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Emanuel Church (Manchester, Michigan) Pastor

THE BIG PICTURE

Emanuel Church is searching for a new Pastor. The opportunity is to serve a close-knit, Bible-based community church in a small Michigan town that has spent the past two years in intentional reflection and renewal. Over the past several years we have worked with the Lombard Peace Center to strengthen communication and conflict resolution, restarted youth ministry, launched free monthly community meals that have served more than 5,000 people, and re-engaged with our neighbors through events like Trick-or-Treating in our courtyard, Adopt-a-Family sponsorships, an ice cream social, and our Christmas Bazaar. We are a congregation that has known decline and conflict, has done the hard internal work, and now feels we are on the right path forward. We need a leader who will walk alongside us — not carry the church alone, but partner with us as we grow.

The Candidate

We are seeking someone driven by the Holy Spirit who can deliver meaningful, scripture-based teaching and steady relational leadership. We want a leader who is more teacher than preacher — someone who guides us through Scripture and helps us apply God's Word to daily life. Our preaching style leans biblical, relatable, and uplifting. Worship is traditional with a modern touch; we are not a praise or contemporary church, but we are not bound to rigid tradition either, and there is growing openness to thoughtful new expressions of worship as we look toward younger families.

Three core competencies matter most to us: (1) Personable, Compassionate, and Energetic — someone who can motivate volunteers, inspire participation, and bring fresh ideas; (2) Sociable and Community-Involved — someone visible at major community events and engaged with local life; and (3) Strong Communication and Conflict-Resolution Skills — someone who can build on the foundation our Lombard Peace Center work has laid, communicating openly and addressing conflict with grace. We are also working to rebuild our Sunday school program and would welcome a leader who can help guide that effort, along with strengthening Bible studies and youth involvement.

The Community

Manchester is a small, rural Michigan village in southwestern Washtenaw County, often described as a bedroom community of Ann Arbor. The area offers a good mix of professions — trades, farming, office and university workers, including some who commute to the University of Michigan. The community is largely Caucasian and somewhat older, though school enrollment is rising as younger families move in. We value our small-town connections deeply: because of our size, we can respond quickly and personally when neighbors are in need, and we feel that same care returned to us. Local churches communicate openly and work together, and we hope to keep strengthening those ties. Our congregation is involved with Manchester Family Services, the Manchester Community Resource Center, Red Cross blood drives, the Manchester CROP Walk, and Church World Service, and our building hosts local Boy and Girl Scout troops, an AA group, and serves as the community's Red Cross emergency location.

The Congregation

Emanuel Church has 211 members on the rolls with about 40-46 active participants and average in-person Sunday attendance of 57. Worship is Sundays at 10:00 a.m. in our sanctuary, with services livestreamed (about 150 subscribers). Christmas Eve and Easter draw around 357 in combined attendance. The congregation skews older — about 75% have been members more than 10 years, and roughly 35% are 65 and up — but we have a meaningful core of younger families with children (about 11 participants under 18). Most adults are college-educated or have specialty training, and roughly 60% are retired. The congregation is governed by a Church Council that oversees the administrative side, with elected administrative committees and volunteer ministry teams. Our 2023 bylaws are current. We acknowledge that strategic long-term planning is an area where we could use guidance going forward.

The Property

Our church building is approaching 150 years old and is recognized locally as a beautiful, historic landmark. The east wing holds a traditional sanctuary that seats well over 65 in worship and 357+ for major services; the middle of the building contains classrooms, offices, and meeting spaces; the west wing has a fellowship hall and a gym (the gym needs some cosmetic attention but is fully functional). The sanctuary and fellowship hall are wheelchair accessible, and a chair lift reaches the upper floor where additional offices, the gym, and the sanctuary restrooms are located. Blueprints exist for a future elevator. The church owns a parsonage at 302 W. Main Street, Manchester — a three-level, move-in-ready home currently vacant and available to the next pastor (residence is not required; the parsonage may also be rented out if the pastor lives elsewhere). The Property Committee oversees maintenance. All buildings are owned outright.

The Compensation

Cash salary: $45,000. Pension/Annuity: $4,000. Social Security and Medicare offset: $4,000. Medical/Dental insurance: $5,500. Housing: parsonage available (rent-free) OR housing allowance to be discussed if the pastor lives elsewhere. Total ministerial support represents about 30% of our annual operating budget. Reimbursements provided in addition: personal vehicle mileage, cell phone and/or internet, conference and association meeting registrations, other educational meeting registrations, criminal background checks, and Community of Practice participation. The total support package meets conference compensation guidelines. We will offer a flexible weekly schedule (Sunday mornings are the firm commitment; office hours and other expectations are open to dialogue). 

Financial position: annual income approximately $169,630 (offerings and pledged giving $140,256, endowment proceeds $15,603, fundraising $10,106, building rentals $3,665) against budgeted expenses of $167,845. The church has an endowment with a market value of approximately $994,362 (used only for capital improvements, not operating expenses) and additional non-endowment investments of $358,892. The church carries no loan debt. Our last capital campaign successfully installed a new pipe organ. We have never failed to meet our financial obligations to a minister.

The Process

Please look over this job description. Along with your resume please answer these questions:

Why do you believe that you might be a good fit as the Pastor at Emanuel Church?

Describe your experiences in ministry and how you may be qualified to serve as the Pastor of this church?

In just a few sentences please give a summary of your theology and how that is in line with the doctrine of this church?

Please send your resume, the answers to these questions and a link to at least one online sermon to Jason@No-FeePastorSearch.com