Goal: To find a position that will allow me to spread God’s Word and advance ministry in the community
For the past 12 years, I served Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Lancaster, PA. It will be easiest for you to get to know me and my abilities by describing both my skills and the programs and events I developed during my time at Holy Spirit.
I have held leadership positions since Junior High School and my experiences have helped develop an insight into project planning, developing, implementing, and reflecting on both a large and small scale. Understanding people; what motivates them, the amount of responsibility each person can accept, the true talents and the perceived talents each volunteer brings to the task, etc., are also important leadership qualities which I have learned over time.
Accomplishments and skills that have utilized leadership abilities:
+ Lead congregation council in yearly goal setting activities over one and two day retreats
+ Initiated yearly youth mission trips to provide cohesion in a diverse group of youth
+ Initiated and implemented a Halloween Tailgate Party to address the needs of local children to have a safe place to enjoy Fall activities and to provide a non-threatening first church experience
+ Initiated a phone and email Mid-Week Ministry Minute to keep the congregation informed about weekly events and to give a congregational voice to our homebound members
+ Challenged the status quo – to help people stretch beyond the comfort zone and think in a different mode
+ Divergent thinker, especially when searching for ministry opportunities
+ Intentionally seek to define and use the talents of others
+ Creative, visionary approach to ministry
Capable leaders need effective communication skills as well. While I have fine writing and editing skills, one of my joys and passions is graphic and multimedia communications. A good friend of mine tells me not to be modest in this area. She reminds me of many intricately animated power point presentations that I have created for various occasions and the significant improvement my graphic and formatting skills have produced in our church newsletter and other publications.
Accomplishments and skills that have utilized communications skills:
+ Re-formatted and designed church newsletter for ease of use and readability
+ Developed numerous visual communication tools incorporating graphic design skills – Web Pages, Newsletters, Church bulletins, Event flyers, Informational pamphlets, Worship booklets, Posters, Newspaper Ads, etc.
+ Created individualized and personalized advertising banners for church events
+ Used authentic art to enhance lessons and educate learners
+ Lead public events, large and small, comfortably, with humor, and with purpose (including praying in public)
+ Power Point Guru
+ Building Campaign informational presentation
+ Mission Trip reviews and reports to the congregation
+ Evangelism presentations
+ Stewardship presentations
+ Sunday School lessons
+ And more…
Vision and enthusiasm are evident in my approach to ministry and teaching. I am steadfast in my belief that young people must know the essential stories of the Bible in order to understand their place in the Story. With adults, I seek to teach and help them risk new ways of thinking about ministry and their part in the Story.
Accomplishments and skills that have utilized teaching skills:
+ Developed “VBS To Go” – a VBS program that included skits, puppet shows, games, crafts, songs, and Bible lessons. Everything was packed into the back of a pick-up truck and taken to nearby neighborhood children.
+ Developed a Baptism Workshop for parents, siblings, and sponsors for families preparing for a child’s baptism. The workshop emphasized four keys of faith formation and the role the church and family plays.
+ Created power point lessons for youth (grades 5 – 11) using pictures from the Brick Testament website (A website that tells Bible stories through scenes created from Lego bricks)
+ Children and adults seem to enjoy and understand the contemporary allegories I create for Bible stories and parables
+ Possess an understanding of Bible Stories and provide essential background information appropriate to the audience’s ability when teaching
+ Possess an understanding of Lutheran doctrine
+ Sensitive to different learning styles and therefore include multi-sensory activities addressing multiple intelligences for all ages
+ Interactive teaching style
As a trained vocal musician and artist I am able to enhance group presentations with appropriate music and art work. I have performed professionally and am comfortable leading worship music, cantering, and incorporating art work in worship. Adding instrumental music, rhythm instruments, solos, hand chimes, guest performances and other unexpected additions to worship and group presentations increase the interest and participation of the worshippers.
Accomplishments and skills that have utilized music/art/performing skills:
+ Organized the depiction of the Passion Story by creating multi-sensory stations throughout the church building. Youth and adults created sets for each station. Music and narration accompanied the station activities. This was an outreach community event
+ Served as facilitator, director, conductor, and soloist for various community choral events, often enhanced with orchestral accompaniment.
+ Arranged and composed music to enhance worship experiences
+ Wrote teaching skits and puppet shows to “capture” the attention of even the youngest learner
+ Directed church choir, created sets, and performed as Amahl’s mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors
+ Directed children’s Christian musicals and other theater productions
Nursing skills have also added to the ministry in which I have been involved. Prior to joining the full time staff at Holy Spirit, I was a staff nurse for 17 years at a community hospital, working mostly with surgical and pediatric patients. Parish nursing provides a unique ministry that is rewarding to both caregiver and receiver. Providing additional background information and being able to comfort and reassure patients as they heal.
Accomplishments and skills that have utilized Parish Nursing skills:
+ Initiated a Eucharistic Ministry program to include congregation members in direct ministry to homebound members
+ Created Parish Care Bulletin Board for the Narthex to inform all congregation members of congregational member needs for visits, cards, prayers, etc.
+ Medical background and nursing experience enables a more thorough explanation of medical concerns to parishioners and assists the Pastor
+ Provide genuine healing care, active support and comfort to homebound members
+ Illuminate needs and identify “holes” as they arise in caring for homebound
+ Personal calls to “check-in” on members at risk
A desire to further ministry throughout the community and tell of God’s love and grace for all provides my motivation and inspiration to work in the church.
Background Knowledge and Personal values I incorporate in my work:
+ Life-long Lutheran
+ Understanding and desire to know more of Lutheran theology
+ Daily personal Bible study
+ Education background provides the basis for sound lessons and teaching methods
+ Catechumenate Resource
+ Youth and Family Ministry Certification from Gettysburg Seminary
+ Various synod workshops and conferences
+ Extensive knowledge of liturgy and worship planning
+ Extensive history in church music
+ Daily Prayer
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Introducing Joy O\'Shea 