Career Opportunities
Position: Associate Rector or Curate
The Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness is a parish with a deep history in the mountains of North Carolina and the Low-Country of South Carolina. This wilderness church continues to live into its historic identity as people from near and far find St. John to be a place for refuge and adventure in Christ Jesus. Here at St. John, we are seeking to live more fully into the Kingdom of God as a life-giving way to order our lives and experience Christ’s hope for the world.
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Our Sunday morning worship is the center of who we are at St. John as we gather for two services of Word and Sacrament each week with formation and fellowship offerings in between. The congregation is extremely dedicated to living out its faith through service within the church and in our community. Many retirees have been blessed by this community and helped to shape its identity, and many young families also find St. John in the Wilderness to be a sustaining place to raise children.
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St. John seeks an assisting priest to participate in the parish's liturgical, pastoral, educational, and administrative ministries. Our staff includes two full-time clergy (including this position), a parish administrator, a sexton, a director of music, a financial/administrative assistant, a deacon, as well as other part-time staff.
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The assisting priest will report to and work closely with the Rector to execute the full range of ministries at St. John in the Wilderness. The position especially focuses on pastoral care and administrative duties for a parish with an aging membership that is incredibly active in parish ministry and the community. We seek someone with life experience to connect deeply with parishioners of all ages, organize and oversee special projects, and work with the Rector and Vestry to more deeply experience God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Responsibilities Include:
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Celebrating the Sacraments, preaching, and other liturgical responsibilities on Sundays, mid-week services, and other special liturgies in collaboration with the Rector.
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Developing pastoral relationships with the congregation and sharing pastoral care duties by participating in pastoral visits, nursing home services, and ministries to the aging.
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Working with the Rector and lay leaders to develop formation programs and share in the teaching ministry of the church.
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Participating in the discipleship and development of lay ministry and small group leaders by helping identify and build leadership skills.
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Building upon and supporting outreach opportunities that connect the parish with the local community and those in need.
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Reflecting on the changing needs of the congregation, its context and culture, and how the congregation can grow in numbers, service, and spirituality through consultation and collaboration with the Rector and Vestry.
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Undertaking other duties and special projects as directed by the Rector.
Qualities of the Ideal Candidate:
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An appreciation for the rich traditions of worship in the Episcopal church.
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Excellence in preaching and pastoral care.
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Ability to articulate the faith and its theological foundations to parishioners of all ages.
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An interest in being with people in joy, sorrow, and ordinary encounters; a pleasant demeanor and positive attitude toward all aspects of ministry.
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Self-driven and proactive.
A Few Highlights of 2025
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This year, we called a new Music Director who has energized our choir and Sunday worship in new and wonderful ways.
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Wild Wonder, our Creation Care Camp for kids, had over 60 children sign up for a week of studying nature and singing joyfully about the God who made it all.
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Our Feast of St. John at a local BBQ restaurant was packed full as we ate delicious food, raised money for outreach, and listened to Aaron Burdett of the Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers perform.
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Our Travel Ministry organized a retreat to Charleston to study our parish’s Lowcountry history and build connections with a parish that descended from enslaved people. Later we hosted a Holy Hikes retreat near Boone, NC.
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In early September, we welcomed 45 descendants of enslaved people who were members of our church for a huge weekend that included the grand opening of the Trails of St. John, a historical tour for these historical families, and a mountain bike race for kids.
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Our new kids’ mountain bike ministry, SJW MTB, welcomed 30 children for a fall season that included fun on the bike and Evening Prayer in our new Wilderness Chapel.
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Check out this video to get a feel for it all.
Minimum Qualifications:
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Master of Divinity
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Ordained in the Episcopal Church or candidate for ordination
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Demonstrated experience and excellence in leading worship, preaching, pastoral care, and faith formation
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Demonstrated organizational skills and strength in verbal and writing skills
Benefits:
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Salary commensurate with experience
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Housing in the historic Church Rectory surrounded by a new church hiking trail system on 11 acres of land
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Health insurance per Diocesan policy
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Applicable church pension
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One month vacation including four Sundays
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Two weeks of continuing education with financial support
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Contribution toward mobile phone
TO APPLY
Please send the following to officeadmin@stjohnflatrock.org:​
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​Cover Letter
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Resume
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A brief philosophy of preaching and ministry
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OTM Profile
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Audio or video link to at least two sermons