Job Opening: Music Director, St. John’s Episcopal Church
Contact: AGOmontg@gmail.com
Website: Stjohnsmontgomery.org
Location: 113 Madison Ave.
Montgomery, AL. 36104
Position type: Full-Time
Compensation: $75,000 – $85,000 per year
Application deadline: November 15, 2026. Submit letter of intent with Résumé to the above email address.
The Church
As the oldest Episcopal parish in the Montgomery area, formed in 1834, St. John’s Episcopal Church has a rich and varied history. Built in 1855, our Gothic-styled church rests prominently on a tree-lined block in the heart of downtown. The church has undergone updates and renovations over the years, adding to a beautiful and joyous space for worship and fellowship. We are positioned near many historical and cultural sites and maintain a significant presence amid the many vibrant pilgrimages to our city.
St. John’s has approximately 800 active members with an average weekly attendance of around 200 people. We have a broad spectrum of ages, ranging from infants to nonagenarians. In recent years, the scope of our congregation has widened, lending strength and empathy that bring people of varying viewpoints and lifestyles together. Traditional liturgical music is a vital part of our worship service and is valued for its spiritual offering and beauty. Sunday morning 10:30 service includes a distinct focus on musical worship, with a combination of organ, instrumentalists, and adult choir.
St. John’s welcomes everyone into the church and does not discriminate against anyone based upon race, nationality, or life style.
The Position
- Full-time with insurance, retirement, and other benefits.
- Three manual pipe organ designed by Harald Rohlig in an excellent acoustic space. Forty-five ranks with Ruckpostiv, Trumpet-en-chamade, and a floating digital solo division. The console was recently upgraded with Syndyne technology.
- Money available for paid singers, instruments, and a community concert series.
- Professional fees and time for continuing education provided.
St. John’s has an opening for a full-time music director with competitive salary and benefits package. The music director leads the worship music ministry for the church. The individual is both organist and choral director and responsible for all music in the church.
St. John’s has a long history of providing some of the finest traditional music at our church services and to Montgomery through our community concert series.
The pipe organ was designed by Dr. Harald Rohlig, professor at Huntingdon College and music director at St. John’s for fifty years before his retirement in 2012.
We have a full set of handbells. We have a bell tower with nine bells that are played every Sunday morning.
The music director is responsible for one service, at 10:30 am every Sunday. The music director is not responsible for music at our early service except on special occasions, such as Easter or Christmas. Beyond Sunday mornings, there are minimal additional services throughout the year(e.g. Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday) that require musical assistance.
Responsibilities
- Plan, organize, coordinate, and conduct the music program of the church.
- Recruit, organize, supervise, educate, and conduct choirs and instrumental groups.
- Choose and prepare music for the choir and hold choir practice as needed.
- Select, prepare and perform appropriate service music including prelude, postlude, choral anthems, and hymns.
- Play for all special services on the church calendar.
- Provide music for weddings and funerals. These are extra and fee arrangements are made with the families. However, they are a part of the organist’s responsibilities.
- Direct musical programming for congregational events.
- Meet regularly with rector and music committee in planning and coordinating the music for all worship services.
- Oversee the maintenance and servicing of the church's musical instruments.
- Select and purchase music that will become part of the church music library.
- Coordinate and plan special music services and programs by recruiting performers and scheduling rehearsals.
- Perform other duties as needed to ensure that the church has an exceptional music program.
Qualifications
Required:
- Master’s Degree in music with related experience.
- Demonstrated proficiency in organ literature and hymn accompaniment.
- Experience directing a church choir, or directing other choral ensembles or community choirs.
- Ability to read, prepare, and lead liturgical and choral music in a traditional worship setting, preferably in the Episcopal or Anglican Church.
- A genuine enthusiasm for working with young people and a strong interest in leading and growing a youth choir program.