COVINA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Worship Leader Job Description
Location: Covina, California
Compensation: $1,000 per month
Employment Status: Part-time church employee
Reports to: Senior Pastor
Our Vision
Covina United Methodist Church seeks a gifted worship leader who can lead the congregation in meaningful, participatory worship through singing and instrumental accompaniment.
Our worship is grounded in traditional Christian hymnody, with a desire to thoughtfully incorporate accessible contemporary worship music. We seek someone who honors these traditions, introduces new music with care, and helps people of different ages and musical backgrounds sing and worship together.
Qualifications
- Proficiency in piano/keyboard accompaniment, including the ability to sing while accompanying.
- Demonstrated ability to lead congregational singing with a clear voice, warmth, confidence, and effective musical cues.
- Working knowledge of Christian hymnology, traditional church music, and contemporary worship music.
- Ability to choose singable keys, appropriate tempos, and arrangements suited to the congregation.
- Familiarity with United Methodist worship resources—or willingness to learn—including The United Methodist Hymnal, The Faith We Sing, and Worship & Song.
- Dependable preparation, attendance, communication, and collaboration.
- Respect for the church’s theology, ministry, and commitment to welcoming people of diverse backgrounds.
- Relevant musical and worship leadership experience. Formal music education is welcome; equivalent practical experience is valued.
- The ability to play the church’s organ is a welcome bonus. Guitar proficiency is also valued.
Responsibilities
1. Lead congregational worship through music.
Provide vocal and piano/keyboard leadership for hymns, songs, and musical responses during regular Sunday worship and scheduled special services, ordinarily including three or four congregational selections per Sunday.
2. Collaborate on worship planning.
Work with the Senior Pastor to select music that supports Scripture, sermon themes, the church calendar, and the congregation’s musical abilities.
3. Connect traditional and contemporary music.
Support worship grounded in familiar hymnody while thoughtfully introducing accessible contemporary songs, refrains, and arrangements.
4. Encourage confident participation.
Provide clear musical introductions, entrances, and endings, along with brief spoken invitations as appropriate. Help the congregation learn unfamiliar music in manageable ways.
5. Provide agreed service music.
Prepare and provide instrumental or vocal music for the prelude, offertory, Communion, and postlude, as identified in the worship plan.
6. Coordinate with worship participants.
Participate in a brief Sunday rehearsal and sound check at an agreed time. Collaborate with volunteer singers, instrumentalists, and the technology team on that Sunday’s planned music.
7. Communicate selections promptly.
Provide final music titles, versions, and other necessary information by agreed deadlines for the worship order, bulletin, and slides.
8. Support dependable coverage.
Request planned time off in advance and assist the Senior Pastor in identifying qualified substitutes when practicable. The church retains responsibility for approving, engaging, and compensating substitutes. Notify the Senior Pastor as soon as practicable regarding illness or emergencies. Finding a substitute is not a condition of using protected leave.
9. Provide music for special services and events.
Prepare and lead music for the following annual services and events as part of the position’s regular compensation:
- Christmas Eve
- Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, as scheduled
- Spring Concert
Dates and preparation needs will be coordinated in advance through the church’s worship calendar.
Provide music for weddings, funerals, and memorial services as availability permits, with additional compensation at agreed rates.
10. Participate in monthly worship planning.
Attend a monthly worship-planning meeting with the Senior Pastor and other worship participants as appropriate.
11. Professional Conduct
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries, protect confidential congregational information, and comply with church personnel, safeguarding, anti-harassment, and safety policies.
Compensation and Time Commitment
Compensation is $1,000 per month, paid through the church’s regular payroll schedule, with applicable payroll deductions.
The anticipated commitment averages approximately five hours per week, recognizing that preparation and rehearsal needs vary throughout the church year. Duties include personal musical preparation, routine worship coordination, a monthly worship-planning meeting, rehearsals, sound checks, and worship leadership.
The regular Sunday schedule includes arrival by 9:00 a.m. for rehearsal and sound check, worship from 10:00 to approximately 11:00 a.m., and occasional brief rehearsals following worship. There is no regularly scheduled midweek rehearsal.
The position includes four Sundays of paid time off annually, administered under the church’s written leave policy. Paid sick leave and other applicable leave are provided in accordance with law and church policy. The Worship Leader is expected to collaborate with the church to arrange qualified substitute coverage.
We seek a dependable worship leader who is engaged in the service and invested in helping the congregation participate meaningfully in worship.
Weddings, funerals, and memorial services are compensated separately at agreed rates and scheduled according to availability. Responsibilities beyond those described will be reviewed with the Senior Pastor in advance, including scheduling, workload, and any applicable additional compensation.
Selection Process
Candidates may be invited to an interview and a brief musical audition demonstrating their ability to accompany and lead congregational singing in both traditional hymns and contemporary worship music.
Employment Requirements
Employment is contingent upon satisfactory reference checks and completion of applicable background screening, conducted in accordance with law. The selected candidate must complete church-required safeguarding training and follow the church’s child and vulnerable-adult protection policies.
To Apply
Submit a résumé and a brief statement describing your worship leadership experience to Pastor Josh at: revjosh@covinaumc.org. Links to existing recordings are welcome. Please include your availability for Sunday worship and the special services listed above.
Application deadline: November 7, 2026.
