Requirements
Candidates for the Residency program are outstanding graduates of accredited theological seminaries, or the Flourish Institute of Theology, and are in the ordination process with their presbytery. ECO candidates are preferred but we will consider candidates from any Presbyterian denomination.

Knowing that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” the candidate should be flexible, filled with the Holy Spirit and embody the Biblical exhortations found in 1Timothy and Titus to be temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not pursuing dishonest gain, one who loves what is good and upright, holy and disciplined. Pastoral Residents must first love and serve God before inspiring others to develop a relationship with Him. They should be able to communicate well with others, individually and from the pulpit, while furthering God’s kingdom through mission and outreach, sharing the Gospel and serving others. A strong faith in God and grounding in Scripture will equip Residents to act with a high level of integrity, to share openly with others, to maintain a sense of humor, to love people from all walks of life, to discuss issues of conflict without being threatened, to pray with and for the congregation, and to preach God’s Word accurately and passionately as a workman who is not ashamed. They must personally believe and profess the deity of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice as the only way of salvation, as well as the death, bodily resurrection, and sure return of Christ, the authority and Divine
inspiration of Scripture, and the sovereignty of God in daily life and world events.

Responsibilities
The Pastoral Resident will essentially have the responsibilities of a “full-charge” assistant pastor, providing experience in all areas of ministry including worship leadership, pastoral care, congregational life, community outreach ministry, committee work, and church administration. While the specific responsibilities are somewhat flexible and can be tailored to the gifts and calling of each particular pastoral resident and the needs of the church at the time of appointment, the responsibilities of the position are basically:

Worship
At First Presbyterian Church we consider worship to be the most important thing we do. That includes our times of corporate worship as a congregation. The pastoral resident will attend worship planning meetings, regularly participate in worship services, and will preach approximately once per month. In addition, there may be additional preaching opportunities at neighboring churches.

Discipleship
The pastoral resident will work closely with the Discipleship Committee, especially in the areas of Christian Education/Sunday School, youth ministry, young adult ministry and helping to develop and expand small-group ministry.

Missions/Serving
First Presbyterian has long supported a number of ministries, both locally, around the country and around the world. The pastoral resident will have the opportunity to provide leadership and coordination for some of our local ministries and to find ways to involve more members of the congregation personally in missions – both local and worldwide.

Communications/Technology
While technical expertise is not a requirement, the pastoral resident will have the opportunity to help First Presbyterian utilize available technology such as social media, the church website, etc. to communicate more effectively with our membership and with the community.

Residency Terms
With the approval of the Session and Presbytery, the Pastoral Resident may be ordained and serve as an Assistant Pastor once he or she has met all other requirements for ordination.

Pastoral Residents are selected by the Session of the church and serve at First Presbyterian of Corpus Christi for up to two years. During that time the resident will be mentored by the Pastor of the church and supervised by the Personnel committee of the Session. Residents will also be compensated competitively and will receive any benefits entitled to an Assistant Pastor, including housing allowance, health insurance and retirement savings.

Application Process
Interested candidates should send their Resume/Information Form and a letter explaining why they are interested in the Pastoral Residency to:
Personnel Committee
First Presbyterian Church of Corpus Christi
430 S. Carancahua St.
Corpus Christi, TX 78374

or by email.