Position Description

Orillia Community Church (OCC) is prayerfully seeking a passionate and dedicated Lead Pastor to guide our congregation into a new season of ministry.

Orillia Community Church (OCC) is located in the heart of downtown Orillia – a community surrounded by lakes, ski hills, nature trails and parks. The city is home to a thriving arts community, Lakehead University, a campus of Georgian College and the OPP headquarters. With a population of around 30,000 people, Orillia strikes a balance between small-town charm and access to urban amenities.

OCC is a nondenominational, evangelical church affiliated with Vision Ministries and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

As a multi-generational community of believers, we are deeply committed to biblical teaching, loving our neighbours, and making disciples of Jesus Christ. Our facility is a repurposed, former four-plex cinema that provides not just space for church ministry, but also community-use space, gym space, theatre space, a café area, and currently accommodates the city’s overnight warming centre, which is run by our local shelter. There is also an unrenovated upper floor ready for development. We are at the intersection of the downtown shopping and restaurant district and an older part of the city that is undergoing regeneration.

In 2024, we celebrated both our 25th anniversary and the retirement of our Lead Pastor of sixteen years. Now, we look forward with anticipation to what God has in store for us! With approximately eighty regular attendees, most actively serving in church ministries, we are a church family that desires to grow in faith and impact our community with the love of Jesus.

We are seeking a Lead Pastor who will shepherd, inspire, and equip our church family, working alongside our leadership team and congregation to ensure that all we do remains built on biblical principles as we work to be a place where people can experience the transformative love of Jesus. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a church that values authenticity, transparency, and joy in our walk with Christ.

If you feel called to partner with OCC in this next chapter of our journey, we invite you to prayerfully consider this opportunity.

Responsibilities:

Personal and Spiritual Growth:

• Maintain a strong personal relationship with Christ through prayer, Bible study and spiritual disciplines
• A commitment to lifelong learning through personal and professional skill development

Vision and Mission Development:

• Communicate the vision for the future of the church, ensuring it remains faithful to the gospel, while meeting the needs of the congregation and the community
• Work to build unity in the church by motivating the congregation to actively support the church’s mission, vision, purpose and direction

Discipleship and Evangelism:

• Develop, oversee and maintain a healthy, growing discipleship process
• Cast a vision for evangelism, through discipleship, that will help OCC grow in carrying out the Great Commission locally and globally
• Train and equip church members for effective evangelism and outreach

Preaching and Teaching:

• Prepare and deliver biblically sound and relevant messages that shape the life of disciples of Jesus and equip them to live on mission for Him (35-40 Sundays a year)
• Prepare and plan in co-operation with the worship leaders meaningful worship services that are engaging and lead to spiritual growth with special attention towards our Easter and Advent/Christmas services

Pastoral Care:

• Provide passionate pastoral care, including biblical spiritual direction, visitation, and support to individuals and families within the church

Leadership and Administration:

• Lead and oversee the church staff and volunteers, ensuring that all areas of church ministry are aligned with the vision and mission of the church
• Facilitate the annual planning process, including oversight over strategic goals, evaluation of ministries, development of key objectives, and the establishment of goals for each ministry
• Build a climate of teamwork, accountability, and growth within the OCC staff and leadership team. Foster a culture that develops, trains, and mentors them
• Work collaboratively with the Leadership Team and ministry leaders to implement church initiatives and community engagement
• Committed to connect with local community groups (local pastor group, benevolence group, homeless support)

Qualifications:

• A genuine and growing relationship with Jesus Christ, pursuing a spirit-filled life
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Theological or Biblical Studies. A Master’s degree is preferred or a willingness to work towards
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to relate with a multi-generational and diverse congregation and neighbourhood
• 5 years church ministry experience
• In agreement with OCC Statement of Faith (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)

The Lead Pastor should be a committed visionary and compassionate leader who is passionate about the spiritual growth of individuals and the vitality of the church.

How to apply:

Send a copy of your resume and three links of your teaching to info@occweb.org

OCC is accepting applications until April 15, 2025.