COMMITTEES AND RESPONSIBILITIES




CHURCH COUNCIL* (meetings on an as need basis)

  • Provides for planning and implementing a program of nurture (education, worship, Christian formation, membership care, small groups and stewardship), outreach (local and larger community ministries of compassion, justice and advocacy), witness (evangelistic efforts, communications, lay speaking and other means that give expression of witness for Jesus Christ) and resources (on going preparation and development of lay and clergy leaders).
  • Provides for the administration of its organization and temporal life.
  • Envision, plan, implement and annually evaluate the mission and ministry of the church.
  • Other responsibilities: reviews membership, fill vacancies among lay officers, establishes the budget, ensures adequate provision for financial needs of the church, makes recommendations to the church/charge conference.
  • Chairpersons of committees or work areas are members of this committee.

COUNCIL ON MINISTRIES (2nd Thursday of every month at 8:00 p.m.)
  • All program areas relate to the Council on Ministries—education, youth, Church & Society, evangelism, worship, health and wellness, older senior ministries, missions, stewardship, etc.
  • Responsible for the overall programming needs of the church
  • Relates to the Church Council
  • Chairpersons of all programming committees are members of the Council of Ministries.

ALTAR (no regular meetings)
  • Relates to the Worship and Music Committee
  • Responsible for the altar design for the liturgical seasons
  • Changes paraments, arranges special altar displays for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION (meet 8 times a year)
  • Responsible for shaping children and youth into disciples of Jesus Christ.
  • Provide opportunities for families to have fun together
  • Programs: Sunday School for ages 2 through High School, Vacation Bible School, Over Night Vacation Bible School, Rally Day, Hanging of the Greens, Christmas Pageant, Camp Sunday to raise money to subsidize the cost of United Methodist Church Camps, Super Wednesday, Grace Club, Sexuality Education every other year
  • Nursery—works with Nursery Manager, cleans toys, etc. deliver baby gifts

CHURCH AND SOCIETY (2nd Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m.)
  • Give attention to local and larger community ministries of compassion, justice and advocacy.
  • Coffee Houses
  • Women’s Conference
  • Emerging Issues forums

COMMITTEE ON LAY LEADERSHIP*(meetings Sept.-Dec.)
  • Responsibilities: to identify, develop, deploy, evaluate and monitor Christian spiritual leadership for the local congregation.
  • Shall recommend to the charge conference the names of people to serve as officers and leaders of designated ministries for the work of the church

* Where possible the description is taken from the Book of Discipline
COMMUNICATIONS* AND TECHNOLOGY (no regular meetings)
  • Assists the church and its members with communications tasks by making available ideas, resources and skills.
  • Deals with all technology-related issues—computers, on line services, etc.

COMMUNION (no regular meetings)
  • Prepares the elements for Communion, carries the elements down the aisle during 10:15 a.m. worship service and assists at the table during the serving of communion.
  • Relates to the Worship and Music Committee
  • Orders bread and grape juice for communion, prepares communion tables and cares for communion linens.

DRAMA (1st Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m.)
  • Participates in dramatic productions
  • Occasionally reads and/or dramatizes Scripture readings for worship

FINANCE* (3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.)
  • All financial askings to be included in the annual budget are submitted to the committee
  • Compiles annually a complete budget and submits it to the church council for review and adoption
  • Responsible to develop and implement plans that will raise sufficient income to meet the budget
  • Administers the funds received according to instructions from the church council
  • Designates the person who count the offerings
  • Makes provisions for an annual audit of the records
  • Recommends to the church council proper depositories for the church funds.

FINE ARTS (no regular meetings)
  • Promotes the Artist of the Month project (Sept.-May)
  • Hosts a reception for the Artist of the Month
  • Works with monthly art displays and the yearly Grace art exhibit

GRACE FOUNDATION COMMITTEE* (meetings as needed)
  • Acts on behalf of the Board of Trustees
  • Has the power, duty and authority to receive, administer and invest bequests, trusts and trust fund

GRACE SCHOOL OF APPLIED CHRISTIANITY (no regular meeting time)


    GROUNDS (no regular meeting time)

    • Subgroup of the Trustees
    • Responsible for overseeing the grounds of the church
    • Chair/Co-chair report recommendations to trustees concerning specific grounds needs
    • Conduct periodic workdays (spring and fall grounds cleaning)
    • Recruit volunteers to do needed shrub trimming and weed control

    HEALTH AND WELLNESS (4th Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.)
    • Provides educational information on relevant health and wellness areas
    • Stephen Ministries
    • Sponsors health related events
    *Where possible the description is taken from the Book of Discipline
    HISTORY (no regular meetings)
    • Preserves the history of the church
    • Keeps historical records up to date

    HOSPITALITY AND FELLOWSHIP HEAVENLY GROUNDS (no regular meetings)
    • Commitment is for one month of the year
    • Responsible for recruiting persons to serve during the fellowship time.

