Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils are seeking an individual to fill the role of Minister, First Third Ministry Faith Formation on a permanent full-time basis, 35 hours per week.

The Regional Council, as part of the wider United Church of Canada, is a decision-making body responsible to serve and support Communities of Faith within its bounds and provide necessary oversight. The three Regional Councils share staff with many serving all three regional councils. These three regional councils represent diverse contexts: major urban centers as well as rural and recreational communities. Within them are significant hubs for technology, manufacturing and academia:

The Minister First Third Ministry Faith Formation is responsible for supporting first third ministry in communities of faith, and the wider Regional Councils of Southwestern Ontario. They resource First Third Ministry leaders, connect with United Church camping ministries, and work in partnership with the Minister Right Relations and Social Justice and Minister Social Justice to resource the Discipleship and Justice Commission in each regional council. The main areas of focus will be:

Faith Formation

• Support and educate communities of faith and their leaders in understanding the current context and cultural shifts that first third ministry finds itself in;
• Encourage and equip communities of faith for their ministry with children, youth and young adults and connect and resource leaders engaged in ministry with children, youth and young adults;
• Connect with campus ministries leaders, fostering connection and collaboration where possible between local congregations and campus ministries;
• Provide resources to foster best practices for recruitment, screening and support of volunteers engaged with vulnerable populations and be available to provide advice on this topic to communities of faith and their leaders; and provide resources to communities of faith around Duty of Care.
• Resource United Church camps in their development of United Church curriculum and worship as requested;
• Provide training on boundaries and racial, gender and sexual orientation justice for camp staff as requested;
• Convene camp directors and Board members for mutual education and support and for the promotion of best practices; and Help to foster connections between camping ministries and the wider UCC including local congregations.
• Support, resource and liaison with the Tri-Regional First Third Ministry network;
• Recruit and support leaders planning of an annual event for:
• Support the involvement of youth from the regional council in national youth events; and Engage in national first third programming when it occurs within the regional councils.
• Report monthly with a written report to the Discipleship and Justice Commissions on First Third Ministry within each Regional Council;
• Attend Discipleship and Justice meetings upon request of the chair and support the formation of networks related to first third ministry across and beyond the regional councils to respond to Discipleship and Justice concerns.
• Attend regional council and General Council staff meetings

Camping Ministries

Regional/National Events

• Children across the regional councils;
• Youth event for a specific regional council or across regional councils;
• Event for young adults for a specific regional council or across regional councils.

Discipleship, Justice and Administration

• Report monthly with a written report to the Discipleship and Justice Commissions on First Third Ministry within each Regional Council;
• Attend Discipleship and Justice meetings upon request of the chair and support the formation of networks related to first third ministry across and beyond the regional councils to respond to Discipleship and Justice concerns.
• Attend regional council and General Council staff meetings

Qualifications

• Undergraduate university degree (general three-year program) or its equivalent in experience. Graduate studies in theology would be an asset;
• 5 years of related work experience; experience in a congregation setting supporting First Third Ministry, preferred;
• Knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the life and work of The United Church of Canada and First Third Ministry, with an understanding of the changing context of first third ministry;
• Ability to translate the purpose of the regional councils into the experience of people making contact;
• Strong leadership, organization, teaching and group process skills and significant experience developing and leading youth groups, programs and/or networks, with the ability to design and lead faith formation events for first third ministry;
• Skilled at networking, building and supporting connected relationships throughout communities of faith;
• Skilled at recruiting, screening, training and supporting volunteers;
• Creativity and resourcefulness together with strong administration, time management, organizational, planning and implementation skills;
• Strong computer skills in the use of various software applications - Office 365, Dynamics, SharePoint, One Drive, Teams, Zoom, social media and online platforms, with a willingness to learn new technologies;
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written) with the ability to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively;
• Ability to articulate the link between faith and ministry practice and reflect theologically upon the same;
• Good judgement as responsibilities can be difficult and complex and recommendations can have long-lasting effects; willingness to consult with supervisor when no clear advice is available;
• Ability to articulate the importance of Duty of Care, and able to resource, train and offer support for communities of faith around Duty of Care;
• Motivated self-starter capable of identifying needs and taking action in cooperation with volunteer leadership and other staff;
• Ability and flexibility to deal effectively and positively with changing situations or priorities and ability to work collaboratively and collegially with other members of the staff team and with volunteers;
• A commitment to always maintain confidentiality and appropriate boundaries;
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout the regional councils and membership in The United Church of Canada and experience working within the structure and policies would be considered assets; and
• Alignment with the vision and values of The United Church of Canada – respect, integrity, passion and diversity.

Working Conditions:

The United Church of Canada has adopted a hybrid workplace model, providing flexibility for this position, working offsite with office space available at the regional office located at 1552 Hwy 6, Carlisle, ON. The incumbent will be provided, for work purposes, use of secure devices and must be available by email, phone, teams or zoom during regular office hours Monday to Friday. Sitting and viewing a computer screen for long periods, keyboarding/using voice recognition software, intermittent physical activity including sitting, standing and being on the phone for long periods of time will be required. Occasional travel within the region and additional hours, evening and weekend assignments may be required.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Human Rights Code, The United Church of Canada will provide reasonable accommodations to employees with human-rights related needs.

Compensation

The target hiring range for this position is $71,004 to $80,924 annual salary with the ability to progress to a maximum of $94,672. This is based on category 7 on our salary range. Placement on the salary range will depend on factors such as market conditions, internal equity, and the candidate’s experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the role. Pension and group benefit plans coverage and annual vacation round out this compensation package.

Closing date for applications: January 9, 2026