Serving In Our Church
No one person can do the job of the church alone. God did not make us to serve ourselves. He takes who He made us to be and matches us with the needs of others. By serving, we develop a closer relationship with Christ and walk with others who strengthen and encourage us as we grow in our faith.
Altar Guild- The members of the altar guild are responsible for preparing the Lord’s table for communion. They ensure that the linens are clean and pressed, the vessels cleaned and the bread and wine are ready for our services. This is usually taken care of on Saturday to prepare the Saturday evening table. The people who clean up Saturday night begin to ready things for Sunday morning. Immediately following our Sunday service, the table is cleared and items cleaned and put away. The time commitment is less than an hour a week.
Ushers- The ushers are part of welcoming and hospitality for our congregation. The ushers are involved in the service by passing the offering plate and calling each row to communion. They also are ‘go to’ people with questions during the service. They help check each row to make sure the pews are straight and ready for the next service. Their time commitment is during the service.
Greeters- The greeters are part of the hospitality of our church that welcome everyone at the doors for our worship services. They open the doors and pass out worship folders. They are the first people you meet that welcome you and are available to help with directions around the facility. Their time commitment is thirty minutes prior to the service.
Scripture Readers- Lay members of the congregation are asked to read the scripture lessons ahead of the week they read. The readings are given to them to practice so that unfamiliar names aren’t a problem. Scripture members then read during the service. To be involved in this you must be willing and comfortable speaking before a large group. The time involved is practice and the time it takes to read during the service.
Communion Assistants- Communion assistants are lay people that participate in the service by distributing communion along with the Pastor and Assisting Minister. The time involved is during the service plus an evening training.
Assisting Ministers- Assisting ministers are lay people trained by the Pastor to assist during the service. They read prayers of the church, assist in communion, and assist the pastor when asked. There is a training and the time involved is during the service.
Health Ministry- The health ministry includes our Parish Nurses and any other nurse or health practitioner in the congregation. They are involved in hospital visitation, offering blood pressure checks, can be health advocates for our members and assist in healing services. The time commitment is varied.
Women of the ELCA- All women of the church are members of WELCA but not all participate! Many of the women belong to circles. These are groups of women who meet monthly for Bible study and fellowship. The groups come together to offer fun activities for just the women of the congregation and for everyone. They also spearhead community efforts for the congregation. The time commitment is varied.
Men in Mission- This men’s group is for fun and fellowship. They meet monthly for a breakfast and enjoy a guest speaker from the community. A freewill offering is collected at each meeting and used for various needs in the community. The time involved is an hour and a half once a month.
Bible Study- The pastor holds a weekly Bible study. You are encouraged to come a bit early with a brown-bagged lunch and enjoy the company of others who are there to learn about the lessons for the season. The time involved is about and hour and a half.
Prayer Group- This group meets weekly to pray for family and friends and members of our congregation. This involves one hour a week.
Choir - This choral group enhances the service through music. The Choir shares a musical offering and leads during hymns. The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings. This is a commitment of an hour and a half each week and twenty minutes prior to the Sunday service.
