Church Music Director

Church Music Director

Augustana Lutheran Church and Grace Lutheran Church

Elkhart, IN

Augustana and Grace Lutheran Churches are seeking the next Music Director for their programs, to begin at the accepted applicant’s earliest convenience.

Grounded in the Lutheran tradition with a focus on liturgical worship, these congregations also provide the opportunity to experiment, try new things, and stretch old skills in a warm and supportive environment. Augustana Lutheran Church and Grace Lutheran Church are in shared ministry, meaning they are separate congregations who conduct some ministries jointly. We are looking for a music director who can join in this growing spirit of collaboration.

Below is a list of responsibilities and expectations as currently envisioned. These duties are negotiable in conversation with the pastor prior to hire, and will be evaluated on an at-least annual basis at a yearly review. Open communication is key, so ideas, issues, and recommended changes can be handled as they arise.

Responsibilities

• Providing accompaniment for up to 2 services each Sunday, in coordination with volunteer and guest musicians. When a 5th Sunday occurs in a month, worship is combined into one service. The accompaniment may be on organ and/or piano. These services are currently 9 AM at Grace and 11 AM at Augustana. The services are musically identical.
• Directing up to 1 vocal choir rehearsal per week and 1 performance in each congregation per month during the program year, in addition to Sunday morning warm up or rehearsal time (the program year is generally late August or early September through late May or early June). The choir is a shared ministry of the congregations, including participants from both churches.
• Providing accompaniment for the regular special services of the congregations, in coordination with volunteer and guest musicians. This includes up to 2 services on Christmas Eve, and up to 1 service each on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday (during Holy Week, prior to Easter). For any other special services additional compensation will be provided on top of the regular salary.
• Attending occasional Worship and Music Committee meetings and/or meetings with the pastor as needed to help facilitate music planning, date and time TBD.

Expectations

The number of hours the Music Director should expect to dedicate to this ministry may vary based on the week and the season of the church year.

The Music Director will arrive at least one half hour prior to the beginning of all services.

The Music Director serves as primary accompanist for the congregations, and is responsible for choosing all preludes, postludes, choral anthems, and musical offerings for all services, or delegating these to other volunteer and guest musicians. Hymns are chosen by the Worship and Music Committee and the pastor. Accompaniment is for all hymns and liturgical music, and may be on piano and/or organ.

The Music Director serves as the choral director for the congregations’ joint choir. The rehearsals will focus on preparing the choir for their choral anthems and will secondarily focus on preparing the choir for leading the congregation in song during worship.

The Music Director will advise the church office whenever repairs of the pianos or organs, apart from regular tuning or maintenance, are needed.

The Music Director must arrange for their own substitute when time off is planned. At least 2 weeks notice is requested for time off, except of course in case of emergencies.

The Music Director is also given the first opportunity to provide music for weddings, funerals, and memorial services as requested. A designated honorarium of $150 will be provided by those individuals requesting these services.

The Music Director is a respected and valued member of the ministry leadership of the congregation. Their ideas and hopes for new ministries and necessary changes to current ministries will be taken seriously and supported by the congregations and other staff.

Other notes

• Grace Lutheran Church also has an active Bell Choir. It is currently directly by a member of the congregation and will not fall under the responsibilities of the Music Director.
• There are several volunteer accompanists at Grace Lutheran Church who provide gathering music prior to worship on Sundays, occasional special music, and also cover our small midweek service on Thursdays. One of them is also generally available to cover accompaniment at both churches when the Music Director is absent.

Compensation and Benefits

• The annual salary for this position is $14,000 and includes 2 paid Sundays off.
• The salary will be shared equally between the two congregations, with payment being completed in accordance with each congregation’s payroll policies.

Please send resume to Rev. Emily Trubey-Weller at pastoremilytw@gmail.com.

Pay: $14,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Paid time off

Work Location: In person