1407 North B Street | Ellensburg, WA 98926 | 509.933.7800 | mercercreek.org

LEAD PASTOR PROFILE (Mercer Creek Church is seeking a lead pastor who meets the following profile) Character (God given personality traits)  Deep intimacy with Jesus; committed to prayer and in love with God’s Word  Filled with humility and grace with a heart for the broken, marginalized, and lost  Passion to reach people for Christ here and around the world  Secure in his calling and confident who God created him to be  Highly relational and able to connect with different generations, communities, and religions Competency (Key Ministry Skills)  Visionary leader with the ability to build on the church’s strong foundation  High level management skills with successful experience in leading a larger congregation/staff  Biblically-rooted teacher who can give dynamic messages with practical, life application  Effective communicator capable of empowering staff and lay leaders  Ability to foster a culture that allows for deeper relationships in the church  Experience with building a culture of lifestyle evangelism  Possess master’s level training in a ministry-oriented field or significant ministry experience Chemistry (Church and Community Fit)  Capable of functioning well in a larger church located in a smaller community  Comfortable with a casual rural Northwest lifestyle  Able to connect well with a diverse community of rural and academic lifestyles  Ability and interest in serving a multi-generational church  Committed to serve at Mercer Creek Church long term and willing to put down roots in Ellensburg

OUR VISION “A community fully engaging in the life and mission of Jesus Christ.” OUR CORE VALUES We believe that there are three core values that create an environment for this vision to be fulfilled. Encounter Jesus One of the first invitations to encounter Jesus happened with three simple words, “come and see.” At Mercer Creek Church we believe that everyone has the right to hear that gracious invitation to encounter Jesus; we believe that all Christ followers should be making authentic relationships with those who are far from God and when the Holy Spirit gives opportunity, introduce them to Christ. Experience Community: We believe that people’s desire for community was placed in us by God Himself. We also contend that the strongest way we grow and heal happens when people gather together to learn, encourage one another and hold each other accountable. That is why we put a high priority on being in a small group. Equip to serve: The Bible says that every Christ follower has God-given gifts, talents and experiences that are unique to them and that those gifts are given to all Christ followers to be used in service to God’s purposes. We believe that every Christ follower should be serving in some capacity. OUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 1. Develop a clear discipleship pathway for all age groups based on biblical teaching that allows people to go deeper and further in their spiritual walk with Jesus 2. Invest in emerging leaders 3. Develop a culture of lifestyle evangelism through training, coaching, and leading by example 4. Develop and mobilize a revitalized prayer focus for the church 5. Develop a master plan (facility, financial, ministries) that allows for future growth 6. Develop a multi-faceted strategy to strengthen relational connections between members of the congregation, allowing for a deeper “Koinonia” community of believers OUR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE Mercer Creek Church uses a modified Carver model with a Governing Board that is made up of Elders and other members of the church body. The Governing Board is responsible for setting policies that provide big-picture direction (ministry outcomes) while empowering the lead pastor to direct daily operations (ministry means). OUR FINANCES Mercer Creek is debt free and keeps approximately $200,000 in cash reserves. Our budget for 2018 is $1,500,000 compared to $1,077,000 in 2014. OUR FACILITIES Our campus includes a worship center with a seating capacity of approximately 440, an all-purpose fellowship hall, children’s activity center, classrooms (which are shared by the Childcare Center and children’s ministries), office complex and exterior youth building and bus garage. Our facilities are heavily used throughout the week and are too small to accommodate more growth. However, our facility is debt-free and we own five acres of land that was purchased as a future site for a new church.

OUR CHURCH HISTORY Mercer Creek Church was founded in 1939 by a small group of lay leaders who had a vision to see the teachings of The Christian and Missionary Alliance find a home in Ellensburg, Washington. The church’s first meeting place for public worship was a YMCA Chapel, moving afterward to the local courthouse. In 1944 the congregation moved to a dancehall/tavern which was dismantled and reconstructed on a vacant lot. After a strong beginning, the congregation fell into serious decline. In 1970 Pastor Tim Owen was called to join a few remaining families and with God’s help they were able to revive the church. Under Pastor Tim’s 29 years of ministry at Mercer Creek, people came to faith in Christ, a strong ministry to students at the university was established, and the congregation grew substantially. In 1979 the church moved to its current facility, which is a short distance away from Central Washington University. This period was marked by a spirit of authenticity, active ministries to children and youth and a passion for evangelism and global missions. Tommy Martin, a former youth pastor at Mercer Creek, served as lead pastor for 12 years, from 2001 to 2013. The church continued to grow through strong biblical preaching and ministry development. Small groups and women’s/men’s ministries became an integral part of the church. The pastoral staff was expanded and three Sunday morning services were offered. Due to serious health issues, Pastor Tommy resigned in January of 2013. The church board enlisted the services of Church Resource Ministries (CRM) to conduct an in-depth assessment of the church in the spring of 2013. CRM presented a list of recommendations for the church to work on during an intentional period of transition. Steve Conway was secured by the board to serve as a transitional interim pastor beginning in September 2013. Pastor Steve guided the church through a refocusing process as it prepared to welcome a new lead pastor. The church created a number of strategic initiatives for the next lead pastor to address within the first 24 months of his ministry. Scott Sinner was hired in 2014 as a new lead pastor. He led the church through an exciting time of growth, both in terms of attendance, but also outreach and program development. New community outreach ministries and staff were added and several care programs (Celebrate Recovery and Divorce Care) were added to serve the needs of the church body and community as a whole. Scott championed many of the strategic initiatives established during the prior transition, but after 3 ½ years God called him and his wife to a new lead pastor position in Sacramento, CA. In June 2017, CRM conducted a follow-up assessment which identified three priority ministry objectives: 1. Reevaluate and revamp all outreach ministries 2. Reevaluate and revamp the small group ministry 3. Begin to regularly and consistently design and develop strategies to train new leaders, including moving staff from a minister role (people builder) to an equipper role (team builder) After Pastor Scott’s departure, the church leadership underwent another internal assessment process seeking the Lord’s guidance on where the church was at and where He is leading us. From this process we have developed a new set of strategic initiatives and a profile of the man that we feel will best lead Mercer Creek for the foreseeable future.

