Job Specifications The Position
Organization Community Church of Vero Beach (Community Church)
Title Senior Minister
Location Vero Beach, Florida
Weekly Attendance 1,200 (Jan-Apr) 900 (shoulder seasons) 600 (summer)
Denomination/Affiliation United Church of Christ
Website www.ccovb.org
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Organizational Overview
For 95 years, Community Church of Vero Beach has welcomed worshipers and followed the
way of Jesus Christ. Our powerful calling of 1924, “There is more that binds us together than
separates us in the worship of God,” still applies today.
Members and visitors are welcomed from all religious backgrounds and traditions to our Vero
Beach campus. Over 2,400 members and active participants from over 50 denominational
backgrounds make our church their place of worship. We are covenanted with the United
Church of Christ in mission, service and polity while retaining a unique non-denominational
character and vision.
Christmas Eve Service – Main Sanctuary
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Both women and men serve our church. They participate as preachers, deacons, teachers,
and in mission, outreach, and service. We deepen our Christian faith through the spiritual dis-
ciplines, as well as in Bible study, local ministries, international missions, community outreach,
education, music, and the arts.
We use established liturgical symbols of our faith, such as clerical robes, stoles, and paraments
in our traditional services that features a Lively-Fulcher Pipe Organ. At the same time, our con-
temporary services use innovative and exciting media and music to give new meaning to the
world around us.
Our many worship offerings meet in a 1,000-seat traditional Sanctuary, a newly renovated 160-
seat Grace Chapel, and a newly remodeled 300-seat contemporary worship setting with eight
giant HD screens and state of the art lighting and amplification. Our large campus also con-
tains a Community Hall with commercial kitchen, Commotion (Community in Motion) youth
center, and a 30,000 square foot Education Building, which includes a preschool for 150 chil-
dren, space for music and arts, and meeting spaces for study and community activities.
C2 Service in Community Hall
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Church History
In 1924, the village of Vero was experiencing a land boom. A number of residents were hope-
ful that a church might be established to meet their religious needs and support their spiritual
lives. They invited a retired Congregational minister, Dr. C.H. Pettibone, to relocate to Vero
and organize their church. Dr. Pettibone helped them draft their first charter. Unanimously
adopted in 1924 by 83 charter members, the organizing church charter for Community Church
of Vero, Florida, was very simple and included a statement pertaining to membership which
read:
“We welcome into fellowship with us, all of whatever name or creed, who are trying to know
and to do the will of God the Heavenly Father and his Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and who seek the guiding influence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.”
In 1975, we affiliated with the United Church of Christ. Throughout its history, the hospitable,
independent, inquiring, service-centered, and faithful character of Community Church, estab-
lished in 1924, has been retained.
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Vision, Mission, & Beliefs
As stated by Community Church of Vero Beach
A newly adopted Purpose Statement sets forth our vision for the future:
To be a community of God’s people,
who follow Christ’s way,
worship in Christ’s name
welcome and love all,
serve widely and joyfully,
to transform our lives and world
by reflecting God’s living spirit.
Main Sanctuary
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What We Believe
Christian Unity
As Christ prayed “that they may all be one” (John 17:21), so we work to heal divisions in the
Body of Christ. Regardless of the labels society may place upon us, all are welcomed into fel-
lowship. The unity we seek in church membership is a gift of God, undergirded by the love of
our fellow members and of God. We accept the historic understanding of Christian fellowship
which states: In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things love.
Doctrinal Freedom
We value the historic creeds of the church but do not demand specific expressions of ac-
ceptance of these creeds. We acknowledge our responsibility for rethinking, claiming, and
bearing witness to our beliefs as God’s Word continues to unfold among us.
Authority of ScripturesThe Bible is our ultimate rule of faith and practice. It is our primary source for understanding the
good news we know through Christ. At Community Church, we use the tools of modern bibli-
cal scholarship to seek more light and truth from the Scriptures, which are a living witness to
faith. We take the Bible seriously, approach the text eagerly, and seek to discern together the
meaning of God’s message for our lives today.
Service
As individuals, we are urged to act in accordance with our understanding of God’s will for our
lives. As a community of faith, guided by the Holy Spirit, we also work together to establish
God’s realm of justice, love, and peace. Our work together includes helping those in need,
building up, reconciling, healing, supporting, and teaching.
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Youth Mission Trip Habitat Volunteer
Sacraments
We recognize two sacraments as instituted by Christ: Baptism (through which we are joined in
faith to Jesus Christ and welcomed into fellowship of the church) and Communion (the meal
of broken bread and shared cup, taken in remembrance of Christ’s life, death, and resurrec-
tion, and with the promise of His return.) All are welcomed to share in the sacrament of Com-
munion.
