Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick

Spirituality   •   Community   •   Justice

Job Title: Director of Religious Education (DRE)

Description: The ideal candidate will coordinate a high-quality Religious Education program for children and youth (nursery through high school).

Context:

• As the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick (UUCF), we gather to encourage spiritual growth, build a beloved community, and act for peace and justice.
• We are a growing congregation with a membership that has increased from 177 members to 384 members over the past twelve years, and we have a current enrollment of 75 children and youth in our Religious Education program. Currently on an average Sunday morning, attendance is approximately 35 children and youth.
• We are a diverse congregation (with members who are Atheist, Agnostic, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, and more), a LGBTQAI+ welcoming congregation, and a congregation committed to anti-racism and multiculturalism.
  

Part-time: 25 hours/week

• Sundays: ~9:30am - 12:30pm
• Timing and number of classes/events on Sunday mornings may change as needed for a growing congregation and R.E. program -- such as moving to two Sunday services, etc.
• During some weeks each month, may be needed in-person in the office for a few hours midday on one weekday per week for meetings, planning, and preparation.
• Regular hours to be determined, including options for flex-time and hours worked from home.
• Responsive to emails, phone calls, texts, or other messages within a reasonable time period (details to be determined in conversation with the minister and R.E. Committee)
• Available for a reasonable number of weekly "office hours" -- could be a combination of in-person, phone, or Zoom and at either set times or "by appointment" (details to be determined in conversation with the minister and R.E. Committee)

Salary: $36,625 - $40,687/year (depending on previous experience)

Benefits:

• Health insurance upon start date, pro-rated according to the percentage of full-time at shared cost. (For a full-time employee, UUCF pays 80% of health insurance premium. For 25 hours/week, UUCF pays 50% with additional option of employee purchasing group dental insurance, term life insurance, and long-term disability insurance through the group plan sponsored by the UUA.)
• Annual professional expenses (based on 10% of salary)
• Annual retirement contribution (based on 10% of salary) after the first year

Supervision: Supervised by the Minister as chief-of-staff

Responsibilities

Duties would include but not be limited to those listed below.

Sunday Religious Education (R.E.) (nursery through high school) - R.E. classes are held September-May, 10:30-11:30 a.m. during the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Service after the Story for All Ages

• Select, adapt, and evaluate curriculum (see example).
• Recruit, train, and support teachers/assistants for each Religious Education class.
• Maintain and organize resources, supplies, and equipment for each classroom (and/or recruit volunteers to do so).
• Welcome new children, youth, & parents to the Religious Education program, register them, and follow-up with new potential members.
• Regularly communicate (or coordinate the communication of) highlights of R.E. class themes, lessons, and projects with parents of registered participants.

Sunday Service Leadership

• Lead (and/or recruit volunteers) to present weekly Story for All Ages connected to that day's theme.
• During the summer, lead (or recruit volunteer facilitators) for "Arts & Exploration" (ages Kindergarten through 3rd Grade) during Sunday Services following the Story for All Ages.

Additional Programs

• Plan special activities throughout the year (including summer) for children, youth, and/or parents and/or multigenerational events--such as spiritual growth opportunities, community-building social events, and social justice projects.
• Direct oversight (and/or delegation/supervision of volunteer leaders) for youth programming, including youth group and Coming of Age curriculum.
• Coordinate UUCF's Our Whole Lives (OWL) Lifespan Sexuality program in cooperation with the OWL Planning Team. Ensure that the workshops for grades K-1 are offered every other year, and that workshops for grades 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 are offered at least every three years.
• Hire, train, and schedule childcare workers (and/or recruit volunteer coordinator).

Program Development & Administration

• Work in partnership with UUCF's R.E. Committee.
• Monitor and develop R.E. Budget line items, and communicate requested changes annually to the UUCF Treasurer and Finance Committee.
• Maintain accurate records of attendance and programs offered.
• Recommend and implement UUCF policies and guidelines related to Religious Education program, especially related to UUCF's Safe Congregations Policy.

Connecting to Congregation

• Collaborate with staff team.
• Maintain an awareness of the congregation's major projects and activities.
• Participate in strategic planning for the congregation's Religious Education program for children and youth.
• Regularly publicize the goals, activities, and needs of the Religious Education program to the congregation through announcements, brief newsletter articles, social media, webpages, and other related tools.

Professional Development
Pursue regular collegial support and continuing education through organizations such as:

• Liberal Religious Educators Association
• Greater Washington Association Religious Education Council (GWAREC)
• Unitarian Universalist Association's R.E. Credentialing Program

Supervision

• Supervise UUCF's Circle of Life (CLC) Cooperative Preschool Teacher & CLC's Assistant Director.
• Serve as liaison to CLC's Parent Council.

Required Skill Set

Unitarian Universalism

• Knowledge of the history, philosophy, and latest methods in Unitarian Universalist pedagogy (and/or willingness to learn).
• Able to articulate Unitarian Universalist theology, ethics, and history in age-appropriate ways to children, youth, and adults.
• Ease in working with a wide-range of religious (and non-religious) worldviews and spiritual practices as represented in the Six Sources of Unitarian Universalism.

Educational Theory

• Working knowledge of the typical progressions in physical, cognitive, social, emotional, moral, and spiritual development from infancy to early twenties (and/or willingness to learn) in order to develop age-appropriate programming.
• Knowledge of childhood behavior and conflict resolution skills with all ages.

Administration and Volunteer Management

• Strong organizational skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to recruit, train, and empower volunteers.

Interpersonal

• Professional presence and good rapport with all ages.
• Intercultural competency and a willingness to engage in ongoing development around the work of building an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural Religious Education program.

How to Apply

• Email a letter of interest and resume with three references to . (We will reply within ~24 hours to confirm receipt.)
• Deadline: Thursday, May 16, 2024 (or until position is filled)
• Start date: Monday, July 1, 2024 (or as late as Thursday, August 1, 2024)
  

(The short link to this page is frederickuu.org/DRE.)