Director of Music Ministries

The Presbyterian Church on Edisto Island (PCEI) is nestled under the live oaks and Spanish moss of the coastal Low country. Founded in 1685, we are now in our third century of worship and ministry. While historic, the life and mission of PCEI are alive and vibrant. A close-knit community, our congregation seeks to support one another as we commit to learning, proclaiming, and living the love of God (from the PCEI Mission Statement).

As we begin our search for a new Director of Music Ministries, we are excited to introduce you not simply to a position, but to the congregation and community in which this ministry takes place.

Edisto Island is part of the greater Charleston area, a community shaped by the beauty and distinctive pace of Low country life. It is home to families who have lived here for generations, newcomers putting down roots, and a growing number of retirees. Our congregation reflects that community. Our average worship attendance is 120. PCEI includes members and affiliates, along with many friends who spend part of each year with us in their second homes.

We value our long history while continuing to grow, change, and discern how God is calling us to serve in this particular place.

Our life together extends well beyond Sunday morning. We seek to nurture people of all ages in Christian faith and fellowship while remaining deeply engaged with the needs of our island community. PCEI is home to the only preschool on Edisto Island, and our Food Pantry provides both non-perishable groceries and fresh produce each month to neighbors throughout the community. Through worship, education, fellowship, mission, and care for one another, we seek to be a congregation where faith is not only proclaimed but lived.

Music has long been an important part of that life. Generations of singers, musicians, directors, and volunteers have helped shape our worship, and we are grateful for the rich musical tradition we have inherited. At the same time, we see this transition as an opportunity to imagine what comes next. We are looking for a Director of Music Ministries who will value what has been built here while helping us explore new ways music can deepen worship, nurture faith, invite participation, and connect people across generations.

Our commitment to the future of music at PCEI is also reflected in a significant investment now underway. The Session has entered into a contract with Walker Technical Company for a new custom-built three-manual, Walker AEolian-Skinner-style drawknob console organ, which we anticipate installing in 2027. We are excited about the possibilities this instrument will offer and about welcoming a music leader who can help us use it, along with the many musical gifts already present in our congregation, in service to the worship of God.

The Director of Music Ministries will join a collegial staff that understands ministry as shared work. Our staff members partner closely with one another and with the many volunteers who give generously of their gifts, energy, and time. We hope to welcome someone who enjoys that kind of collaboration, who cares about people as much as music, and who sees church music not simply as performance but as ministry.

The enclosed job description outlines a full-time Director of Music Ministries position and the breadth of opportunities we envision for this ministry. We also recognize that gifted church musicians come with different vocational circumstances and needs. For that reason, we are open to conversations about a full-time or part-time position, as well as the possibility of dividing responsibilities between two people whose gifts complement one another.

We are more interested in finding the right person, or people, to share in this ministry than in limiting our search to one particular staffing model.

PCEI is a loving and welcoming congregation in an exciting season of its life. As Edisto continues to welcome new families and retirees, we are grateful for the opportunity to consider how our historic congregation can faithfully serve both those who have long called this island home and those who are just beginning to find their place here. We believe music will continue to be an important part of that calling.

We invite you to read the enclosed job description and consider whether your gifts and sense of call might find a home among us. We would be delighted to begin a conversation and to learn more about you, your ministry, and your hopes for the future of music in the…