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 even 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 has 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 Associate Pastor of Nurture, Care, and Counseling

The Associate Pastor of Nurture, Care, and Counseling at St. John’s Methodist Church serves as a compassionate, relational presence dedicated to nurturing the spiritual and emotional well-being of the congregation and the broader Aiken community. Centered on personal connection and shepherd-like care, this role focuses heavily on walking alongside individuals and families through life's challenges, such as visiting hospital patients, nursing home residents, and shut-ins, while offering pastoral counseling, grief comfort, and end-of-life care. Beyond direct visitation, the pastor coordinates vital nurture ministries such as Stephen Ministry, Shepherd of Love, and grief or dementia support groups, and they equip lay volunteers to participate in visitation and homebound communion. Working as a trusted, encouraging partner alongside the Lead Pastor, this role helps maintain a warm staff culture, teaches Bible studies, assists in worship, conducts funerals, and occasionally preaches, ensuring every member feels known, valued, and supported.

The Associate Pastor of Nurture, Care, and Counseling's responsibilities include:

• Provides pastoral care for the congregation.  
• Visits sick, nursing homes, hospitals and shut-ins, and helps the needy. Conduct 12 face-to-face visits and 12 telephonic visits per week or as determined by the Senior Pastor. Provide weekly reports for visits and those ill within the church. 
• Designs and Administers a comprehensive plan for nurturing the congregation including updates as needed to Realm Notes to the church database and reports for Church Council.
• Develop, train and deploy lay persons to assist in visitation to hospitals and nursing homes on a regular basis as well as Home Bound Communion on a quarterly basis.
• Serves on the Leadership Team as the staff liaison for the Stephen Ministry program at St John’s.
• Serves as the staff liaison for the Shepherd of Love program at St John’s.
• Serves as the liaison to the St. John’s Senior Council. 
• Coordinate and teach the Grief Program at St John’s.
• Coordinate and teach the Dementia Support Group at St. John’s.
• Lead occasional church wide Bible Studies and weekly Bible Studies at retirement communities.
• Counsel those with pastoral counseling needs and comforts bereaved and families.
• Represents the Senior Pastor and keeps him informed about congregational needs and concerns. 
• Prepares and delivers 6-8 sermons per year, assists in worship services and conducts wedding and funeral services (significant funeral leadership). Conduct monthly healing service.
• Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Makes team success a priority; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports the senior pastor and the church's efforts to succeed.
• Participate in continuing education programs for Ministry on an annual basis.
• Maintain a positive culture and team spirit with others of the St. John’s staff and congregation. 
• Assist with the administrative duties of the programs including communication with members, production of newsletters, web page information, and other items as needed.
• Nurture personal spirituality through prayer, Bible Study, accountability of other believers, personal retreat and worship.
• Other duties as may be assigned by the Senior Pastor. 

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Associate Pastor of Nurture, Care, and Counseling

Education and Experience

• Undergraduate degree required.
• Seminary degree preferred.
• 3+ Years of Relevant Ministry Experience.
• Ordination from a denomination in a Methodist/Wesleyan tradition preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of effective pastoral visitation practices, crisis counseling, grief support, and end-of-life care methodologies.
• Knowledge and understanding of traditional Methodist doctrine, biblical teaching, and traditional worship values.
• Operational knowledge of structured lay care programs, including Stephen Ministry, Shepherd of Love, and dementia support frameworks.
• Understanding of church database systems or other frameworks for tracking pastoral notes, member visits, and church council care reporting.
• Understanding and ability to officiate monthly Healing Services, administer Homebound Communion, conduct weddings, and lead funeral or memorial services.
• Ability to conduct direct one on one pastoral counseling, grief comfort, and spiritual care for individuals and families in crisis.
• Skill in preparing and delivering occasional sermons (6–8 times per year) and designing and leading Bible studies in both church and retirement community settings.
• Skill in recruiting, equipping, and deploying lay volunteers to conduct hospital visitation and assist in other areas of the Nurture Ministry.
• Ability to organize, coordinate, and teach specialized congregational care classes, specifically the Grief Program and Dementia Support Group.
• Skill in handling program logistics, drafting pastoral care contributions for church newsletters, and maintaining current website content for the ministry area.
• Able to direct visitation volunteer groups, serving as staff liaison to church committees, and supervising designated ministry staff.
• Ability to maintain a systematic schedule of direct visitation across hospitals, nursing homes, and homebound shut-ins, including both face-to-face and phone outreach.
• Ability to maintain regular, structured care reporting to the Senior Pastor, function as a supportive co-pilot, and align with broader pastoral leadership goals.

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• Relational Shepherd: Naturally relational, engaging, and skilled at building warm, authentic, and personal connections across the congregation.
• Spiritually Grounded: Maintains personal spiritual vitality through dedicated prayer, scripture study, personal retreat, and mutual accountability.
• Deep Empathy & Compassion: Demonstrates sincere empathy and heartfelt care when walking alongside individuals and families through illness, grief, and crisis.
• Humility: Displays genuine personal humility, operating without a dominant temperament.
• Partnership Mindset: Comfortable serving as a supportive partner to the Senior Pastor rather than needing to be the primary visionary.
• Adaptable & Flexible: Able to hold daily schedules and personal agendas loosely in order to respond gracefully to unexpected pastoral emergencies.
• Calmness in Crisis: Maintains a steady, reassuring, and peaceful presence during crises, hospital emergencies, and end-of-life care.
• Intentional & Present: Shows intentionality and focused presence in personal visits, ensuring members feel genuinely seen, heard, and remembered.
• Approachable & Inviting: Highly approachable, creating a comfortable environment where members feel safe reaching out for spiritual guidance or counseling.
• Honoring & Respectful of Tradition: Respectful of the church’s established foundation, legacy, and Methodist heritage, seeking to honor existing ministries and improve them over time.
• Collaborative & Team-Minded: A team player who prioritizes group success, remains open to others' views, and welcomes constructive feedback.
• Encouraging Spirit: Acts as an uplifting presence for fellow staff members, actively contributing to a positive team culture and staff morale.
• Warmth & Good Sense of Humor: Brings personal warmth, a lighthearted demeanor, and a healthy sense of humor to daily church life and team dynamics.
• Objectivity & Active Listener: Approaches delicate pastoral situations with objectivity, active listening skills, and open-mindedness.

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.