Growth in Faith
With the freedom we claim in Christ, comes the responsibility to continue to grow in faithful-
ness. We offer many opportunities for growth including varied styles of worship, Bible studies,
Wednesday evening educational sessions, experiences of historic spiritual practices, small
group fellowship, and periodic guest lecturers. In addition, we actively support seminary stu-
dents in their pursuit of theological education.
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Ministry Programming
Children and Youth
The Children’s and Youth Ministry at Community Church offers a variety of ways to introduce
children, young people, and their families to the Christian life and faith in creative and fun
ways. We offer a safe and fun place for families, children, and youth to discover who God is
and who God created us to be. Our programs include:
● Small Groups for High School Girls and for High School Boys
● Wednesday Evening Youth Group
● Sunday School
● Nationally accredited (NAEYC) Preschool, which also includes summer camp for preschoolers.
● C3 Summer Camp
● Annual Youth Mission Trip
● Local Mission Opportunities
● Confirmation Classes
● Special family events Youth activity in Commotion
Adult Ministries
Adult Education
To meet the needs and interests of our large, diverse congregation, a variety of educational
opportunities are provided for adults. Our programs include:
● Five different Bible study groups for men and women which gather during the course of
a week to deepen our understanding of the Scriptures as we view them through current
scholarship, share our insights, and support each other as we attempt to live out our
faith.
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● Wednesday evenings serve as our “Midweek Connection.” We share a meal, engage a
topic through lecture, film, or interview, and then spend time discussing new ways that
we might think and live.
● Each year our Ella Dodd Distinguished Lecture Series invites a nationally recognized
scholar or author to open our minds and hearts to new ways of understanding our faith.
● Other adult programs include: Small Groups, Prayer Group, Called to Care Ministry and
a Spiritual Writing Class.
Tuesday morning 7AM Men’s Bible Study
Adult Retreats
● Each year, Community Church offers a men’s retreat designed to help men grow spirit-
ually as well as develop new friendships.
● Each year, Community Church offers a fall and spring women’s retreat with the purpose
of focusing on spiritual growth, prayer, faith, and action.
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School of Christian Living
● The School of Christian Living is a transformational program grounded in the essential
elements necessary to live as “followers of the way” – the way of Christ. The intention of
this program is to help all who desire to deepen their experience of the reality of Jesus,
and the truths He taught.
Guest Lecture in Community Hall
Music and Fine Arts
Music and the fine arts are an important aspect of Community Church’s celebration of God
and its spiritual life. Both reflect the order, beauty, and diversity of God’s creation. Praising God
through music and art is one of our most popular and celebrated forms of ministry at Commu-
nity Church, both in its traditional form with our 4,083 pipe Lively-Fulcher Organ and 85 mem-
ber choir in the main Sanctuary or the amped up praise band in the C2 service. Music and
fine arts groups include:
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● Chancel Choir
● Chapel Choir
● Community Ringers
● Fine Arts Gallery, featuring
the work of various Florida
artists throughout the year.
● Poetry and Organ Series,
open to the community at
large, are offered during
Advent and Lent. Atlantic Children’s Choir
● Community Church is also
home to the Indian River
Symphonic Association,
the Atlantic Classical Or-
chestra, the Vero Beach
Choral Society, Atlantic
Ringers, and the Tapestry
Brass.
Praise Band at C2 Service
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Worship
Sunday Service Times:
Chapel service: 8:30 a.m.
Sanctuary service: 10:00 a.m., which is live streamed for those unable to attend
C2 service (contemporary service in Community Hall): 10:00 a.m.
Community
In many ways, Vero Beach is considered the gem of the east coast of Florida. With lovely win-
ter weather and an abundance of cultural and outdoor offerings, we are the winter home of
many affluent retirees as well as a vibrant year-around population. Voted “one of America’s
happiest seaside towns” by Coastal Living magazine, Vero Beach is a small city (population
17,000) in a small county (population 155,000). Residents lean conservative politically, crime
and traffic are low, and one motto is “sunrises, no high rises.”
Vero Beach offers a world class art museum, performing arts theatres, cinema, fine dining and
opera. Historic downtown Vero features at least a dozen fabulous art galleries and a First Fri-
day Gallery Stroll. One of Vero’s most lushly wondrous outdoor spaces is McKee Botanical
Gardens, which National Geographic listed as one of the 22 Most Soothing Places of Surprise
and Sanctuary in North America.
In addition to weather and lifestyle, it’s worth noting that Florida has no state income tax and
no inheritance tax. Vero Beach is about two hours’ drive from Orlando or Palm Beach, and
about three hours from Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Elite Airways recently began direct flights
from Vero Beach to Newark, NJ, Asheville, NC, and Portland, Maine. Community Church is the
largest UCC church in the state.
