Posted October 12, 2023

St. James School, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is currently seeking a full-time School Chaplain and likely will add a second Chaplain very soon. St. James School is a private faith-based middle school in North Philadelphia.  

Website: https://stjamesphila.org/

Job position: https://stjamesphila.org/jobs/

Available Position: Chaplain 

Department: Chaplain/Religion 

Reports to: HOS 

FLSA Classification: Exempt 

Full/Part-time: Full-time 

Date Posted: October 2023 

Start Date: ASAP 

About St. James: 

Founded in 2011 by Saint Mark’s Church (Locust Street), St. James is a unique community including a middle school (grades 4-8), graduate support program, community development program offering community actions ranging from resource sharing to adult education, a wellness center, and a Sunday worshiping community. This Episcopal community supports students, families and neighbors in the Allegheny-West neighborhood of North Philadelphia. St. James serves students and families who are most in need, providing a full scholarship to every student. We work to develop the moral, spiritual, intellectual, physical and creative gifts of each of our members. Learn more at: www.stjamesphila.org 

Commitment to Anti-Racism Education: 

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) 

St. James School is committed to partnering with others to dismantle systemic racism and to build an antiracist multicultural diversity within our school community and beyond. Through teaching a more complete and unbiased history, St. James School will arm students, graduates and employees with the tools and knowledge to better engage complex issues like systemic racism and privilege and to hopefully solve them rather than contributing to them.

Chaplaincy and Religious Education Overview: 

The St. James holistic approach includes nurturing the spiritual gifts of students, families and team members. As an Episcopal community, we are committed to living out the values and principles of our Episcopal Identity in all areas of our common life together. Episcopalians, like all Christians, believe that our life is founded on the life of Jesus, and that as a Church we are called to offer the redeeming love of God in Christ to all people. We are a concrete expression of the Church’s care for people of all ages, and of the belief that God calls us to love all God’s children. At the heart of our identity is to be an inclusive community, welcoming all individuals, regardless of religious background, into shared experiences of prayer, worship, reflection and study. 

Prayer & Worship 

Every class, every meeting, everything we do at St. James begins with prayer. Prayer is the opportunity for those gathered to recognize God’s presence in the lives of others and active in our community. It is a time for individuals to share their concerns, hopes and even dreams. It is a time for individuals to give thanks and express gratitude for the blessings and challenges of our lives. Prayer offers the community a path to anchoring itself beyond what we can do, and to who we were created to be. 

All students participate in daily prayer & weekly worship. The communal services of prayer and worship come from The Book of Common Prayer 1976. These services are rooted in the reading of scripture, praying of psalms, sharing of prayers, and times of remembrance. Weekly Mass is offered in the church, and provides opportunities for students to take active leadership through acolyting, reading, preaching, singing, ushering and actively participating in the service. Sunday Masses offer opportunities for the broader community to gather and join in the activity of the liturgy. 

Study & Reflection 

The religious studies curriculum at St. James aims to provide general knowledge of various religions, while assisting students in deepening their own understanding of their religion and their spiritual life. Students explore the nature of God, principles of religion, personal identity and the religious tradition of their own families. Like any area of study, religious studies has a unique vocabulary and approach to information and knowledge. We aim to assist students in developing a robust sense of literacy with religious language and understandings. Students bring their own traditions and experiences into dialogue with the ideas and topics explored in class. 

Position Overview: 

The Chaplaincy team works together to animate and support the religious life of the St. James community. During the last six years our chaplaincy work has grown to include community chaplaincy. This model includes the religious and pastoral care of our neighborhood, faculty, staff, and friends of St. James. The growth of our pastoral work has led to the addition of

multiple chaplains and team members to work together to achieve the following essential functions: 

Essential Functions: 

● Oversee the care and maintenance of the Church of the St. James the Less

● Plan services, including collaboration with the music/choral team, and student/community leadership at Mass 

● Planning of special services 

● Train and oversee student acolytes and readers. 

● Participate in the regular rotation of preachers and/or celebrants for Weekday and Sunday Masses 

● Provide pastoral care to all members of the St James community. 

● Teach courses in Religion and other subjects as needed(based on applicant’s experience). 

● Assist with baptism and confirmation classes. 

● Build relationships with students, families, faculty and staff to nurture and support the community. 

● Meet other faculty commitments (lead student enrichments, field trips, weekend duties, guardian meetings, facilitating service learning). 

● Assisting with the annual religious events (e.g. Lessons and Carols, St. James Day, Ash Wednesday, Baccalaureate, etc.) 

● Direct the operation of Servant Year, a program of the Episcopal Service Corps. 

Qualifications/Experience 

● Ordained Episcopal priest (or on the ordination track) preferred. 

● Teaching experience at the middle school level is preferred. 

● Experience working with pre-teens, teenagers and young adults. 

● Strong pastoral skills. 

● Experience in interfaith settings. 

● Adaptability, honesty, self-reliance, teamwork, dependability, flexibility, willingness to listen and learn, work ethic, determination, persistence, problem-solving skills, loyalty, and congeniality are essential 

● Proactive problem solving, both detail-oriented and flexible, demonstrating mature judgment and the ability to maintain confidentiality and composure under pressure

● Proficiency in managing multiple priorities strategically and under tight deadlines, while maintaining a high degree of accuracy 

● Must successfully complete background screening and verification 

Physical Requirements and Work Environment: 

● Regularly works in standard office conditions and climate 

● Regularly uses close and distance vision, including working at a computer screen for extended periods of time 

● Frequently required to move around the office; works at a desk for extended periods of time; occasionally moves around campus

● Ability to occasionally move items weighing up to 30 lbs. across the office or campus ● Works in an environment of high pastoral need, effectively dealing with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines, and a varied and diverse array of contacts with stamina to maintain attention to detail despite interruptions 

● Ability to regularly work flexible hours to support the team members with emergent and urgent items and to meet deadlines; position will require some non-traditional work hours, including occasional nights and weekends 

Employee Benefits: 

● Medical/Prescription/Dental/Eye Care Insurance Coverage through the Medical Trust

● Defined Contribution Plan through The Church Pension Fund 

● Available Professional Development and Continuing Education funds

● 5 Weeks Paid Vacation 

● Wellness Benefit covers expenses for gym membership 

● Free lunch benefit available daily as part of the School’s school-wide community lunch program 

● Paid cell phone for work related communication 

Application Requirements: 

Qualified candidates should send a resume, cover letter and salary requirements for consideration to Melinda Leonowitz, Dir. of Human Resources at mleonowitz@stjamesphila.org. We regret that we cannot respond to every applicant. Only those of interest will be contacted. 

Equal Opportunity Employer: 

St. James School is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. St. James School seeks to have the best available person in every job. St. James School policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, marital status, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment. All unlawful discrimination is expressly prohibited.