Solo Pastor - Installed

Chicagopresbytery; Elmhurst (IL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A welcoming local congregation in Elmhurst is seeking a Solo Pastor to provide dynamic leadership and pastoral care. The ideal candidate will communicate with warmth and clarity, engage deeply with community partners, and embody an inclusive presence. Responsibilities include leading worship, supporting congregation members, and fostering outreach initiatives. A focus on relational and visionary leadership is essential for guiding the church's mission.

Qualifications

• Strong communication skills and a compassionate approach are essential.
• Ability to engage and build relationships within the community.
• Experience in pastoral care, with an emphasis on emotional intelligence.

Responsibilities

• Lead worship services and plan with the Worship Team.
• Provide pastoral care and support to congregation members.
• Engage with community partners and foster outreach initiatives.

Skills

Dynamic communication

Relational leadership

Pastoral care

Organizational skills

Flexibility

Job description

Solo Pastor - Installed - Elmhurst Presbyterian Church - Elmhurst

Elmhurst Presbyterian Church seeks a pastor who brings both warmth and clarity to leadership. We value a dynamic communicator whose preaching inspires and touches the heart, and who embodies a welcoming, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent presence. Our next pastor will approach ministry with a progressive mindset, rooted in compassion, justice, and the love of Christ. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize strategically are important, along with flexibility and openness to change. We seek a pastor who can build upon our “Community Hub” model, expanding outreach initiatives and making full use of our building in ways that strengthen our ministry and increase sustainable income.

As a congregation that treasures relationship and collaboration, we seek someone who is hospitable, friendly, and skilled at engaging others in community. A strong capacity for pastoral care is essential—someone who offers support in times of grief and joy, and is willing to sit with people, pray with them, and even offer a warm hug. We hope for a hands-on leader who is also a wise delegator, a teacher and guide, and someone who communicates openly and walks alongside us with humility, humor, and hope. Above all, we seek a pastor who will join us in living out our mission through Earth Care, Radical Welcome, and Matthew 25 ministry. We are a small but mighty congregation, working toward a balanced budget.

On any given week, our pastor might meet with the Worship Team to plan for Sunday, connect with a grieving family about a memorial service, and check in with the Office Administrator to resolve a facilities question with the Property Team. A hallway conversation with our Youth Leader may lead to a new program. A morning email exchange with the Mission Committee might be followed by a visit/call to a mission partner.

We hope our pastor will be visible and relational—someone who might stop in to greet volunteers from the Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants or say hello to members of the Elmhurst Pride Collective. Nurture and help cultivate our newly formed partnership with Elmhurst Montessori Preschool to foster mutual benefits and long-term success. You might attend a community event, check in with our sister church in Cuba, or help brainstorm a Radical Hospitality initiative.

We hope our pastor will be visible and relational—building trust, encouraging leadership in others, and engaging with mission partners. While our staff and volunteers are strong and capable, the pastor’s relational and visionary leadership will help connect our efforts to the heart of our mission. Our congregation is eager to grow, serve, and be led with joy.

At EPC, touched by grace, we journey to live differently.