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Vero Beach Coastline
Vero Beach offers two large public high schools (Vero Beach High School, Indian River Charter
High School and Sebastian River High School), a Freshman Learning Center, three middle
schools (Gifford Middle, Oslo Middle, and Sebastian River Middle), and 13 elementary schools,
which include 3 magnets schools. In addition, a variety of charter schools as well as several
highly regarded private schools provide all levels of education.
In addition, Vero Beach is home to one of Indian River State College’s 5 campuses. IRSC offers
over 100 programs leading to Bachelor’s Degrees, Associate Degrees, Technical Certificates
and Applied Technology diplomas. IRSC was named a top 10 national finalist for the prestig-
ious Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence for the third time in 2019.
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Reporting Relationships
Reports to: The Church Council of Community Church is composed of representatives from
each board, three members at large, and church officers.
Supervises: The Church Staff which includes 61 full and part-time persons, including 24 direct
reports.
Relates to: The congregation
Position Summary
A recent survey of the congregation overwhelmingly indicates the successful candidate for
Senior Minister should be an inspiring preacher and teacher. To that end, we seek a pastor
with the ability to communicate deep truths with an approachable style. He or she will be re-
sponsible for effectively sharing the gospel and communicating the vision of the church to
members and newcomers across a diverse theological, economic and political spectrum.
Our congregation is home to many seasonal members and visitors. The ebb and flow of our
seasonal nature produces intense activity during the winter months slowing to a more relaxed
pace during the summer. Flexibility in energy and programming are required.
The Senior Minister needs to be a visionary to develop programming and ministries that ad-
dress the changing needs of the church in this age. In 2018 the church completed a year-
long strategic plan, Vision 2020, with the assistance of an outside consultant. We seek a Senior
Minister willing to work with lay leaders to help implement this plan. She or he will also serve as
the primary ambassador for Community Church to the community as a whole.
Goals and Expectations
The effective Senior Minister will achieve the following goals:
● Maintain and enhance the exceptional quality of Community Church’s Sunday worship
services, including extraordinary preaching, challenging and timely sermon content,
high quality instrumental and vocal presentations and meaningful prayers.
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● Bring a passion for children, youth and family ministry. The successful candidate will re-
invigorate our existing programs, bringing new ideas and a fresh perspective on the
changing culture of youth.
● Hire and/or develop additional pastoral staff and ministry leaders. The retirement of our
Senior Minister and Executive Minister, Drs. Robert and Casey Baggott, leaves another
position open for the candidate to address.
● We seek a senior minister to help us sustain and nourish our long tradition of leadership
in the Vero Beach community.
Candidate Profile
The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Senior Minis-
ter:
Education
The ideal candidate will hold, at a minimum, a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited
seminary. A Doctorate in a theological field of study is preferred, but not required.
Experience
The ideal candidate will have 10 to 15 years of relevant experience as a senior pastor in a
large church.
Core Competencies
● An excellent preacher and teacher who communicates biblical truth in a warm, au-
thentic, and inviting style that is relevant to daily life and free of a personal or political
agenda.
● Has an unrelenting passion for leading people to faith and equipping them with bibli-
cally based tools for life.
● Displays an ability to recruit and retain members.
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Marks of Faithful and Effective Ministry
The United Church of Christ encourages churches searching for a new minister to consider five
key indicators a successful candidate would embody. Below are three of the five that Com-
munity Church hopes to find in a successful candidate.
Exhibiting A Spiritual Foundation and Ongoing Spiritual Practice
● Loving God, following Jesus Christ, and being guided by the Holy Spirit; living a life of
discipleship. ● Praying actively and nurturing spiritual practices.
● Exhibiting a commitment to lifelong spiritual development and faithful personal stew-
ardship.
Engaging Sacred Stories and Traditions
● Exhibiting knowledge, understanding, and continuing study of the Hebrew Scriptures
and the New Testament.
● Maturing in effective proclamation and preaching.
● Bringing life to sacred stories and traditions in worship, proclamation, and witness.
● Leading faith formation effectively across generations.
Participating In Theological Praxis
● Practicing theological reflection and engagement as part of one’s sense of ministerial
identity.
● Integrating theological reflection in teaching, preaching, and ecclesial and commu-
nity leadership.
Personal Attributes
● Has demonstrated a high level of integrity, guided by a sound set of ethical principles.
● Possesses high relational skills and a love for people.
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● Is a team player and team builder who focuses on the good of the entire organization
and can inspire others to work together to achieve organizational excellence.
● Is a strong communicator who listens well and is comfortable and effective at all levels
of the organization; one who thrives on providing the necessary support for others to
succeed.
● Shows compassion and empathy towards people in need both inside and outside the
congregation.
Fellowship after the service in the Courtyard
