Apply for Church Organist

Description: First Methodist Conroe (FMC) values worship that cultivates an authentic experience of God’s presence and enables people to respond through prayer, praise, proclamation, and obedience. The Organist provides skilled, prayerful organ leadership for FMC’s 11:00 a.m. Traditional worship service, supporting congregational singing, accompanying the Chancel Choir, and offering service music that helps the congregation encounter God.
The Organist works closely with the Traditional Worship Director to prepare music for weekly worship, seasonal and special services, and accompanies the Children’s Choir and other Traditional worship ensembles as needed. The position also serves congregation families by playing for funerals, memorial services, and weddings as requested.
Primary Duties and Other Responsibilities
Primary responsibility: Sunday Traditional worship at the Conroe Campus (11:00 a.m.)
Additional responsibilities: Choir accompaniment, seasonal services, funerals, weddings, and other assigned ensembles
Sunday Worship
• Play for the 11:00 a.m. Traditional worship service each Sunday, including prelude, hymns, service music, anthem accompaniment, offertory, and postlude.
• Arrive prepared and accompany the Sunday morning choir rehearsal (currently 10:30 a.m.).
• Lead congregational hymns with appropriate registration, tempo, and introductions.
• Select prelude, offertory, and postlude music in consultation with the Traditional Worship Director, consistent with Scripture, sermon themes, and the Christian year.
Rehearsals and Ensembles
• Prepare choral accompaniments in advance and support pre-service anthem rehearsals. Wednesday evening choir rehearsal attendance is not required.
• Accompany the Children’s Choir and other Traditional worship ensembles as assigned.
• Practice independently as needed; the FMC organ is available for practice.
Seasonal and Special Services
• Provide music for Advent, Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Easter, All Saints’ Day, and combined or churchwide services as scheduled.
• Attend additional rehearsals necessary for these services.
Funerals and Weddings
• Play for funerals and memorial services as requested, coordinating with families, officiating clergy, and the church office.
• Play for weddings at FMC as requested, including meetings with couples and wedding rehearsals as needed.
• Funeral and wedding compensation is separate from the annual salary, as described below.
Collaboration and Stewardship
• Attend worship planning meetings with the Traditional Worship Director as needed.
• Notify the Traditional Worship Director of absences as early as possible and arrange an approved substitute.
• Care for the organ and piano; report repair, tuning, or maintenance needs promptly. The Traditional Worship Director manages the instrument-care budget.
• Help maintain the organ and accompaniment music library.
Skills And Qualifications:
• Growing Christian faith and commitment to the local church’s mission and ministry.
• Proficiency at pipe organ, including manual and pedal technique, registration, and strong hymn accompaniment.
• Strong sight-reading, accompanying, and conductor-following skills in support of a volunteer choir.
• Knowledge of Christian hymnody, sacred organ and choral literature, and the Christian worship calendar.
• Adaptability for funerals, weddings, and seasonal worship needs.
• Dependability, punctuality, communication, and a collaborative, servant-hearted approach.
• Bachelor’s degree in organ, music, or church music preferred; equivalent training and substantial church organ experience considered.
Key Performance Expectations:
• Sunday services and required pre-service rehearsals are prepared and supported reliably.
• Congregational singing and choral music receive musically confident, worship-centered accompaniment.
• Seasonal services and assigned ensembles are prepared in coordination with the Traditional Worship Director.
• Substitutes and absences are communicated and approved with appropriate notice.
• Instruments and accompaniment music are treated with care.

Schedule & Compensation:
• Sunday choir rehearsal: 10:30 a.m. weekly (required).
• Traditional worship service: Sunday at 11:00 a.m. weekly (required).
• Independent practice: As needed; FMC organ available.
• Seasonal and special services: As scheduled, several times per year.
• Funerals, memorial services, and weddings: As requested and available.

Additional funeral and wedding compensation: Funerals and memorial services: $175 (presented to families as a suggested donation); weddings: $250 standard fee. These are paid in addition to salary.
Paid time off: Three days per year after one year of service.

• Growing Christian faith and commitment to the local church’s mission and ministry.
• Proficiency at pipe organ, including manual and pedal technique, registration, and strong hymn accompaniment.
• Strong sight-reading, accompanying, and conductor-following skills in support of a volunteer choir.
• Knowledge of Christian hymnody, sacred organ and choral literature, and the Christian worship calendar.
• Adaptability for funerals, weddings, and seasonal worship needs.
• Dependability, punctuality, communication, and a collaborative, servant-hearted approach.
• Bachelor’s degree in organ, music, or church music preferred; equivalent training and substantial church organ experience considered.