Job Description

General Information

Name of Church: Somerset Alliance

Church Location: Somerset, in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania — 70 miles east of Pittsburgh

Type of Community: A borough of roughly 6,000 residents within Somerset County (total county population approximately 74,000)

Online Presence: Church website, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

Church Ministries

SERVICE DAYS & TIMES

• Corporate Worship Service — Sundays at 10:15 AM
• Youth, Children's Ministries, & Adult Bible Study — Wednesdays at 6:45 PM
• Young Adult Ministries — Thursdays at 7:00 PM

OTHER KEY MINISTRIES & PROGRAMS

• Alliance Women
• Congregational Care
• Grief Share / Divorce Care
• Ministry Development
• Somerset Christian School & Daycare
• Christian Counseling Associates Partnership
• Mom's Ministry
• Men's Ministry

PRESENT WORSHIP FORMS & STYLE

Our primary worship style at SAC is contemporary, reflecting a transition the church made over the last 12 15 years. While contemporary songs make up the majority of our music selections, we intentionally incorporate familiar hymns and choruses into our Sunday gatherings by updating their arrangements to fit a modern sound while still remaining connected to the richness of the Church's traditional heritage. Above all, our worship times are structured to be Jesus-centered and Spirit-led, creating an inviting space for the congregation to participate in deep, meaningful worship. We prioritize authentic encounters with God, posturing an openness to the Holy Spirit.

Church Analysis

KEY GOALS FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS (IN PRIORITY ORDER)

• Small Group Community (Spiritual Growth & Missional Community)
• Lay Leader Development
• Improve partnership between elder/governing board and staff

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE LAST 3 YEARS (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE)

• “Debt Free by 2023” — the 2008 building-expansion mortgage was paid off
• Discipleship guidebook “40 Weeks with Jesus” completed, printed, and sold
• Worked alongside Parkview Alliance to help keep it open, before releasing it to independent ministry in 2025

MOST SIGNIFICANT STRENGTHS & OPPORTUNITIES

• Sunday morning worship gathering
• Alliance partnership
• Personal growth
• Financial stewardship

MOST SIGNIFICANT WEAKNESSES & THREATS

• Community outreach
• Effective organization
• Missions focus

Facilities

Somerset Alliance Church occupies approximately 56,000 square feet across two connected sections. The original building, constructed in 1979–80, comprises roughly 36,000 square feet and includes a 900-seat sanctuary, gymnasium, offices, a conference room, classrooms, and a dedicated prayer room. In 2009–10, a 24,000-square-foot addition was completed, housing preschool-through-elementary classrooms, adult education spaces, a fellowship hall, and a commercial kitchen.

In 2025, the church began a multi-phase sanctuary remodel. The majority of Phase 1 — which focused on sound, video, and platform upgrades — has been completed. Two additional phases are planned to continue modernizing the sanctuary space.

Other Relevant Information

Somerset Alliance Church serves as a hub for several community-facing ministries and partnerships. The church houses Somerset Christian Day Care and Somerset Christian School, which operate as a ministry of the church with their own separate board and finances. The church also provides dedicated counseling space for CCA (Christian Counseling Associates), whose licensed counselors meet with individuals from both the church and the broader community on-site. Once a month, the church parking lot hosts a mobile food bank distribution. The church has a long-standing culture of generosity with its facilities, regularly opening its doors for community organizations and events.

Pastoral Role Priorities

PASTORAL EXPECTATIONS

High Priority — required and critical; the church will not call a candidate for whom these are not the highest priority.

• Vision Caster / Keeper
• Preacher / Teacher
• Administrator

Moderately High Priority — desired and important; may impact the call.

• People Developer
• Prophetic Vision
• Community Engagement

Moderately Low Priority — helpful, with less impact on the call.

• Entrepreneurial Leader
• Mission Mobilizer
• Counselor / Care

Major Needs of the Church Requiring Attention

• Improve partnership between elder/governing board and staff
• ‘Siloed’ ministries
• Healing of past wounds (repentance / forgiveness)
• Development of lay leaders
• Community outreach
• A balanced approach to internal discipleship that supports both new believers and mature Christians in their ongoing walk with Christ
• Staff opportunities
• Lack of volunteers

Personal Strengths Sought (spiritual, emotional, social)

• A unifier with wisdom and courage to move beyond superficial peace, address issues at the root, and help bridge relational gaps between older and younger generations.
• A humble shepherd dedicated to prayer, sensitive to God's leading, with the emotional intelligence to connect with people.
• A man of godly character and genuine authenticity, faithful to the gifts God has placed in him and not artificial or performative.
• A doctrinally sound leader who is grounded in Scripture and able to lead with biblical clarity and conviction.
• A relationally mature and diplomatic leader who can foster trust, navigate conflict wisely, and build healthy connections across the church.
• A clear and compelling vision caster who can help the church move forward in unity and faithfulness to God's calling.
• Someone actively involved in the community who serves as a visible, respected leader beyond the walls of the church.

Other Significant Considerations for the Call of the Next Pastor

• The pastor should understand and embrace the culture of our area.
• The pastor’s family would be expected to reside in the church parsonage.

How a New Pastor Should Expect to Fulfill His Leadership Role

We anticipate a new pastor would fulfill his leadership role by prayerfully discerning God's direction, faithfully teaching His Word, and leading with humility, authenticity, and love. He should recognize and cultivate the strengths God has already placed within our church rather than trying to remake it in the image of a previous ministry, while encouraging healing, unity, and trust among leaders, staff, and the congregation. He should also equip and develop lay leaders, encourage meaningful discipleship across all generations, and lead us outward in compassionate outreach to our community. Above all, we hope he is a unifying, Spirit-led shepherd who helps our church grow in Christlikeness, deeper community, and effective kingdom ministry in Somerset and beyond.

Applications

Candidates for this position must be ordained or qualified for ministry accreditation with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Interested parties should send their resume to the Western Pennsylvania District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance at ealyp@cmawpa.org .

Church financial statements, compensation and other information will be made available to candidates in the course of the interview process.

To be considered for this position, please complete the application to include your testimony, resume and other background information related to the position.

If the district office has reviewed your application and they think you may be a potential match for the position, that the hiring manager will reach out to you for next steps.

This position requires licensing with The Christian & Missionary Alliance. To learn more about The Alliance and requirements for licensing, please visit our website

Please do not contact the church directly.