MDP: Ministry Discernment Profile
As one of the first steps in the search for our next Senior Pastor, the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) completed the Ministry Discernment Profile (MDP) that is required for posting positions with the Presbyterian Church (USA).
The MDP has been approved by the Session of First Presbyterian Church of Naples and the Committee on Ministry of the Peace River Presbytery and was officially posted with the PC(USA) on November 13, 2025.
As you will see below, the profile provides prospective candidates for the position of Senior Pastor with an overview of First Presbyterian Church of Naples and of what we are looking for in our next Senior Pastor.
MDP: Ministry Requirements
Church Mission/Vision Statement
In the Heart of Naples with the Love of God: we worship, we love, we grow, we serve - we welcome all, and together we follow our Lord Jesus Christ.
In response to God’s grace in Jesus Christ, we seek to live with gratitude. Empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ and our neighbors.
Tasks, expectations, duties, supervision, assignments, and responsibilities for the position
In 2027 First Presbyterian Naples will celebrate its 75th anniversary – a time to celebrate and reflect on our vibrant ministry in Naples and to look ahead to envision what the next 75 years might look like in worship, ministry, and service for our community.
The Senior Pastor/Head of Staff will be the spiritual leader through preaching and teaching, and will provide strategic direction and collaborative oversight of administrative areas, with specific duties including:
- Serving as head of staff, supervising, and building a collegial team of ordained and non-ordained staff members, encouraging a culture of service, joy, and friendship with our colleagues in ministry. The staff totals twenty (38 with Preschool), including one Associate Pastor; Director of Music Ministry; Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministries; and an Executive Director.
- Leading our worship life. Continuing the dynamic preaching tradition, inspiring the congregation to grow in faith.
- Serving as an inspiring teacher.
- Moderating the Session meetings, with focus on collaboration, organizational and committee effectiveness, spiritual growth, and effective communication.
- Being our pastor, walking with us in challenging times, celebrating with us in joyous times, and always loving us.
- Leading and championing the work of stewardship and giving.
- Helping, with active participation, building relationships with and expanding our community engagement and mission outreach.
- Participating in PC(USA) and Peace River Presbytery activities.
MDP: Narratives
How would you describe the congregation’s/organization’s specific vision for ministry? How will this vision impact the community? Is the congregation part of a ministry vision or program?
Our credo, “In the Heart of Naples with the Love of God: we worship, we love, we grow, we serve – we welcome all.” Established in 1952, we are the longest serving Presbyterian church in Naples. Our location in downtown Naples, Florida is the center of our ministry with arteries of service and mission coursing through Collier County, the U.S., and around the world as we express God’s love for all people.
We live out our vision of ministry by thinking of ourselves as verbs, not nouns. We are called to action --- worshiping, witnessing, serving, teaching, caring, loving, and growing in maturity as disciples of Christ, open to the power of the Holy Spirit. Our worship begins at home. Because we care for each other, through God’s love and grace, we extend that care to the community we serve.
We are rooted in tradition but seek to thrive in an ever-changing world to discern what God is calling us to be and do at this time. We are warm, accepting, and friendly – wearing nametags – welcoming all who come to worship and fellowship with us. Our worship experiences empower us through inspiring sermons, exceptional music, and thoughtful liturgy.
Our engaged congregation partners with our Church staff and leaders to create opportunities for deeper engagement and meaningful connections. We strive to live out our faith through targeted community partners and raise our voices through advocacy and social leadership.
What is the nature and context of the community in which your congregation lives out its mission/vision? How will you address the emerging needs that are impacting your community?
We believe in the presence of the Holy Spirit who leads us to put our faith into action. We strive to improve the social, economic, physical, and environmental well-being of our community, and support more than 17 local and international agencies. We are addressing the need for affordable housing through our leadership in the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance. We are an Earth Care congregation, caring for God’s creation. This outward tangible service and demonstration of Christ’s love builds trust, allowing us to connect in and with the community.
With 35 Deacons and 10 Stephen ministers, we make frequent contact with parishioners, and with our ‘virtual’ congregation. We also have active participation in a weekly speaker series, Bible study groups, book groups, and women’s and men’s fellowship groups.
