JSC Hiring Reflection Group Leader/Chaplain for summer 2026
The Position:
Johnson Service Corps seeks a chaplain and reflection group leader to guide a cohort of 5-6 divinity school students for a 10-week summer field education program operated in partnership with Duke Divinity School. JSC fellows will be placed in faith-based, Durham non-profits for four days a week and meet together weekly with the Chaplain/reflection group leader to reflect upon their placements. With the guidance of the chaplain the fellows will adopt an agreed upon set of spiritual practices for mutual support and vocational discernment. The Chaplain/Group Leader will help curate additional learning experiences that allow students to reflect on the question of how to practice faithful servant leadership in organizations that serve both sacred and public missions.
Background:
JSC is a Durham based nonprofit funded by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, local Episcopal parishes and individual doners. It has a 25-year history of revealing calls to ministry that don’t directly or initially intersect with traditional paths to ordination. Through deep local connections and experience with mentorships in Episcopal/Anglican settings, fellows are formed through intentional spiritual practices and communal discernment, shaped by a curated set of lenses that reflect and illuminate God’s call on their own lives. Examples of such lens are racial justice and reconciliation, civic engagement in real context, a rule of life rooted in prayer and reflection, the Daily Office, and servant leadership.
JSC Expectations:
- Convene a weekly reflection group as required by Duke.
- With the assistance of the JSC Programming Committee, create a syllabus for the summer including guest speakers over dinner and perhaps field trips.
- Execute the syllabus: inviting speakers, planning dinners, and coordinating field experiences.
- Anchor program gatherings in shared worship, including Compline and other liturgical practices appropriate to the group.
- Offer individual spiritual direction sessions with each student at least twice during the summer, creating space for discernment and vocational reflection.
- Facilitate student self-assessment at the beginning and end of the program.
- Maintain a personal practice of prayer, contemplative discipline, and engagement with the Daily Office that sustains the chaplaincy role.
- Prepare written reports for the JSC Board for their June and August Board meetings.
- Serve as an ambassador for JSC at events and fundraising.
Qualifications:
The chaplain should be grounded in Anglican/Episcopal tradition and familiar with its spiritual practices, including the Daily Office, spiritual direction, and liturgical worship. Experience with Duke Divinity School Field Education preferred. Completion of diocesan Safe Church training is required for this position.
Reporting/Payment Structure:
This position has two reporting/payment lines. In their role as a Reflection Group Leader, the employee will report to the Duke Divinity School Field Education Office. They will be responsible to meet the Field Education Office expectations. Duke will pay the employee for that role.
The Chaplain role will be paid hourly with an expectation of 7-10 hours weekly. The hourly will be a range of ($40-$50) based on experience and credentials. It will be funded by Johnson Service Corps, and the direct supervisor will be the Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple, Chair of the Board of Directors.
Application Process:
Applications will be received through April 21st. Interested candidates may send a cover letter, list of three references, and resumé addressed to the Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple via Matty Alexander, JSC Program & Operations Consultant, at admin@johnsonservicecorps.org.