Dear Future Wilson Center Director,

Thank you for leading PTM’s largest site with enthusiasm, professionalism, playfulness, compassion, and joy. You have the unique gift of creating a space and a program that is safe and fun. Children love coming into the Wilson Center and feeling special. Your students will return years from now and enter the Wilson Center and remark, “I love the way this place smells”. You know that there is nothing special about the actual smell, but the feelings generated by the hundreds of warm memories, of feeling special, of enjoying friendships, and of growing in confidence and hope. I cannot thank you enough for your wisdom and ability to lead.

I am thankful for the opportunities you will provide for our students: opportunities to keep building a positive peer group, chances to improve academically, retreats and outings, a steady dose of awesome volunteers who believe in them. Above all, the biggest gift you will offer them is an opportunity to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ. They will see in you one who puts God first, is grounded in scriptural understanding, lives in a dynamic personal relationship with Jesus, and works tirelessly to help them pursue faith with enthusiasm. You embody the very core beliefs that we want desperately the youth of PTM to know, feel, and experience.

In addition to being a person of great faith who bathes every decision and initiative in prayer, I very much appreciate that you value order. You recognize that our students feel safest and most loved when there is a schedule and structure with clear boundaries. You are able to provide and lead this structure in such a way that students can always answer the question: “where are you supposed to be?” You are able to create a consistency of schedule, discipline, and tone that gives our students confidence, security, and a sense of pride.

While valuing and instilling order, you are also flexible. You anticipate changes to staff and volunteers and are quickly and enthusiastically able to implement Plan B or Plan C. You recognize the importance of our students having fun and creating memories and model that for them. You do not lose focus on days when it feels more like chaos than order.

You are wise. You know how to interact sensitively with parents who may disagree with you. You know when to nurture and when to confront. You know each student and parent by name and story. While showing no favoritism you are able to treat each child according to his/her own personality and needs.

You are a hard-worker. You never consider how many hours you have worked in a week. You don’t believe anything is impossible. You have a “make it happen” mentality. You do not make excuses, but pursue every possible resource for providing the children under your care with great opportunities.

You are a team-player. You embrace PTM’s mission and recognize humbly that results are up to God. You encourage other staff members and participate with them in programs that are not directly your responsibility. You recognize the incredible value of PTM volunteers and you equip them to build life-changing “joy-filled friendships”. You like staying after PTM events to join in a staff “circle of love” to celebrate all that God is doing through PTM. You recognize and are grateful for all of the people who are playing a part in leading our youth.

You are a great communicator. You know how to teach our students. You are creative in how you present the gospel, field trip opportunities, and long division. You are a great writer. You share stories with our supporters. You respond quickly to emails and coordinate our volunteer staff. You inspire faith and courage in how you communicate. People naturally and excitedly follow you.

You are a builder. You recognize that the children under your care have benefitted from great leaders and volunteers. You want to add to that legacy. You create programs and continue traditions that will far outlast any of us on staff. You lead in a way that you can sustain. Even though you are spending yourself on behalf of others, you are taking the time to care for yourself in a way that prevents burn out and allows you to prosper and thrive both in and out of PTM.

You will enjoy the PTM staff and fit in like family. The salary will be $42,000. PTM will also pay partial health benefits through PTM’s group health insurance policy. Additionally, there will be three weeks of paid leave built into the rhythm of the year. While you could make more money in another job, you will truly feel like you are overpaid. Like for me, the biggest benefits will come in the satisfaction of serving God and others doing something that is fun, that makes a difference, and that provides many opportunities for relationships with outstanding people.

If interested in this position, please email me a cover letter and resume by March 25, 2019  (chan@prestontaylorministries.org). I can’t wait to meet you and to serve with you. You will make PTM better.

Very gratefully yours,

Chan Sheppard
Executive Director