The Diocese of Iowa is seeking three priests who are ministry developers, with a genuine heart for equipping and empowering lay leaders. We are looking for creative and adventurous community organizers who embrace a theology of abundance to serve as Regional Missioners. Each Regional Missioner will work with up to nine congregations and a network of existing lay and clergy leaders in those regional areas in a cohort of mutual learning and support. Missioners will facilitate the cohort’s engagement with rich theological formation and spiritual practices, alongside congregational and community development methods. They will draw on data-driven research developed at Iowa State University as part of the Rural Shrink Smart initiative and other tools to equip congregations to build new partnerships, sustain vibrant communities in the midst of depopulation realities, and strengthen the networks of relationships, interactions, and resources within each community.
We are prayerfully seeking experienced facilitators, comfortable leading discussions in person and on Zoom, who have experience working with small churches and small towns. If you feel the Spirit calling you to work with committed followers of Jesus who will partner with you to seek the good of their neighbors and are curious about exploring new ways to ensure the quality of life in small towns, please take a look at the full job posting and description of the initiative for further details.
Timeline for discernment process: the application deadline is April 21, 2024