Associate Pastor

Holy Trinity Church; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Holy Trinity Church in Palo Alto is seeking an Associate Pastor/Associate Rector to strengthen outreach, spiritual formation, and pastoral care within a growing, diverse Anglican community in Silicon Valley. The role emphasizes teamwork, humility, initiative, and flexible ministry across generations.

The position envisions about 32 hours per week with potential scaling to 20+ hours. Compensation ranges from $80,000 to $100,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Qualifications

• A vibrant Christian faith and a life marked by spiritual maturity, humility, integrity, and teachability.
• Deep alignment with Holy Trinity’s mission, theology, liturgical life, and ministry culture.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master of Divinity or related theological degree preferred.
• Ordination is welcome but not required. Candidates may be ordained, pursuing ordination, eligible for transfer into the ACNA, or serving as a pastor in another denomination that is theologically and missionally aligned with Holy Trinity.
• Growing ability in preaching, teaching, discipleship, and pastoral care, with experience building community and outreach in collaboration with the Rector, staff, and vestry.
• Willingness to serve in an entrepreneurial church environment where flexibility, initiative, and follow-through are essential.

Responsibilities

• Strengthen and build community life at Holy Trinity through small groups, newcomer outreach and connection, church-wide gatherings, and intergenerational ministry.
• Help develop ministries that encourage spiritual formation, discipleship, and deeper participation in the life of the church.
• Support and initiate outreach and community engagement, including local partnerships and opportunities for compassion, service, and mission.
• Serve as part of the pastoral team in congregational care, prayer, teaching, and spiritual encouragement.
• Assist with liturgy, Holy Communion, and public worship in alignment with Holy Trinity’s Anglican ethos.
• Participate in the preaching and teaching rotation, likely about once a month.
• Work closely with the Rector to help execute vision and support the day-to-day ministry of the church.
• Contribute wisdom, strategic thinking, creativity, and follow-through as a trusted member of the ministry team.
• Provide basic operational and facilities support where needed, including helping steward property-related needs and ministry logistics.

Skills

Relationally gifted

Culturally aware

Anglican liturgical sensibility

Humility

Initiative

Flexibility

Warmth

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master of Divinity or related theological degree

Ordination welcome but not required

Job description

Are you energized by a ministry context shaped by Scripture, Spirit, and Sacrament that seeks to invite others into the life of Christ in one of the most complex and innovative regions in the country?

Are you drawn to serving in a loving, intergenerational, multicultural, growing Anglican (ACNA) church in the heart of Silicon Valley?

Do you love building a community of disciples, connecting with people seeking God’s truth, and helping the generations in a growing church become more deeply rooted in Christ and equipped for mission?

About Holy Trinity Church

Holy Trinity Church is a growing Anglican church in Palo Alto that seeks to express God’s redemptive love through the great tradition of Scripture, Spirit, and Sacrament. We are a vibrant, intergenerational, and ethnically diverse community of disciples inviting everyone to discover life in Christ. Together, we value deep spiritual formation, meaningful worship, small group life, and compassion for our neighbors as we bear witness to Christ in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The Opportunity

Holy Trinity is seeking an Associate Pastor or Associate Rector to join our pastoral team and strengthen the life of the church through developing greater outreach capability, guiding spiritual formation, and providing pastoral care. This person should be a gatherer, work well and thoughtfully on a team, and be focused on the mission of the church to present the Gospel in word and in life.

This role is currently envisioned around 32 hours per week. There is flexibility for the role to scale down to a leaner part-time role of at least 20 hours per week.

Primary Responsibilities

• Community, Formation, and Mission
  • Strengthen and build community life at Holy Trinity through small groups, newcomer outreach and connection, church-wide gatherings, and intergenerational ministry.
  • Help develop ministries that encourage spiritual formation, discipleship, and deeper participation in the life of the church.
  • Support and initiate outreach and community engagement, including local partnerships and opportunities for compassion, service, and mission.
• Pastoral and Liturgical Ministry
  • Serve as part of the pastoral team in congregational care, prayer, teaching, and spiritual encouragement.
  • Assist with liturgy, Holy Communion, and public worship in alignment with Holy Trinity’s Anglican ethos.
  • Participate in the preaching and teaching rotation, likely about once a month.
• Ministry Support and Church Operations
  • Work closely with the Rector to help execute vision and support the day-to-day ministry of the church.
  • Contribute wisdom, strategic thinking, creativity, and follow-through as a trusted member of the ministry team.
  • Provide basic operational and facilities support where needed, including helping steward property-related needs and ministry logistics.

Flexible Ministry Focus

Depending on the gifting and experience of the candidate, part of this role may include deeper leadership in one or more areas such as:

• Next generation/family ministry
• Worship and music
• Outreach and local mission
• Operations, Communications, and digital presence

Holy Trinity has clear priorities for this role, especially around community building, missional outreach, spiritual formation, and pastoral ministry. Because the position can scale up or down, there is also flexibility to shape aspects of the role around the gifts, calling, and capacity of the right candidate.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be a mature follower of Jesus, who loves Christ, his Church, and its mission. They will be relationally gifted, culturally aware, drawn toward the Anglican tradition, and able to serve with humility, initiative, flexibility, and warmth in a growing church environment.

• A vibrant Christian faith and a life marked by spiritual maturity, humility, integrity, and teachability.
• Deep alignment with Holy Trinity’s mission, theology, liturgical life, and ministry culture.
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master of Divinity or related theological degree preferred.
• Ordination is welcome but not required. Candidates may be ordained, pursuing ordination, eligible for transfer into the ACNA, or serving as a pastor in another denomination that is theologically and missionally aligned with Holy Trinity.
• Growing ability in preaching, teaching, discipleship, and pastoral care, with experience building community and outreach in collaboration with the Rector, staff, and vestry.
• Willingness to serve in an entrepreneurial church environment where flexibility, initiative, and follow-through are essential.

Schedule and Compensation

This role is currently envisioned as a 32-hour-per-week position, with a compensation range of $80,000–$100,000 depending on experience and qualifications.

There is flexibility for the position to be adapted for the right candidate. The role could scale down to a leaner part-time position of at least 20 hours per week.