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Job Description
ST. PAUL'S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
Wausau, Wisconsin Youth Group Leader Faith Formation Director for Students Part-Time 12-16 Hours/Week Reports to Pastor & Personnel Committee
AN INVITATION WORTH ACCEPTING
What if your job was to help a teenager discover that they are deeply loved by God — and watch that realization change everything about who they become? St. Paul's UCC is searching for someone who doesn't just talk about faith, but lives it with contagious joy. We want a Youth Group Leader who sees students not as a program to manage, but as people to know — to cheer for, pray for, and walk alongside. This is not a clipboard-and-curriculum role. This is an invitation to be a consistent, caring presence in the lives of 6th-12th grade students during some of the most formative years of their lives. If you love God, love students, and believe the Gospel is genuinely good news worth sharing — we'd love to meet you.
WHO YOU ARE
You don't have to be perfect. But you do need to be passionate. We're looking for someone who: Has a personal, living faith in Jesus Christ that overflows into how you talk, serve, and show up for others. Genuinely likes teenagers — their humor, their questions, their complexity — and isn't afraid to sit with them in the messy middle of growing up. Is relational to the core. You remember students' names, their sports seasons, their hard weeks. You show up. Brings creativity and energy to faith formation, not just filling time slots, but crafting experiences that stick. Is humble, collaborative, and excited to serve alongside a pastor and a congregation who care deeply about the next generation.
WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY DO
Your role is built around relationship & rhythm. Here's what a typical week & year might look like: Every Week Show up & connect. Sunday Worship (9-10 AM) You'll lead a dedicated Youth Gathering during Sunday morning worship (9-10 AM), creating a space where students can encounter God in a way that feels real and relevant to them. Lead it. Weekly Youth Group (Sunday or Wednesday evenings, 5:30-7 PM) This is your primary gathering space — a rhythm of community, teaching, fun, and faith. Make it the place students look forward to all week. Connect with the staff team. Weekly Staff Meeting (Tuesdays, 11 AM-Noon) Connect with the students & their families Real relationships with students, week in and week out — through texts, calls, DMs, emails, or showing up to watch their game or hear them perform. Ministry happens in the margins. Schedule volunteers for Nursery & Kids Club. Support Our Younger Kids Too. While your primary focus is 6th-12th grade, you'll also help the whole children's ministry flourish by scheduling and supporting the volunteer leaders who serve our Nursery (birth-age 5) and Kids Club (K-5th grade). It's a behind-the-scenes role, but it makes a big difference for the families we serve. Every Month Plan and lead a fun, off-the-wall, or service-oriented activity that builds community and brings students (and maybe their friends) together. Every Year Get away together. Annual Youth Retreat Go somewhere together. Summer Camp or Mission Trip These experiences change lives. You'll help plan, lead, and shepherd students through them.
WHAT MAKES THIS ROLE UNIQUE
We're not asking you to run a massive program with a huge staff. We're asking you to be a faithful, joyful presence in students' lives — week after week, year after year. The fruit of this ministry is measured in transformed hearts, not attendance numbers. You'll have the freedom to bring your creativity, your personality, and your genuine love for God into everything you do. We'll support you, pray for you, and cheer you on.
QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS A
genuine, personal faith in Jesus Christ and a passion for helping students develop their own. Experience working with youth in a church, camp, school, or ministry setting — formal or informal. A warm, relational presence — someone students and parents actually want to be around. A commitment to the United Church of Christ's ethos of open hospitality, radical welcome, and inclusive faith. Willingness to complete a background check and abide by St. Paul's Safe Sanctuary policy — no exceptions, no negotiation. A desire to grow professionally and spiritually; interest in UCC commissioning or licensure is a plus. Some post-secondary education in theology, ministry, education, or a related field is preferred — but character and calling matter more than credentials.
ABOUT ST. PAUL'S UCC
St. Paul's United Church of Christ is a congregation with deep roots and a forward-looking heart. We believe every person is created in God's image, that the table is always open, and that following Jesus means showing up — especially for the next generation. Our students matter to us, and we're ready to invest in someone who will champion them. St. Paul's recently welcomed a new pastor, who begins in August 2026, and who brings a contagious passion for church revitalization and a deep commitment to seeing this congregation thrive. This is an exciting moment to join the St. Paul's team — a season of fresh vision, renewed energy, and meaningful momentum. This role reports to the Pastor and Personnel Committee. You'll meet weekly with our team for support, collaboration, and shared vision — you won't be going it alone. We want someone who owns this ministry with creativity and confidence, and you'll have a genuine partner in that work. To Apply or Learn More Send a letter of interest and a brief description of your faith journey and experience with youth ministry directly to Pastor Susie Grade at grade.susie@gmail.com . We can't wait to hear your story. St. Paul's United Church of Christ |