OUR COMMUNITY Mercer Creek Church is located in Ellensburg, Washington, approximately 2 hours East of Seattle in a picturesque valley surrounded by mountains. Ellensburg is the county seat of Kittitas County and is also home to Central Washington University with about 14,000 students and staff. Kittitas County is rural with a population of approximately 42,000. While the county is not ethnically diverse, the blending of the university and rural nature of the area results in a rich cultural heritage. Kittitas County is a major producer and exporter of hay, and the areas near Ellensburg provide an abundance of recreational opportunities including hiking, fishing, hunting, and skiing.

For those who enjoy a slower pace of life, Ellensburg is a great place to live and raise a family. The city has a western flavor, hosting an annual rodeo (a major stop on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Circuit) which, along with the Kittitas County Fair, attracts a large crowd. The historic downtown includes quaint shops and restaurants and hosts year-round festivals, shows and events. Services include a hospital, quality schools, community swimming pool, parks and a variety of stores.

OUR STAFF In addition to the lead pastor the following people serve on our paid staff: Steve Conway – Interim Lead Pastor/Executive Pastor of Outreach Dwayne Smithgall – Care Pastor Heather May – Director of Operations Kerry Hansberry – Small Groups Director Dan Arnold – Executive Pastor of Ministries Jo Ann Johnston – Connections Coordinator Jojo Hahn – Worship Pastor Caleb Allison – Worship/Communications Assistant Mark Wagner – College Ministry Pastor Kalle Wagner – College Ministry Coordinator Eric Krueger – Senior High Pastor Paul Stoeckl – Middle School Pastor Lisa Johnson – Student Ministries Assistant Teresa Fultz –Children’s Ministries Director Nick Faucett – Assistant Children’s Ministries Director JoAnn Bentley - Children’s Ministries Coordinator Kari Mirro – Reach Ministries Director Bethany Newby - Mercer Creek Childcare Center Director Vacant – After School Program Director and Childcare Coordinator Cameron Tyrell – Communications/Production/Technology Coordinator Duke Senter – Videographer

OUR MINISTRIES Worship Gatherings Our church provides three worship services: Saturday at 6:00pm and Sunday morning at 9:00am and 10:30am. Worship teams enlisted by our Worship Pastor lead music in these contemporarystyle services. The services currently run about 60 minutes in length with 30 minutes for transitioning in between. Average attendance has grown in the last 3 years and is currently at 1,181 compared to an average of 761 between 2009 and 2013. Connections A team of volunteers actively provides hospitality ministries to guests with specific programs aimed at assimilating newcomers into the life and ministry of the church. Small Groups Approximately 50% of our adults are involved in some type of small group including men and women’s Bible study groups that are focused on three primary components: learn, care and serve. Glo-cal Missions Mercer Creek has a rich tradition as a church which generously supports the international ministries of The Christian and Missionary Alliance as well as other mission organizations. We send out teams on short term mission trips 3-4 times a year and conduct an annual World Awareness Week, bringing in international workers to share what God is doing through their ministries around the world. During the last 3-4 years the church has also focused more on local outreach, thus the term “glo-cal” (combining global and local missions). We partner actively with several community ministries; FISH (local food bank), HopeSource (social service agency), Cold Weather Homeless Shelter, and Care Net (a crisis pregnancy ministry) and have started an annual day of community service for the whole church. Senior Adult Ministries Our seniors participate in monthly events both on and off campus and provide a solid volunteer base for a variety of ministries at Mercer Creek. College/Young Adult Ministries - SALT SALT reaches out to about 350 university students through a variety of ministries. God has used this ministry to raise up next generation leaders, and students provide a solid volunteer base for children and youth programs at Mercer Creek. Youth Ministries The church offers a ministry to both middle school and senior high youth, which includes weekly gatherings on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. Children’s Ministries Nursery care and programs for children, preschool to fifth grade, are offered during all weekend services. Combined the ministry serves more than 200 children on a weekly basis. Childcare Center As part of the ministry of the church, operates a full time child care center and after school program for children ages 2 months to 11 years. These services meet an ongoing need in the community and allow the Mercer Creek to reach out to many unchurched families. The child care center and after school program serves 122 children and is financially independent.