Position Summary
Lutheran Church of the Cross is seeking a dependable, organized, and service-minded Kitchen Ministry Coordinatorto lead the church’s food ministry.
The coordinator’s primary responsibility is planning, preparing, and serving a weekly Tuesday meal for approximately 30 participants in our Senior Day Out program. The position also recruits, trains, schedules, and leads a team of kitchen volunteers and coordinates food service for occasional churchwide meals, receptions, memorial services, and other ministry events.
This position involves more than food preparation and kitchen management. The Kitchen Ministry Coordinator helps create a warm and welcoming environment in which meals become an expression of Christian hospitality, fellowship, and care. The ideal candidate will combine strong cooking and organizational skills with patience, kindness, and the ability to build and lead an effective volunteer team.
Primary Responsibilities
Weekly Senior Day Out Meal
- Plan nutritious, appealing, and budget-conscious menus for approximately 30 participants each Tuesday.
- Purchase food, beverages, and kitchen supplies within established budget guidelines.
- Prepare, cook, and oversee the serving of each meal in a timely and professional manner.
- Coordinate food-preparation schedules and kitchen workflow.
- Provide appropriate meal portions and accommodate reasonable dietary needs when possible.
- Ensure meals meet appropriate standards for quality, nutrition, presentation, and hospitality.
Volunteer Recruitment and Leadership
- Recruit, welcome, train, schedule, and supervise kitchen volunteers.
- Provide volunteers with clear assignments and instructions for food preparation, serving, and cleanup.
- Foster a positive, cooperative, and appreciative volunteer environment.
- Encourage the continued growth of the kitchen ministry volunteer team.
- Help volunteers develop confidence and skills while maintaining appropriate standards for food safety and service.
- Communicate schedules and ministry needs clearly and in a timely manner.
Church Meals and Special Events
- Coordinate approximately one churchwide meal or food-related event per month, depending on the church calendar.
- Work with church staff and ministry leaders to determine menus, serving needs, volunteer requirements, budgets, and event schedules.
- Coordinate both potluck-style gatherings and fully prepared meals.
- Provide food-service support, as scheduled and available, for events such as:
- Memorial services and receptions
- Weddings
- Holiday meals
- Congregational gatherings
- Ministry celebrations
- Special programs and community events
- Help ensure that each event provides a welcoming and caring experience for guests and participants.
Kitchen Operations and Inventory
- Oversee the organization and day-to-day operation of the church kitchen.
- Maintain appropriate inventories of food, beverages, paper goods, cleaning products, and other kitchen supplies.
- Organize refrigerators, freezers, cabinets, pantry areas, and kitchen storage spaces.
- Monitor food expiration dates and minimize unnecessary waste.
- Coordinate use of the kitchen with church staff and ministry leaders.
- Ensure kitchen equipment is used properly and report repair or maintenance needs promptly.
- Maintain kitchen laundry, including towels, aprons, table linens, and related items.
Food Safety and Sanitation
- Follow all applicable food-handling, sanitation, storage, and temperature-control requirements.
- Ensure food is prepared, served, cooled, labeled, stored, and disposed of safely.
- Maintain a clean, sanitary, and orderly kitchen environment.
- Supervise and participate in routine kitchen cleaning and post-meal cleanup.
- Train volunteers in appropriate food-safety and sanitation practices.
- Monitor the cleanliness and safe operation of kitchen equipment.
- Maintain any required food-handler or food-safety certification.
Staff Collaboration and Communication
- Attend and participate in the church’s monthly staff meeting.
- Communicate regularly with the Senior Pastor regarding ministry plans, volunteer needs, upcoming events, kitchen concerns, and budget considerations.
- Work cooperatively with church staff, ministry leaders, volunteers, vendors, and facility users.
- Maintain an up-to-date calendar of food-ministry activities and special events.
- Provide advance notice of scheduling, purchasing, maintenance, or staffing needs that may affect church operations.
Qualifications
- Experience preparing meals for groups in a commercial kitchen, church, school, senior program, catering operation, restaurant, or similar setting.
- Demonstrated ability to plan, prepare, and serve meals for approximately 30 or more people.
- Knowledge of food-safety, sanitation, and proper food-storage practices.
- Strong organizational, planning, and time-management skills.
- Ability to manage several tasks simultaneously and meet firm meal-service deadlines.
- Ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with staff and volunteers.
- Experience recruiting, training, scheduling, or supervising volunteers or employees.
- Clear, respectful, and timely communication skills.
- Dependable attendance and the ability to maintain a consistent weekly schedule.
- A patient, compassionate, and service-oriented approach to working with senior adults, church members, volunteers, and guests.
- Willingness to support the welcoming Christian mission and ministry of Lutheran Church of the Cross.
Preferred Qualifications
- Current California Food Handler Card, ServSafe certification, or equivalent food-safety training.
- Previous experience coordinating church meals, community meals, senior nutrition programs, catering, or special events.
- Experience leading and developing volunteer teams.
- Familiarity with budgeting, grocery purchasing, inventory management, and menu planning.
Physical Requirements
The employee must be able to:
- Stand and work in a kitchen environment for extended periods.
- Bend, reach, carry, push, and perform routine kitchen tasks.
- Safely lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
- Work around ovens, stovetops, hot food, refrigeration equipment, and standard commercial-kitchen appliances.
- Perform food preparation, serving, cleaning, and kitchen setup duties with or without reasonable accommodation.
Schedule
The position averages approximately 15 hours per week.
The regular schedule will be built primarily around the Tuesday Senior Day Out meal and will include time for:
- Menu planning
- Grocery and supply purchasing
- Advance food preparation
- Tuesday meal preparation and service
- Kitchen cleanup and organization
- Volunteer communication and scheduling
- Participation in the monthly staff meeting
Occasional additional hours may be available or required for memorial receptions, holiday meals, weddings, congregational gatherings, and other special events. Advance notice will be provided whenever possible.
About Lutheran Church of the Cross
Lutheran Church of the Cross is a welcoming Christian congregation serving Laguna Woods and the surrounding community. Our food ministry is an important expression of hospitality, fellowship, and care, particularly for the senior adults who participate in our weekly Senior Day Out program.
We are grateful for the strong foundation established by our longtime kitchen leader and are seeking someone who will continue this valued ministry while helping it grow through strong volunteer leadership and compassionate service.
To Apply
Please submit a résumé and a brief statement describing your experience with meal preparation, kitchen operations, event coordination, and volunteer or team leadership.
Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
