Position Description

St. Ann's Community Church is seeking a Revitalization Pastor who feels a specific calling to breathe new life into a rural congregation. Under the lordship of Jesus Christ and with the Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (ONMB), the Pastor will lead us through a season of transition—moving from a state of survival to a mission of spiritual vitality and reaching our community with the Good News of Jesus. We desire to grow disciples who make disciples.

• Job Title: Revitalization Pastor
• Organization: St. Ann’s Community Church
• Location: St. Ann’s, Ontario
• Affiliation: The Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
• Position Type: Permanent, Full-Time

The ideal candidate is a "spiritual entrepreneur" who values the deep roots of a rural church while possessing the courage to implement the changes necessary for health and growth. They invest heavily in leading collaboration with the Leadership Team. The invitation is not about doing all the work of the ministry, but about equipping the saints for the work of service (Ephesians 4:12).

Church Background:

St. Ann’s is a small community in Niagara Region. Our church of approximately 75 weekly participants has a long, faithful witness in our community, dating back to 1967. We are adjacent to Smithville, which is a growing town of over 5,000 people in need of vibrant church and Gospel witness.

The church has several existing ministries, including a vibrant senior’s ministry, pickleball, a mom’s group with great community connections and various discipleship groups. Our Sunday morning contemporary music ministry is also a strength.

The financial standing of the church is sound with no external debt and a positive cash flow. The church has a large, well-maintained building including a gymnasium with a large parking lot, several acres of grass, allowing many possibilities for future use.

We serve the communities of St. Ann’s, Smithville, Caistor Centre and Lincoln, but draw members from some areas beyond this circle. We desire to see continued engagement with our local communities across all demographics.

Position Summary:

A Revitalization pastor will guide us to discover and implement renewed mission, vision, values and strategy from God through a season of renewal. This will be a permanent, full-time role, providing spiritual leadership, vision and practical guidance for the church through and beyond this transition. The role will focus on discipleship, healthy change leadership, community engagement and strengthening the church’s mission. The Revitalization Pastor will also align with the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith and minister in partnership with ONMB.

Primary Responsibilities

Church Revitalization & Vision:

• Lead the church in prayer, seeking God’s direction for the future and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
• Assess the spiritual health, culture, ministries and organizational structures of the congregation.
• Work collaboratively with the Leadership Board to develop a clear multi-year revitalization vision and road map.
• Work collaboratively with the Leadership Board to lead the congregation through healthy change with courage, pastoral sensitivity and transparency.
• Encourage a culture of discipleship, mentorship, service, and shared leadership.

Spiritual Leadership & Preaching

• Provide biblically grounded preaching and teaching, in alignment with the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith.
• Lead the church in prayer and spiritual disciplines to know God more deeply and hear his voice.
• Support and participate, when appropriate, in delivering communion to the congregation.
• Work alongside the Creative Team in planning Sunday services, including special dates such as Easter and Christmas.
• Empower and mentor leaders in the congregation already serving, while encouraging others to consider serving according to their gifting.
• Model a Christ-centered, evangelical Anabaptist faith marked by humility, peace, and discipleship.

Pastoral Care

• Provide pastoral care to individuals and families (visitation, counseling, prayer, and support).
• Provide support for and participate in weddings, funerals, baptisms, child dedications as needed.
• Equip lay leaders to share in pastoral care responsibilities
• Foster unity, reconciliation, and strong relationships within the congregation.
• Quickly respond in emergency situations and provide support as needed, engaging others as appropriate

Community Engagement & Outreach:

• With the revitalization effort, develop a vision for how to reach the community with the Gospel, inviting them to grow in faith with St. Ann’s Community Church.
• Design and implement opportunities for unchurched neighbours to experience the church community and join services.
• Help the church deepen local connections with and serve the local community.
• Empower church members for evangelistic witness and encourage missional living that fits the context of the communities in our geographic catchment.
• Explore outreach opportunities that align with the congregation’s size and capacity, building teams to meet the needs of various groups recognized in the surrounding communities.
• Work with the appropriate team to access benevolent support for those in need.
• Reach out to past congregants to restore or maintain relationships and receive feedback.
• Work in team to oversee and promote both local and global mission opportunities.

Leadership Development & Administration:

• Identify, mentor, and empower lay leaders and volunteers, meeting regularly with various committees and teams.
• Collaborate with the Board on planning, governance, and ministry priorities.
• Oversee staff or ministry volunteers as applicable and oversee daily administrative needs, working alongside the Office Administrator.
• Understand the church budget and finances so as to consider decisions within the framework of strong financial stewardship.
• Support the Trustees, Leadership Board and Treasurer in ensuring charity requirements are maintained and the annual reporting needs are met as outlined by the Canada Revenue Agency and church policies.
• Participate in Mennonite Brethren regional, provincial and national networks as appropriate.
• Cultivate strong relationships with other church leaders from the surrounding communities so as to work collaboratively in serving the needs in the communities.

Qualifications & Experience:

• A committed follower of Jesus Christ with a clear calling to pastoral ministry.
• Alignment with Mennonite Brethren theology, values, and convictions.
• Applicants with a Master’s or Bachelor degree in theology, ministry or a related field are preferred. Similar training pathways will be considered.
• Ordained or eligible for credentialing with ONMB. If not yet credentialed, expectation is that credentialing would be complete within 18 months. • Experience or demonstrated gifting in church revitalization, small-church ministry, or rural ministry. • Strong relational, communication, and leadership skills. • Ability to lead change with patience, humility, and grace. • Clear ability to develop and mentor leadership in the congregation, encouraging all to utilize their gifts to serve the congregation and community.

Personal Characteristics:

• Spiritually mature and prayerful
• Humble and encouraging
• Approachable, accessible, teachable, and collaborative
• Makes time for family and protects family commitments
• Comfortable working in a small-church, rural environment where the role must be agile and adaptable
• Resilient and hopeful, with a heart for long-term ministry

Compensation & Support:

• Salary and benefits commensurate with experience and hours
• Compensation will be guided by the salary grid of the ONMB
• Benefits and RRSP contribution included in compensation
• Vacation to be 4 weeks annually
• Time allotted to support development opportunities as well as personal revitalization such as ministerial retreats
• Regular weekly hours to be determined through discussion with the Leadership Board
• Support for continuing education and denominational involvement
• If needed, support for undergoing credentialing or ordination
• A supportive congregation eager to partner in revitalization

Reporting Relationships:

• Reports to the Leadership Board though it is the hope that there will be a spirit of teamwork and community to work together in all decision-making.
• At present, staff is limited to 2 positions of Office Administrator and Custodian both of which would report to the Pastor.
• The pastor will actively work with and support the various iterations of ministry teams and committees prior to, throughout and beyond the revitalization effort.

Application Process and Deadline:

Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume, cover letter, references, a 1-2 page personal “Philosophy of Revitalization” and weblinks from two recent sermons. to:

Doug Whyte
Chair, Leadership Board
5424 Regional Road 69
St. Ann's, Ontario
L0R 1Y0

Digital submissions to be sent to Office@stannscc.ca

The application process will remain open until April 30, 2026.

The recruitment process will include in-person interviews with Leadership Team of St. Ann's Community Church and virtual or in-person interviews with Leadership from ONMB. As well, certain aptitude tests (T-JTA, PPA &/or HPTI) may be required to be considered as a serious candidate.