    KITCHEN (no regular meeting time)
    • Subgroup of the Trustees
    • Oversees kitchen facilities and their use
    • Chair/Co-chair report recommendations to Trustees concerning specific kitchen needs.

    LIBRARY (meetings as called)
    • Promotes the use of the library
    • Selects new materials for purchase
    • Raises funds or solicits donations

    MEMBERSHIP CULTIVATION (3rd Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m.)
    • Gives attention to developing and strengthening evangelistic efforts of sharing of personal and congregational stories of Christian experience, faith and service.
    • Provides follow-up with new visitors
    • Outreach to the neighborhood

    MEMORIALS (meets as needed at 5:00 p.m.)
    • Receives suggestions for memorial purchases
    • Sends acknowledgments and thank you notes for gifts received
    • Provides listing of memorials given annually for recognition and dedication during worship on Memorial Day weekend
    • Authorizes purchases
    • Relates to the Trustees

    MEMORIAL GARDENS (once annually)

      MISSIONS (2nd Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m.)
      • Responsible for such projects as: Ingathering, 5th Sunday local offerings, “Angel” Tree project for Bidwell and Children & Family Urban Ministries, etc.
      • Promotes Heifer project, Hunger Hike and other mission projects in the community
      • Promotes First mile, second mile and third mile giving—Rainbow Covenant church
      • Supports the DMARC Food Pantry with food stuffs and money each month
      • Promotes groups in the church taking turns serving the homeless at the Churches United Center once a month


      PARSONAGE       (no regular meeting time)
      • Subgroup of the Trustees
      • Responsible for the maintenance of the parsonages
      • Chair/Co-chair report recommendation to Trustees concerning specific parsonage needs.
      • Conduct annual inspection of all parsonages with the SPRC Committee and pastors.

      PRESCHOOOL/DROP IN (meets every other month on the 2nd Tuesday)
      • Is governing body of the program with 9 voting members and 3 parent representatives and a staff representative(have voice in meetings, but no vote); PSDI Director and Minister of Christian Education are ex-officio members
      • Assists the Director in developing a balanced budget, including setting tuition rates.
      • Establishes and maintains policy
      • With the Director, determines days and hours of operation
      • Hires the Director
      • Receives and votes on scholarship requests.

      PROPERTY (no regular meeting time)
      • Sub group of the Trustees
      • Responsible for the use and maintenance of all church property
      • Chair/Co-chair report recommendations to Trustees concerning specific maintenance issues and needs.
      • Recruit volunteers to complete needed project

      SENIOR MINISTRIES
      • Out to Lunch bunch
      • Various service oriented projects: communion for the home bound, feeding homeless, programs for/to senior adults in the church
      • Home Touch newsletter mailings

      STAFF PARISH*       (4th Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m.)
      • Duties: confer with and counsel the pastor(s) and staff on the matters pertaining to the effectiveness of ministry; relationships with the congregation; conditions that impede the effectiveness of ministry; and to interpret the nature and function of the ministry.
      • Confer, consult and counsel the pastor(s) and staff on matters pertaining to priorities in the use of gifts, skills and time and priorities for the demands and effectiveness of the mission and ministry of the congregation.
      • Annual evaluation of pastor(s) and staff
      • Communicates and interprets to the congregation the nature and function of ministry in The United Methodist Church regarding open itinerancy, preparation for ordained ministry, etc.
      • Develops and approves written job descriptions
      • Consults with the pastor and staff concerning continuing education and spiritual renewal
      • To enlist, interview, evaluate, review and recommend annually to the charge conference lay preachers and persons for candidacy for ordained ministry.

      STEWARDSHIP (no regular meeting time)
      • Focus: Use of gifts of time and talents to contribute to the life of the local church and community
      • Promotion of Volunteerism


      *Where possible the description is taken from the Book of Discipline

      TRUSTEES*       (2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.)
      • Supervision, oversight and care of all real property owned by the church
      • Annual review of insurance coverage
      • Annual review of the parsonage to ensure proper maintenance
      • Receives and administers all bequests made to the church
      • Annual accessibility audit of the building and grounds

      USHERS (no meetings)
      • Ushering duties for worship services
      • On call ushering for special services
      • Distributes bulletins, collects offering, escorts people to pews

      VAN AND BUS (no regular meeting time)
      • Subgroup of the Trustees
      • Responsible for the maintenance and usage of all church owned vehicles
      • Chair/Co-chair report recommendations to Trustees concerning specific vehicle needs.

      WEDDING (no regular meetings, limited number of weekend commitments)
      • Works with the pastors and music director at wedding rehearsals and weddings

      WORSHIP AND MUSIC (as called)
      • Helps with music library—sorting and filing music
      • Helps set annual budget requests
      • Serve as ears and eyes to relay input from congregation regarding worship

      *Where possible the description is taken from the Book of Discipline

      1/26/09