Worship Leader

Desert Cross Lutheran Church is a growing, two-campus ELCA Lutheran congregation with campuses in Tempe and Gilbert, Arizona. We are committed to creating welcoming, Christ-centered worship that is rooted in Scripture, shaped by Lutheran theology, and expressed through music, prayer, community, and service.

Our Gilbert campus is experiencing meaningful growth, including expanding opportunities for children, youth, and families to participate more fully in worship. We are seeking a gifted and relational Worship Leader who can lead Sunday worship with musical excellence while helping develop the next generation of worship leaders.

The Gilbert Campus Worship Leader provides musical and spiritual leadership for the Sunday morning worship service at Desert Cross Lutheran Church’s Gilbert campus, and serves under the oversight of the Director of Worship & Media Arts, who provides the worship plan and final song selections for the Gilbert campus; this role leads, prepares, rehearses, and develops musicians within that established worship plan.

This person leads worship vocally and instrumentally, and helps cultivate congregational participation through a blend of contemporary worship songs, hymns, and elements of Lutheran liturgical music.

• Lead the weekly Sunday morning worship service at the Gilbert campus vocally and instrumentally, preferably from piano.
• Provide prelude music approximately 10-15 minutes before worship begins.
• Lead congregational singing with confidence, warmth, and theological sensitivity.
• Support a worship style that includes contemporary worship music, hymns, Lutheran liturgical elements, and seasonal worship expressions.
• Prepare and lead music for special services as needed, including Christmas Eve, Holy Week, midweek seasonal services, funerals, weddings, and other occasional worship gatherings.
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Worship & Media Arts and pastors to ensure music supports the scripture readings, sermon themes, liturgical season, and overall worship flow.

• Identify, encourage, and mentor youth and young adults with musical gifts.
• Create age-appropriate opportunities for students to sing, play instruments, read music, assist with worship, or participate in worship teams.
• Help develop a culture where young people are welcomed, trained, and trusted as worship leaders.
• Collaborate with children’s, youth, and family ministry leaders to integrate youth participation into worship in meaningful and sustainable ways.
• Provide coaching in basic musicianship, worship leadership, microphone technique, stage presence, rehearsal etiquette, and congregational leadership.
• Encourage intergenerational worship by connecting experienced adult musicians with younger musicians.

• Communicate clearly with musicians regarding song lists, keys, rehearsal times, service flow, and expectations.
• Rehearse with musicians during the week and, when needed, before worship.
• Recruit, schedule, and support volunteer musicians and vocalists from within the congregation.
• Help build and maintain a healthy, reliable worship team culture.
• Accompany adult and children’s choirs as needed.

• Maintain regular communication with the Director of Worship & Media Arts, pastors, Gilbert campus leaders, and worship volunteers.
• Communicate scheduling needs, volunteer updates, equipment concerns, and pastoral or worship considerations in a timely manner.
• Represent Desert Cross with professionalism, warmth, and a collaborative spirit.
• Demonstrate basic comfort with worship technology, including microphones, soundboard basics, monitors, and worship presentation needs.
• Communicate with sound and media volunteers to support smooth worship leadership.
• Help create a worship environment where musicians, vocalists, readers, and worship participants can be clearly heard and supported.

• Strong Christian faith and commitment to leading worship in a church setting.
• High proficiency on piano.
• Ability to lead worship vocally with confidence and warmth.
• Ability to lead both contemporary…