Pastor/Head of Staff - Lenape Valley Church

PRESBYTERIAN - PCUSA

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 200

Meet Lenape Valley Church

Founded in 1962, the Lenape Valley Church moved to its current location in 1965. Through many years of good pastoral leadership, outreach ministry, and the support of faithful people, the church membership continued to grow. 

In 2015, the Rev. Dr. Anita Bell was called by the congregation to be the next Senior Pastor. Before Rev. Bell’s arrival, the church had gone through significant decline. Under her leadership and the full support of the congregation and the staff, LVC is once again a healthy, growing, thriving community of faith. LVC is making a difference through local community ministries like the Church Has Left the Building, Vacation Bible School, Youth and Adult Mission trips, and a new blended worship service.  

Today, Lenape Valley Church is a growing, vibrant faith community in Bucks County just south of Doylestown, PA. God has called Lenape Valley to Welcome, Inspire, Nurture, and Serve all to become followers of Jesus Christ.

About the Pastor/Head of Staff

The ideal candidate for the LVC Senior Pastor position is an approachable, compassionate spiritual leader capable of delivering engaging, biblically grounded sermons that resonate across both traditional and contemporary worship styles, utilizing modern mixed media. This intergenerational leader will provide comprehensive pastoral care across all life stages, working closely with Deacons and visitation teams to support the congregation through times of joy, transition, crisis, and grief. Administratively, the candidate must be adept at directing church staff, guiding governance alongside the Elders, equipping lay leaders, and actively representing the church within the Presbytery while upholding Reformed theology with integrity. Furthermore, the ideal pastor will possess a strong heart for mission and evangelism—co-leading community outreach efforts such as the "Church Has Left The Building" ministry—while enthusiastically supporting the growth of Christian education, youth, and young adult programs.

The Pastor/Head of Staff's responsibilities include:

Preaching & Teaching

• Create and deliver engaging, biblically grounded sermons that are thoughtful, inclusive, and relevant, deepening the faith of its people to strengthen the community’s mission and ministry.
• Design and lead engaging worship experiences, working effectively with worship leaders.
• Ability to preach worship services in traditional and contemporary styles to effectively communicate to all generations.
• Deliver strong messages creating meaningful, multi-generational worship that incorporates mixed media and current technology.
• Coordinate the worship service components to create a unified message
• Conduct Bible Studies to engage all ages of the congregation.

Spiritual Leadership

• Grow the church in faith, fellowship, and service to others.
• Provide spiritual direction rooted in biblical knowledge and prayer.
• Demonstrate strong, visible faith leadership.
• Facilitate the creation of seasonal and special devotionals.

Pastoral Care & Relationships

• Compassionate pastoral care and visitation across all stages and circumstances of life, offering spiritual guidance, presence, and support during times of joy, transition, crisis, and grief.
• Work with Deacons, Parish Visitation Team, and Parish Nurses to care for the pastoral needs of our faith community and the larger community.
• Be approachable and accessible to the church family and community.
• Build meaningful connections with the congregation.
• Provide limited Pastoral counselling.

Administration & Organizational Leadership

• Encourage, facilitate, direct, and evaluate the work of the LVC Staff. Participate in the recruitment and selection of new staff. Lead weekly staff meetings to deepen the shared faith journey of staff and facilitate corporate decision-making and ministry evaluation.
• Guide church governance, enabling good decision making, deepening the shared faith journey of the Elders, and facilitating good resolution of conflict and concerns that arise in the church.
• Partner with Elders and Deacons and other Ministry Leaders to facilitate a shared direction in ministry and clear communication across the church community.
• Recognize, delegate, and equip others, including lay leaders.
• Foster intergenerational leadership.
• Actively engage with Presbytery, representing the church and upholding Reformed theology with integrity and grace.

Outreach, Mission & Evangelism

•  Lead and promote evangelism and community outreach.
•  Provide a strong commitment to mission and service.
•  Actively engage with and build presence in the community.
•  Connect with the larger Christian community for shared mission and ministry by continuing the Church Has Left The Building ministry.
•  Maintain strong connections with our Mission partners.
• Inspire the mission heart of our people.

Education Ministries

•  Strengthen Christian education programs for all ages.
•  Guide and support the youth ministry.
•  Support the growth of the young adult ministry.
•  Encourage new and innovative ministry programs.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Pastor/Head of Staff:

Education and Experience

• Seminary degree (Master of Divinity required)
• 3-5 years of applicable pastoral experience

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• A vibrant and growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 
• Demonstrated passion for youth and young adult ministry.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build meaningful relationships with youth, young adults, parents, and volunteers.
• A creative and innovative approach to ministry, with the ability to develop engaging and relevant programs.
• Excellent communication skills, both in teaching and connecting with diverse age groups.
• Self-motivated and driven, with the ability to initiate and lead ministry initiatives from the ground up.
• Familiarity with technology and social media platforms for ministry outreach and communication.
• Availability nights and weekends to meet ministry needs, as well as participate in the life of the ministry and the LVC community.

What it's like to live in New Britain, PA

New Britain, Pennsylvania is a small borough of about 2,700 people located in Bucks County, about 25 miles north of Philadelphia. It is known for its safe and quiet neighborhoods, excellent schools, and strong sense of community. 

Right down the road from New Britain is Doylestown, Pennsylvania, known for its top-notch school districts, strong local arts community, peaceful neighborhoods, and beautiful local parks, including Peace Valley Park and Lake Galena.

Doylestown offers access to the culture and history of Philadelphia, as well as the cheesesteaks! Just an hour from the Poconos Mountains, an hour and a half to the New Jersey shore, and two hours to New York City, Doylestown is situated in the perfect place for culture, adventure, and nature, with amazing ministry opportunities right at the doorstep.