Minister of Music Position Open at Trinity

Posted April 14, 2026

About Trinity

Trinity Episcopal Church is a warm, resilient, and welcoming parish worshiping in a beautiful stone chapel by the sea in the coastal community of Castine, Maine. We are a congregation that values deep connection, spiritual growth, and the diverse gifts of our members. Our year-round attendance is intimate, but our pews fill with joyous energy when our seasonal residents return in the summer.

Trinity operates on what we proudly call the “Castine Model.” Our Rector is half-time and leads worship two Sundays a month. On the other Sundays, our services are led either by a supply priest or as a lay-led Morning Prayer. Because of this rotating leadership, we have cultivated a culture of incredible flexibility, adaptability, and strong lay engagement. We are looking for a Minister of Music who thrives in this uniquely collaborative structure—an independent and adaptable professional who can seamlessly partner with various worship leaders while providing a consistent, unifying musical presence for our congregation.

Our Musical Life

Music is at the heart of our worship experience. We use Rite II for the majority of our Eucharistic services, and our congregation loves to sing enthusiastically. Above all, we have a profound and enduring love for organ music, and our worship is beautifully elevated by the rich sounds of our electronic organ (Allen – Renaissance model).

At Trinity, effort and care in music are deeply respected. It is a tradition for our parishioners to remain in the pews after the service specifically to listen to the organ postlude. While we do not currently have a formal year-round choir, an active summer choir has been created over the last few years that brings additional joy to our worship during our busiest season. Year-round, our musical offerings remain rich: we utilize volunteer cantors who lead us in chanting the psalm each Sunday and welcome special anthems offered by congregants and student musicians from the nearby Maine Maritime Academy.

Our Hopes: We are looking for a Minister of Music who can lift up the existing musical skill sets within our congregation and gently help us grow in our comfort with a wider repertoire of music.

Position Responsibilities

Weekly Worship (Ideally 48 Sundays/year, but negotiable): While our ideal scenario is a year-round Minister of Music, we prioritize finding the right fit for our community and are open to negotiating fewer weeks for the right candidate.

• Select congregational and service music for one 9am service each Sunday (typically four hymns & 2-3 pieces of service music) in collaboration with the Rector and Liturgy Committee.
• Provide liturgical music, prelude, and postlude for Sunday services.
• Rehearse with scheduled cantors and accompany soloists, instrumentalists and Summer Choir.
• Work Environment & Flexibility: Weekday preparation can absolutely be done remotely. Additionally, because our clergy commute from a distance, we prioritize safety; if winter weather makes driving hazardous, our Sunday worship shifts to Zoom.

Special Services & Pastoral Rites:

• Provide music for Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, and up to three additional special services throughout the year.
• Provide music for weddings and funerals held at Trinity that require organ music (compensated separately). The Minister of Music is granted the right of first refusal for these events.

Administrative & Collaborative duties:

• Maintain the organ and piano and communicate effectively with leadership when tuning or repairs are needed.
• Arrange for a substitute musician (compensated by the parish) to cover any negotiated time off or paid vacation.
• Participate in seasonal liturgy planning.
• Report directly to the Rector (or Wardens).

Optional Opportunity (Open to Discernment):

• Summer Choir: Directing, choosing music for, and rehearsing the summer choir is not a requirement of this position. However, if you possess this skillset and interest, we are open to discerning this addition to your portfolio for increased compensation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an organ, music, or voice-related field; AGO certification; or equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience playing the organ and proficiency on the piano.
• Experience in repertoire selection and accompanying professional or volunteer singers and instrumentalists.
• Strong knowledge of sacred music. A background in Episcopal liturgy and music is ideal, but an openness and willingness to learn is perfectly acceptable.
• A genuine collaborative spirit, well-natured interpersonal skills, and the flexibility to thrive within the “Castine Model.”

Salary & Benefits

• Time Commitment: Estimated 6-8 hours per week (including Sunday worship, rehearsal, and preparation).
• Salary: $13,000 – $15,000 annually, commensurate with experience, plus an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Note: Base compensation will be negotiated higher if directing the Summer Choir is included in the position.
• Additional Income: Separate compensation for weddings and funerals.
• Time Off: 4 weeks of paid vacation per year (or as negotiated based on agreed-upon schedule).
• Professional Development: Trinity provides a continuing education fund and covers the cost of annual AGO (American Guild of Organists) dues and the Musician’s Handbook.

How to Apply

We would love to hear from you! To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Your Resume
2. A Cover Letter introducing yourself and detailing your approach to music ministry
3. A video (or link to a video) of you performing on the organ

Please send your application materials to:

• Rev. Liz Marshall Casasola (Rector): revlizmarcas@gmail.com
• Dabney McKenzie (Sr. Warden): mckenziedh@gmail.com

Timeline: Ideally, we hope to audition and interview candidates in May & early June, with a target start date this summer.