Church of the Good Shepherd

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Description of our church:

Church of the Good Shepherd in Taipei, Taiwan is a unique, multicultural parish. We have two congregations: the English-speaking Congregation and the Chinese-speaking Congregation. Each has its own Priest-in-Charge, Executive Committee and ministries. The church has one budget and a joint Vestry, with the Priest-in-Charge of the Chinese-speaking Congregation as Rector. The congregations have the opportunity to worship together through bilingual services on the fourth Sunday of each month and holy days. In addition to the ministries of each congregation, the church provides a kindergarten and a senior services center for the local community. The church is in the Diocese of Taiwan, a part of The Episcopal Church (USA).


Description of our congregation:

The English-speaking Congregation is friendly, diverse and inclusive. We are mostly expatriates, coming from a variety of countries and church backgrounds. Many of us are working in Taiwan as business people, engineers, teachers or diplomats. The transient nature of our group means the challenge of regularly saying goodbye, but also the blessing of regularly welcoming newcomers. About 35 people participate in our Sunday service. We offer a Sunday school class for school-aged children, three Bible study groups and two outreach opportunities (assisting at a home for stray animals and at a home for severely disabled young adults). We regularly gather in members' homes for post-service fellowship brunches. We also engage in fellowship with the English-speaking Congregation of St. James' Church in Taichung, a city in central Taiwan.

Goals of our congregation:

(1) Provide a welcoming spiritual home for English speakers in Taipei

(2) Increase our Sunday attendance, expanding shared ministry

(3) Strengthen our living witness as Christ's disciples throughout the week

(4) Cultivate a collaborative relationship with the Chinese-speaking Congregation


Position available beginning November 2010:

Priest-in-Charge of the English-speaking Congregation

Job Description:

The Priest-in-Charge is responsible for the well-being and development of the English-speaking Congregation. This includes the following main responsibilities:

+ coordinating and officiating worship services

+ reaching out to and engaging English speakers in Taipei

+ encouraging Christian commitment and growth through one-on-one relationships, Bible

study groups and outreach opportunities

+ representing and advocating for the English-speaking Congregation to the Rector, Vestry and Bishop

The Priest-in-Charge collaborates with the Co-Wardens and Executive Committee of the English-speaking Congregation for matters related only to our congregation. Our priest collaborates with the Priest-in-Charge of the Chinese-speaking Congregation and the Vestry for matters related to both congregations. Our priest respects the authority of the Rector for matters related to the entire church. (The current Rector is the Priest-in-Charge of the Chinese-speaking Congregation, Rev. Lily Chang.)

We seek a priest with a minimum of three years ordained experience. The individual should have an established sense of professional identity and style. Our priest must be someone who can work proactively and autonomously, with minimal assistance from the Rector.

The ideal candidate would have the following qualities:

+ a deep, dynamic personal faith

+ appreciation and respect for other cultures

+ respect for people from a variety of denominational backgrounds

+ interest in living overseas

+ previous experience working with non-English speakers

+ willingness to learn to speak some Mandarin Chinese

+ balance of theological, scholarly grounding with pastoral concern

+ an interest in music as an important component of worship services

+ willingness to consider long-term service in Taiwan (minimum three years)

Stipend: NT$60,000 per month, plus travel allowances (domestic travel allowance NT$6,000 per month and allowance for annual home leave); national health insurance

Housing: Apartment provided (large enough for four people)

For more information, please contact:

Mary Reyes, Search Committee Member

marylaurareyes@gmail.com

011-886-2-2871-2266 [dialling from the U.S.]