Senior Pastor

Organizational Overview: 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (MCC Toronto) was established in 1973 as part of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a denomination and global LGBTQ+ Christian movement. Throughout its history, MCC Toronto has been a place of worship and a place of action. Our weekly Worship Services are attended by over 600 congregants both in-person and online. We count a broader congregant community of over 2,000 members drawn from many different religious backgrounds and beliefs, gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientations, racial and cultural backgrounds, countries of origin, socioeconomic realities, and abilities. We are a proud vibrant, inclusive, and progressive faith community; at MCC Toronto everyone matters and everyone belongs.

Rooted in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, MCC Toronto has long been at the centre of community activism. We have been home to the Triangle Program, Canada’s first 2SLGBTQ+ High School since 1995. We were national leaders in the fight for same sex marriage. Our LGBTQ+ Refugee Programs have served over 8,000 refugees since 2007 and through our status as the exclusive Sponsorship Agreement Holder for LGBTQ+ refugees to Canada, we have sponsored 75 refugees to safety in Canada since 2013.

In 2022, MCC Toronto announced that it had raised a record-setting CAD$5 million through a major gift campaign to help support an elevation of our human rights work through expanded programming, new partnerships, and an emphasis on creating impact and change.

MCC Toronto’s vision is to be a growing, inclusive, spiritual community that creates a just, kind and loving world for all. We work every day to live our core values of Advocacy, Diversity and Spirituality.

The Role:

The Senior Pastor is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MCC Toronto and the Moderator of the Board of Directors. The Senior Pastor has ultimate responsibility for the spiritual and financial health of MCC Toronto. More specifically:

Responsibilities: 

1. Visionary Spiritual Leadership

• • Leads the development of MCC Toronto’s Mission, Vision and Values by engaging all stakeholders.

• Worship Leadership and Innovation

• • Serves as the primary preacher and teacher for the diverse congregation at MCC Toronto as well as coach and mentor for clergy. The ability to communicate effectively (e.g. communication with comprehension), with relevance to universal topics and current events is required.

3. Community and Human Rights Leadership

• • Acts as the key public spokesperson for the church and must build a broad base of relationships to support the church’s Human Rights program and initiatives.
  • The Senior Pastor is a leader for social justice in the church, in our community (Toronto Police Liaison, PWA and CANFAR) and in the world.
  • Integrating political experience with pastoral leadership will enable us to better serve our community, tackle social issues that are barriers to preserving human rights, and sustain lasting change. The Senior Pastor should have the demonstrated ability to navigate the intersection of faith, politics, and social justice.

4. Strategic Leadership

• • As Moderator of the Board of Directors, the Senior Pastor works closely with the Vice Moderator(s) and all Board members to provide governance and oversight of the strategic plan for the church.
  • Leads the development of MCC Toronto’s overall strategic plan to advance its mission.
  • Responsible for the overall successful implementation of the strategic plan, ensuring appropriate resources are employed to achieve desired outcomes while serving the best interests of the congregation.
  • Establishes and maintains good working relationships and collaborative arrangements with internal and external stakeholders.

5. Operational Leadership

• • Leads the development of an operational plan which incorporates the goals and objectives that work towards the strategic direction of the church.
  • Leads a diverse team of 13 staff currently, and approximately 400 volunteers to effectively deliver its programs and support a large, vibrant congregation.
  • Possesses managerial skill sets and the ability to motivate a diverse, mission-driven team.

6. Fund Development & Financial Management

• • Has overall responsibility for ensuring the financial health of the church for the short and long terms.
  • Plays a key role in ensuring MCC Toronto has the necessary funds and resources to support its mission and activities.
  • Builds deep relationships with key congregants and other donors (corporate, community, government) to ensure financial stability and the continued growth of the church.
  • Ability to manage a budget of approximately CAD$1.5 million.

7. Represents MCC Toronto within UFMCC and MCCIC

• • MCC Toronto is one of the largest congregations in the UFMCC (United Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches) network.  The Senior Pastor plays a key role in representing MCC Toronto’s interests within the Denomination.
  • The Senior Pastor is an integral part of MCCIC (Metropolitan Community Churches in Canada) – a governance body for financial management between UFMCC and MCC churches in Canada.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Master of Divinity or equivalent is required; Doctorate degree is an asset
• A minimum of 3 years experience as a Senior Pastor, or 5 years in a senior clergy staff role of a multi-staff church with proven managerial skills
• An established record of championing progressive Christianity
• Track record of achieving sustained church growth
• Demonstrated strong financial leadership resulting in the financial health of the organization
• Experience in leading a complex, diverse organization (preferably a not-for-profit organization)
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability in building and maintaining good relationships at all levels
• Ability to provide for and encourage a positive work environment that enables others to act in support of MCC Toronto’s vision

Personal Attributes:

• An inspirational and visionary leader
• Strong worship/preaching skills
• An effective team leader/mentor
• Aligned with our Core Mission, Vision, Values and Bedrock Beliefs.
• Strong people skills – exhibits high emotional intelligence, good listener, empathetic, adaptable, with a positive outlook
• Ability to lead, motivate and work as part of a team by following MCC Toronto’s established policies and procedures.
• Authentic, and acts with integrity
• Energetic, passionate, action oriented
• Flexible, open-minded, attentive listener, consensus builder

To apply for the position with MCC Toronto, you must prepare a resume and a cover letter explaining your interest in the role and how you qualify. Send your application by email before the deadline of August 15, 2023 at 5 PM to seniorpastorsearch@mcctoronto.com.

MCC Toronto values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. Requests for accommodation due to disability can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.

Categorized in: Career