Job Opening - Organist (part-time)
Church of the Ascension, Hamilton, Ontario
www.ascensionhamilton.com

The Church of the Ascension, located in downtown Hamilton in a historical building, is home to a Christian congregation in the Diocese of Niagara, Anglican Church of Canada. 

With the grace and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we worship God, and follow Jesus Christ, striving to live out the Gospel wherever we are -in service, learning, and fellowship.

The Ascension Church has a very fine 2 manual Casavant Organ, which benefits further from the resonant acoustics of the building.

An Organist position is now open at our church.

This is a personal services contractor position, for any musician so qualified,to collaborate with the congregation, Incumbent, volunteers, and other staff members, to offer worship to God through music.

The Organist reports to: the Incumbent (worship); the Wardens (employment and purchasing of materials).

Term: 1 year (renewable) for a personal services contract.

Contract can be terminated by either party, without penalty, under extenuating circumstances.

Purpose of the Position: 
• To provide appropriate organ and/or piano music for worship services. 
• To encourage participation in the music ministry. 
• To further develop the music ministry at The Church of the Ascension.

Competencies: 
• Adequate interpretative skills at both the piano and the organ.
• Teaching skills for effectively encouraging /teaching both congregation and cantors. 
• A background in Anglican Liturgy - or a willingness to learn.

Time Commitment: 
• Average of up to 6 hours/week – in the understanding that some seasons of the Church year (Holy Week, Christmas) require greater than average hours, while some seasons of the year -Summer-require fewer hours. In the case of special services, a separate arrangement is made through the church office. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 
• Play the organ/piano for all Sunday and any special services- and, if unable, provide substitute.
• Teach, encourage, and involve the congregation in worship music. 
• Provide Incumbent with lectionary-themed music for every service, with a balance of Anglican 
 traditional and contemporary oecumenical hymnody.
• Have reasonable flexibility to accommodate volunteers and paid/unpaid instrumentalists. 
• Advise Corporation on tuning and repairs of either organ or piano. 
• Report usage of copyrighted music on OneLicence.net and CCLI websites. 
• Submit an annualreport to the Wardens for inclusion in the annual vestry report. 
• Follow the Safe Church Policy. 

Compensation: 
• Hourly rate commensurate with experience, education and credentials, and consistent with RCCO guidelines. 

Vacations and time away:
• Time away and the appointment of replacements are to be coordinated with the Corporation. 

Training Provided: 
• If necessary, orientation to the Church of the Ascension, Anglican Liturgy, and lectionary. 
• Safe Church guidelines and best practices. 

To apply for this Organist position at the Church of the Ascension, please submit a resume, 3 references, and cover letter (relevant experience and qualifications) to secretary@ascensionchurch.ca by September 15th 2025.

Applications from all qualified candidates, including people with disabilities, will be considered. If an applicant in the interview stage should require any such accommodations, please contact us prior to attending an interview.