English Teacher - Lutheran Theological Seminary

Job Description:

Location:

• Hong Kong SAR, China

Assignment Includes:

• Assign incoming students to the appropriate English class(es) according to their levels of proficiency
• Create lesson plans and teach classes at various levels.
• Assist with guidance on theological research and writing.
• Provide tutorials for students (particularly international students) with special needs in English enhancement.
• Assist students with thesis writing as directed by the seminary
• Participate in seminary life and be part of the community.

All ELCA Global Personnel participate in mission interpretation.

Site Information:

• This position is located at the Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS), located on a hilltop in Shatin, Hong Kong.
• While founded in 1977 in Hong Kong and having moved to its current site in 1992, the history of the seminary goes back to 1913 in Hubei Province of China.
• Its neighbor on this Mountain of the Way and the Spirit (To Fung Shan) is the Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre and Institute for Sino-Christian Studies, with which the seminary cooperates in using the resources of this dynamic place to put contextualization of the Gospel into practice.
• The student body pulls from not just the Lutheran churches in Hong Kong, but also includes some 20% of its students from various other countries, including China. About a quarter of the faculty are from other countries.
• The school year for LTS consists of two semesters of about 15 weeks each held from September through May each year. An Opening Retreat is held at the end of August and graduation is in early June each year. English and Chinese are the languages of instruction at LTS.
• Normal teaching load for English instructors is faculty at LTS is two to three full courses per semester (6 per year), plus some thesis advising for the M.Div. level and above and the possibility of individual tutorials with advanced students. From time to time a faculty member may be asked to teach an intensive J-Term course (January or June), in which case the teaching load for a contiguous semester would be adjusted.
• Hong Kong is home for over 7 million people from many ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It is one of the largest financial centers of the world with highly efficient infrastructures.
• While there is some political turmoil in Hong Kong overrule and control by the Beijing government, this has by and large not affected daily life or the life in the church and seminary.

Experience and Skills:

• B.A. required (English, Religion or Education preferred).
• ESL/TESL/TEFL certification is a plus.
• Master's degree in English, education, and/or ESL/TESL/TEFL helpful.
• Classroom teaching experience desired.

Terms and Conditions:

• This position is supported under the Global Mission Two-year (GM2) contract terms and conditions or as letter of agreement, depending on qualifications. Basic provisions include: international transportation, transportation related to work assignment, pensions and major medical coverage, housing and cash salary which is adjusted according to the goods and services differential for Hong Kong SAR.
• This position may be extended beyond an initial contract period, depending on evaluations, performances and needs.

If Candidate is Married:

Both must complete an application for this position, even if the spouse will not be fulfilling a specific role in the ministry. In the context of global mission service, a spouse is seen as a representative of the ELCA and of the receiving church regardless of their actual role. It is important for the ELCA that both members of a couple understand the role of missionary and are comfortable with that reality. In addition, an accompanying spouse receives an appointment to service by the ELCA and the support package for mission personnel includes compensation for an accompanying spouse.

General Qualifications for ELCA Global Personnel:

• Christian faith and a commitment to the mission of the church
• Openness to various expressions of Christian faith and respect for people of other faiths
• Respect for beliefs, values and customs of church and culture where assigned
• Well-developed inter-personal skills demonstrating understanding and compassion
• Demonstrated ability to carry out the responsibilities and the ability to adapt to different standards and practices
• Ability to work within the framework of a local administration
• Adaptable and flexible - sense of humor - good physical and emotional health
• Live and serve in a way which reflects the vision and expectations of the ELCA