Children's Director

Independent Methodist

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 600

Meet St. John’s Methodist Church

St. John’s Methodist Church is known for honoring the past while being poised for the future. We were founded in 1856 as a mission church to a new community and that attitude of welcoming change is still with us. When the Department of Energy chose Aiken as the location of the Savannah River National Laboratory back during the Cold War, St. John’s decided to tear down its historic sanctuary and build a bigger one to house the influx of thousands of newcomers. That says a lot! We have been adding on ever since. We have three Sunday morning services, with two that are traditional, and we have a state-of-the-art building for a large contemporary service with an excellent praise band. St. John’s has adapted to the needs of the community and congregation with vision and enthusiasm throughout its history. Our facilities are excellent and debt-free which frees up abundant resources for ministry!

The church occupies a whole city block in downtown Aiken, South Carolina, a city that has been voted by Southern Living magazine as one of “The Top Ten Small Towns in the South.” The public has voted St. John’s, three out of the last 4 years, as “Aiken’s Best Place to Worship.” With 2,300 members, we’re known as “The Smallest Big Church in America” through the warmth and friendliness of the congregation. We are the place that community groups use for their many programs. We welcome people through our Recovery Programs, multiple indoor pickleball courts, use of our gym for AAU Basketball, practices for the annual Aiken Heart Board Show which have been held for 40 years running, and two Lions Clubs plus two D.A.R. chapters meet here. We host Red Cross Drives, and the Community July Fourth Extravaganza at which we offer a picnic for the city! We are the go-to place for All-County Chorus presentations as well as high school and community concerts featuring the Julliard School, The University of South Carolina Chorus and Symphony, and our Chancel Choir has just received an auditioned invitation to perform at Carnegie Hall in January 2026 in tribute to Sir Karl Jenkins and his Stabat Mater. 

St. John’s is a vibrant church. We are a creedal orthodox Arminian church that believes that the “method” in Methodism is a personal relationship with Jesus that works itself out in mutual love and accountability. Our proclamation and teaching reflect a practical application of the Wesleyan emphasis on sanctifying grace as our most distinctive doctrine; i.e., “We don’t believe God saved us through Jesus to leave us the way He found us but to transform us and the world.” We live into this orthodox faith as an independent Methodist congregation. St. John’s voted in 2024 to separate from the UMC by a vote of 88% to 12% and have been thriving.

We are hugely missional. St. John’s has many mission-partners around the world and dozens locally. Between our Methodist Men and their wheelchair-ramp ministry and the Methodist Women’s Apple Fest plus our Mission Impact Celebration we give close to $500,000 above and beyond our budget to missions! We also host Grace Kitchen every Saturday to minister to our homeless population. We also host and manage a large teen summer program for rehabbing homes that draws people state-wide. We are like a church mall with a few anchor stores and numerous boutiques. Anchors would be Worship, Missions, Music and Discipleship Ministries. Ancillary boutiques would be Sunday School, Discipleship Groups (D-Groups), Children, Youth, Young Adults, Senior Adults, Stephen Ministry, Shepherd of Love visitation ministry, Methodist Women, Methodist Men, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Kairos Prison Ministry, Joseph’s Coat Ministry, Guy’s Night Out, GriefShare, Dementia Support, Youth Band, Handbells, Youth and Children’s Choirs, Sunday Morning Bus Ministry, as well as numerous Bible Studies. Between anchor store and boutique is a superb pre-school that ministers to 138 students, six weeks to Kindergarten. We want you to help us grow and expand all our ministries!

About the Children’s Director

The Children’s Director is responsible for educating children and families about Christ by creating and administering programs and overseeing volunteers in order to promote the spiritual growth of children from infancy to sixth grade.

The Children’s Director will implement weekly, monthly and yearly events through recruiting and shepherding children and families. They will also manage the Children’s Advisory Council and volunteers for all events.

The Children’s Director responsibilities include:

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following

• Lead Children’s Ministries to teach Christ to children and families through coordinating programs and volunteers.

Shepherding

• Know all the children and families participating in Children’s Ministries.
• Be available to children and families for questions and direction.

Volunteers

• Recruit, train, enable, and provide resources for volunteers (teachers and, Sunday night volunteers), and provide volunteers for activities such as Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, Children’s Church, and others as needed.
• Responsible for children’s volunteers to be Safe Sanctuary Certified and Background Checked.

Programing

• Follow the direction of the Senior Director of Discipleship Ministries by coordinating with the Children’s Advisory Council and volunteers to plan and implement programs involving children and their families (weekly children’s program & monthly family events).
• Under the direction of the Senior Director of Discipleship Ministries and Church Council coordinate with the Children’s Advisory Council to implement annual goals, budget, and ministries for children.
• Ensure our facilities and procedures provide a “safe sanctuary” for our children and that St. John’s Safe Sanctuary Policy is current and adhered to in all children’s programs and ministries.
• Support and collaborate with our SEED program to establish a cohesive connection between our preschool and children’s ministry.
• Assist with the administrative duties of the programs including communication with members, production of newsletters, reservations, web page information and other items as needed.

Community

• Participate in community events and schools to meet new people and engage in the lives of the families of the children.

Additional Responsibilities

• Nurture personal spirituality through prayer, Bible Study, accountability of other believers, personal retreat, and worship.
• Continue learning and growing in the Christian faith and take advantage of opportunities to enhance the ministries at St John’s.
• Attend weekly staff meetings (unless absence is approved by your supervisor).
• Maintain a positive culture and team spirit among the St. John’s staff by modeling the core values of the church and supporting the Senior Minister’s vision for the church.
• Other duties as assigned by the Senior Director of Discipleship Ministries.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Children’s Director:

Education and experience

• Under-grad degree required.  A Bachelors in Christian Education / Education preferred
• 1+ years of ministry experience

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Proven leadership abilities
• Passion for working with children and families
• Strong organizational skills
• Proficient in planning and coordination
• Experience in event planning (preferred)
• Ability to coordinate and manage volunteers
• Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills

What it’s like to live in Aiken, SC 

Living in Aiken, SC, offers a warm and welcoming community, particularly for those who value faith and church life. With a number of historic churches, both large and small, Aiken provides a variety of opportunities for worship, fellowship, and service. The local churches play a central role in the community, hosting regular services, seasonal events, and outreach programs that bring people together. The peaceful, small-town atmosphere, paired with a strong sense of tradition and spirituality, makes Aiken a nurturing environment for families seeking a faith-centered lifestyle.