Ministry Descriptions
First
and foremost, it is in the act of giving that we receive. Through
selfless giving we discover that we become the one who is nurtured and
fed. Please serve the multiplicity of needs at First Parish by
volunteering to serve on one of the teams or groups listed here.
Serving is part of our membership with First Parish Church. In turn,
the light of Christ will fill your heart through fellowship and service
to one another.
Asset Ministry
The
responsibilities include overseeing all assets of the Church including:
facilities, gifts, information systems, investments, money counting,
personnel and stewardship. Exception: the creation and oversight of the
Annual Budget shall be the responsibility of the Church Council. This
Ministry includes the following Teams listed below.
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Discipleship and Fellowship Ministry
Discipleship/Fellowship
Ministry – The responsibilities include overseeing all issues and
activities associated with discipleship and fellowship including:
Christian education, history, hospitality, library, mission, nominating,
volunteer coordination, programs (other than Worship), and integration
of people who attend the Church into the life of the Church. This
Ministry includes the following Teams listed below.
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Worship Ministry
Worship
Ministry – The responsibilities include overseeing all elements related
to the Worship of God including: diaconate, flower and altar, media,
music and arts and parish pastoral relations. This Ministry includes the
following Teams listed below.
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Subject to the will of the Church Body and Church Council each Ministry shall be responsible for:
- Long-range planning of their respective Ministry;
- Development
of new and revised policies and programs in their areas of the Church’s
activities which must be approved by the Church Council;
- Receipt and approval of reports, on a regular basis, from all Teams within their respective Ministry;
- Communication and cooperation among all Teams, Task Forces and Groups that are part of their respective Ministry;
- Development of budgets for their respective Ministry for review and approval by Church Council;
- Authorization
to spend up to but no more than the portion of the Annual Church Budget
specifically allocated for that particular Ministry in total including
any adjustments approved by the Church Council. Each Ministry must
obtain Church Council approval prior to making any purchases or
commitments above that portion of the Annual Church
- Budget specifically
allocated to that specific Ministry; and
- Seeing
that the Moderator or Vice Moderator signs all Purchase Orders,
Standard Contract Agreements, and any other agreements or Contracts
(referred to in this section as “Contract” or “Contracts”) in amounts
over $500 that have received prior approval of the Church Council
Suggestions for each Ministry:
At the ministry meetings, each team/group rep will give a short summary of the highlights of their latest meeting.
Each ministry team or group is to use the two forms common to the council and all teams and groups:
1. Agenda
2. Minutes with three columns which includes an agenda column, an action column, and a to whom assigned column.
Copy
and paste minutes of each CC, team, group, task force meeting on the
website unless minutes are of a confidential nature. When a team or
ministry is ready to start posting, send the first set of minutes to the
Website Group at: Contact Us They will set up the account and send you instructions for future postings.
Subject to the will of the Church Body and Church Council each Ministry Representative shall be responsible for:
- Helping to see that meetings happen and encourage participation but do not assume leadership.
- Overseeing the responsibilities his/her Ministry.
- Periodically check the website and report inaccuracies or updates to the Website Group.
- Asking each ministry what they would like highlighted at Church.
- Giving the Church Council a short oral update at the next CC meeting.
- Giving a short oral summary of the discussions from CC that relate to his/her specific Ministry (or to the church as a whole when needed).
- Discussing at the Worship Ministry that Liturgists are not represented at the Ministry level.
Church Council will be made aware of the highlights of each Ministry Meeting. Each Ministry needs to be aware of the highlights of each team that comprises it. Ministry benefits from highlights of other Ministries. Each Ministry will be apprised of highlights of Church Council meetings.