As a predominantly older congregation, we seek to expand our engagement with younger families, building from a solid foundation: a robust Christian Education Program, a youth group, a 65-year-old Preschool with an outstanding facility and strong enrollment, and an emerging relationship with students at the adjacent middle school. We are committed to dedicating resources to this ministry area.
We gather weekly for a traditional worship service in the sanctuary, followed by fellowship time. We actively engage our members and strive to connect to the broader community with the love of Christ. Our vibrant music program, that reaches beyond Sunday, engages a wide audience.
How will this call help complement the responsibilities of other staff/volunteer positions, and the life of the congregation/organization, so that you may accomplish your short- and long-term goals for ministry?
The Senior Pastor will complement the work of our staff and volunteer leaders, and the life of the congregation, by loving, teaching and preaching the Word and by demonstrating spiritual practices. As such, the Pastor is the spiritual leader of the congregation and Head of Staff. Active in every aspect of church life, they will lead the staff and volunteers in thinking boldly about the mission and ministry of the church, and in developing a long-range plan. They must possess the ability to clearly communicate while building consensus among multifaceted groups within the staff, volunteers, and congregation.
Willing to ask good questions and actively listen, the pastor will join an engaged and active staff who serve in leadership and support roles. They must be a team builder who is able to coalesce the staff around the church’s priorities for ministry, while envisioning new opportunities for worship, outreach, and engagement. As a mentor and pastor, they will help support the staff in their professional growth within the church and, as appropriate, in the community.
The Senior Pastor should have good intuition and insights to recognize individual and group strengths, knowing how to support and delegate, building on individual and collective talents. They have the opportunity to help the volunteer leadership, many who come from active roles in various congregations, discover new gifts.
Provide a description of the skills, gifts, and training the person you hope will become a part of your ministry must have to lead the congregation towards the vision and mission established.
The pastor shall be a vibrant and powerful preacher with the ability to communicate a deep understanding of reformed theology and inspire and challenge the congregation. Intellectually curious, the pastor should be able to weave scripture together with counsel for living in today’s complicated world, indeed, to interpret the intersection of faith and life.
The candidate must be a proven leader with spiritual maturity, capable of helping the congregation refine its vision and mission and then lead them to fulfill that mission and vision.
The congregation is in a strong and stable place. We seek someone who will continue to keep the ship steady while helping us be open to the movement of the Spirit. We seek someone who lives out their faith in addition to teaching it. With God’s help, we seek someone who is compassionate, caring, full of joy and excitement, who has a good sense of humor, as well as strong leadership skills. Being a “big tent church” we are seeking a pastor who can support the entire congregation and meet people where they are. They will need to be adept at navigating conflicts, if and when they arise.
The Pastor will lead the organization ensuring financial and operational stability, facilitating strategic planning, navigating change, developing the staff, embracing innovation, and focusing us on reaching the church’s strategic goals. The pastor must foster a culture of generosity, stewardship, and unity, as we serve those in need of the love of Jesus.
What areas of ministry do you expect the person called to be responsible for? Share specific tasks, assignments, and programs.
First Presbyterian Naples seeks an inspired preacher and skilled worship leader to lead spiritually fulfilling worship; a person grounded in faith, with a rich mature spirit, who inspires the same in others; and an energetic leader who takes the initiative to guide the church through the cultural and organizational changes needed.
We seek a pastor who will cultivate relationships across all demographics, effectively relating to the mature majority, while engaging the growing number of younger families. In addition, they need to be able to navigate and thrive on the shifts of in person and virtual worship attendance that occur “in season” and out, and to enhance communication and outreach.
We seek an effective communicator both to the in person and virtual congregation and to the community. And we seek a pastor who has the ability to make decisions, the passion to motivate the congregation, and the skills to resolve conflict, creating a cohesive forward-looking vision among the church’s leaders, staff and members.
Leadership of the staff and officers will be key for our next Pastor, along with financial acumen in stewardship and financial oversight. In addition, a keen eye for facilitating growth in a congregation and amid the community will be important.
Naples is a special place, where sunshine abounds and the beaches beckon – and a wonderful place to live and worship. We look forward to welcoming our new Pastor, and their family, to First Presbyterian Church and to Naples.
Contacting the PNC
If you would like to submit your name for consideration as a possible candidate to serve as our next pastor or if you have names of individuals you would like to recommend to the PNC, or questions for the committee, please email MarcMiller2650@gmail.com