. While scripture may be a part of any discussion, it is not the focus; instead, we focus on the thoughts and feelings of those present. Some are firm believers, some doubters, some come for the good food. We talk about what’s important in life and what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Emmaus is a ministry of ELCA Lutherans and serves on behalf and in partnership with the Montana Synod of the ELCA. Emmaus is also an active partner in the LuMin Network, which is the ELCA churchwide network of campus ministries on state colleges and universities. In addition, Emmaus works on behalf and in partnership with Episcopal Church USA, the United Church of Christ, and Methodist denominations and local congregations.
Emmaus is a Reconciling in Christ ministry, celebrating diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. We are committed to wrestling with the truth of colonization, dismantling white supremacy, and working to end the oppression of Black, Brown, and Indigenous peoples. We are also committed to creation justice work and caring for the earth. Emmaus welcomes students from all perspectives, as long as they are respectful and safe for others in the group and in our community.
Emmaus provides a residential experience where students can participate in weekly gatherings, social events, and service projects, as well as organize in partnership with churches, nonprofits, community members, and campus groups. We have 9 local partner congregations, strong relationships with others, and our affiliated ministries include Confluence, Faith and Climate Action Montana, the Missoula Interfaith Collaborative, Common Good Missoula, Empower Montana, YWCA, and the MLK Day Celebration. We also work on LGBTQ+ education and advocacy within the greater community through a Christian lens.
Position Details
Rostered minister: ELCA and/or full communion partner denominations (United Methodist, Presbyterian USA, Reformed Church of America, Episcopal, and UCC)
Title: Emmaus Campus Minister or Executive Director
Location: 538 University Ave., Missoula, Montana
Position Type: Full-time
Closing Date: Applications accepted until position is filled; priority deadline is April 16, 2023
Compensation: The ELCA guidelines for rostered leaders based on experience will be the range.
Benefits: Benefits and pension are offered in alignment with compensation guidelines of the Montana Synod of the ELCA.
Primary Duties:
Pastoral Care and Community Building
- Serve as a liaison and communicator between campus entities, local congregations, and Missoula community leaders
- Provide strategic leadership for the Emmaus community, resident and non-resident students, and the community at large
- Create an inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment for all students on campus
- Provide support to individual students or groups of students
- Provide pastoral care for students and foster a vibrant faith community
- Respond to the needs of the community
- Hold regular discussion-based spiritual groups with open, non-judgmental dialogue
- Provide education on relevant justice issues and current events
- Plan events and coordinate programming throughout the year for retreats, immersion, justice activities, and service projects
- Design programs to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility on campus and within all Campus Ministry programs
Leadership
- Supervise staff (administrator, bookkeeper, development director, and potentially others)
- Supervise and collaborate with student paid or volunteer leaders as well as any ministry interns
- Collaborate with the Emmaus Board of Directors
- Maintain and implement a comprehensive development strategy, and organize fundraising events
- Oversee and ensure maintenance of student houses
Community Relationships
- Maintain strong relationships and communication with the leadership and congregations of the Montana Synod of the ELCA. This includes regular newsletters, emails, and relational work at synodical events. This also may include preaching or bringing students overnight to various congregations around western (and central) Montana.
- Maintain strong relationships and communication with partner denomination congregations locally as well as regional judicatories.
- Build and maintain relations with relevant non-profits throughout the greater Missoula area
- Build and maintain relationships with various departments, faculty, and staff on the University of Montana campus
Required Skills/Experience
- Rostered pastor or deacon with an MDiv or Master’s degree in Theology from accredited college or university
- 3 years congregational experience
- Experience working with college-age populations in both traditional and nontraditional ways
- In-depth knowledge of faiths and traditions
- Skills in retreat planning and community building
- Knowledge of the fundamentals of financial management, including the ability to prepare and implement budgets
- Experience organizing and managing fundraising events
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity with pastoral accompaniment
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work with a diverse population of college students
- Knowledge of current trends in higher education, student affairs, spiritual development of college students, and campus outreach
- Ability to work independently
- Record of service
Preferred Skills/Experience
Those with the following areas of expertise are strongly encouraged to apply:
- Leadership in a dynamic religious environment
- Group leadership of a college student population
- Experience in other specialty areas, such as philosophy, psychology, group dynamics, social work, etc.
How to Apply
Priority application deadline is Monday, April 17, 2023, by 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time.
Applications received by the priority application date will be guaranteed consideration. Application review will continue until the position is filled.
Submit the following application materials to :
- Letter of interest: Address the required qualifications and your motivation for applying.
- Statement 1: What have you done in the past five years to increase cultural humility and responsivity, and how will you implement this in our ministry?
- Statement 2: Describe how you would provide an open environment that welcomes those who have been wounded in the past by Christian institutions, and that is grounded in God’s deep love and Jesus’s vision of liberation.
- As an extension of Statement 2, please provide a link to a 3-5 minute video demonstrating how you would introduce a related discussion with our students.
- Curriculum vitae
- Names and contact information for (3) professional references.
Contact Amy Glaspey at if you have any questions about the position.
About UM and Missoula
To learn more about the University of Montana, Missoula, and the state of Montana, please visit the links below.
o Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce