Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury

24 Clapboard Ridge Road | Danbury, CT 06811

https://uudanbury.org/   203-798-1994  jobs@uudanbury.org

Contact: Rev. Tony Lorenzen  508-344-3668   revtony@uudanbury.org 

Date Posted:  September 15,, 2026  

Start Date: ASAP

Application Deadline: Position open until filled 

TO APPLY:  Send a resume or CV, contact information for three references and links to at least three recordings and/or performances to jobs@uudanbury.org 

This posting available at: https://uudanbury.org/music-specialist-wanted/

Salary: $1,918.00 per calendar month (based on an initial annualized rate of $23,016).

Benefits: UUCD offers a retirement contribution equal to 10% of the salary, payment of 50% of the premium for the employee’s UUA health and dental insurance, and UUA long-term disability and term life insurance.

Hours: Variable but includes Sunday mornings from at least 30 minutes before the Sunday service to at least 30 minutes after the Sunday service. The Sunday service currently begins at 10 a.m. There is one Sunday off each month. There are two staff meetings each month, scheduled to maximize staff participation. There are a handful of non-Sunday service obligations throughout the year including a Christmas Eve service.  

Job Description: This is a half-time job, averaging about 20 hours per week. The position has various roles and reports to the Minister. 

Sunday Musician and Song Leader: Accompany and lead congregational singing and perform solo pieces both instrumental and vocal.  

Music Programming and Planning: Collaborate with the staff, volunteers, and guest speakers to plan music for Sunday programs and special services such as Christmas Eve. Recruit and schedule other volunteer musicians from the congregation, including planning coverage for Sundays off and vacations. 

Choir Director: Rehearse and direct the choir to sing at least six Sundays and/or special services a year.  

An Ideal Candidate: A strong candidate for this position will have the appropriate musical training, be a strong instrumentalist and vocalist, and have experience with church music programs, including experience leading a choir and leading congregational singing. Must be familiar with Unitarian Universalist hymns or willing to learn. Should be able to play and sing in a variety of styles including traditional hymns, jazz, pop, folk, and rock,  as well as classical. Sunday music in our congregation does not often include traditional Christian hymns or music.  We are not seeking a classically trained or academically trained musician as much as a dynamic vocal and instrumental performer who has the ability to direct a choir and the skills to successfully organize and coordinate a program in collaboration with staff and volunteers. 

About the Music Program: The Congregation has a strong music program. The congregation enthusiastically sings hymns and other popular songs. There is a Steinway piano in the worship space and a great sound system. The congregation uses the Unitarian Universalist Hymnals including two published collections and an online only collection, and also displays words (and sometimes music) on large display screens. A choir rehearses and currently performs a half-dozen times each year. Members of the congregation occasionally perform solo pieces during the service.. There is an annual Music Sunday where the entire Sunday service is a musical program and a yearly Saturday evening auction fundraiser that includes musical entertainment from our members and staff.

About the Congregation: The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury is a family oriented, open, inclusive, affirming, diverse, liberal religious community with a heavy social justice focus. Musical selections on Sundays range from hymns in traditional styles to contemporary styles of various genres and sometimes include simpler songs and melodies easy for children to sing. There is an active family ministry with children and youth programming during the academic year. To learn more about our congregation visit uudanbury.org and to learn more about Unitarian Universalism visit uua.org 

Support for the Mission and Values of the Congregation and the Unitarian Universalist Association

UU Congregation of Danbury staff members are expected to perform their job duties in accordance with the congregation’s values, principles, and mission. Our congregation, as a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association, puts love at the center of our commitments, which embrace the Shared Values of justice, equity, transformation, interdependence, pluralism and generosity. The following points drawn from these Shared Values are of particular importance for the congregation’s environment and staff culture:

• Pluralism and generosity: We affirm the need for a human-centered workplace that allows our diverse staff to flourish. We also understand that our wider culture and society oppresses and denies human dignity, and we seek to counter the effects of that oppression in our hiring and workplace culture so that each person feels whole and valued.
• Justice and equity: We speak openly and publicly of our support for social and political issues, including LGBTQ equity, racial justice, climate justice, gender equity, and reproductive justice.
• Interdependence and transformation: We recognize that the liberation of all people is interwoven, and we work to counter patriarchy, white supremacy, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, environmental exploitation, and other interrelated systems of marginalization.