Shared Gifts for Ministry | Inventory | Fall 2023
We offer our experiences, skills, interests, and energy in many ways:
- Sign up for one-time opportunities
- Engage regularly in a specific ministry (greeter, choir, fellowship host, office volunteer)
- Accept a 2-year term on a committee or team
May this inventory affirm your contributions and open you to new possibilities!
Click here for the link to the Inventory.
If one of these areas of ministry interests you, please contact Pastor Clare to learn more ([email protected])
How we organize shared leadership of our ministries
Ministry Teams (3+ members and friends compose each team, yearly opting in or out)
Adult Faith Formation Team
Engages the spiritual and intellectual gifts of our members and friends, challenging us to go deeper together in our faith journeys and spiritual formation. Hosts Sunday morning Adult Faith Conversations.
Buildings & Grounds Team
Tracks the maintenance needs of our buildings, church lawns, and People’s Park. This team prioritizes needs, organizes hands-on work days, and recommends necessary expenditures to the Leadership Team.
Children & Youth Ministry Team
To be formed in spring 2024 in collaboration with our new part-time Youth and Outreach Director.
Community Life Team
Encourages inviting and welcoming visitors, supports weekly after-worship fellowship, creates occasional large group social events, encourages forming small groups for deepening relationships. Looks forward to developing a lay visitation ministry such as Stephen Ministries or BeFriender Ministry.
(NEW!) Local Outreach Team
Fosters collaborative relationships between our church and the wider community. Champions the following: hosting blood drives, presence at local community-wide events, Little Free Pantry, and participation in events led by other local nonprofits. Will develop our relationship with a nearby senior living community. Will support our new part-time Youth and Outreach Director in piloting a weekly after-school program.
Nominating Team
Tracks vacancies on standing committees and teams, knows what each committee or team does, finds qualified people to fill positions, and supports healthy rotation on committees and teams. Helps church members find ways to serve on a committee or team, be a regular volunteer in a particular ministry, or participate in one-time opportunities.
Social Justice Team
Supports the congregation in social justice advocacy and direct action in collaboration with like-minded community organizations in the St. Croix Valley. We engage in quarterly mission initiatives under the broad areas of economic, identity and environmental justice. Each mission includes giving (financial support), learning (system-level understanding) and action/advocacy.
Tech Team
Manages sound, live stream and recording of weekly Sunday services and special worship events.
Worship & Spiritual Life Team
Supports the coordination of meaningful, inclusive, beautiful weekly Sunday worship services. Balances tradition with innovation, responding to expressed needs of the congregation. Invites personal and collective spiritual growth opportunities in sacred indoor and outdoor spaces.
Harvest Fest Planning Team (August - November)
Plans and leads our annual mid-November friend-raising fundraising event.
Task Forces (purposefully time-limited at their inception)
Open and Affirming (ONA) Task Force (Sept ’23 - Jan ’24)
Leads our congregation in discussion and development of a welcome statement, which articulates an inclusive and empowering posture toward persons in marginalized communities and all people.
Park Land Negotiating Team (Nov ’23 - Mar ’24)
Listens for the input of the congregation and negotiates on behalf of the congregation in regard to an offer by Stillwater Area Public Schools to purchase our park land as a site for a new elementary school.
Strategic Vision Task Force (Jan - May ’24)
Plans and leads a strategic visioning process for our new church in spring 2024 (distill core values, vision and mission statements, church logo, short-term strategic plan with key initiatives for the church for 2024-2026).
(NEW!) Church Launch Planning Team (Mar - Jun ’24)
Plans and executes a June community-wide celebration to launch our new church (worship, food, ribbon cutting, outdoor festivities, etc.).
Leadership Council (members serve up to 3 consecutive 2-year terms)
Serves the mission and purpose of the church; provides a welcoming forum to which members can come with ideas and concerns; encourages members to participate in the work of the church, leads and engages the congregation in developing short- and long-range plans and budgets and in obtaining necessary resources; oversees the assets and temporal matters of the church and assists in resolution of disputes that may face the church from time-to-time; synthesizes church priorities and selects major goals and plans and corresponding budgets for discussion and approval at the Annual Meeting; approves all policies and procedures for church governance, management of daily operations, oversight, and evaluation; nominates a slate of officers and Leadership Council members for election at the Annual Meeting.
Standing Committees (members serve up to 3 consecutive 2-year terms)
Finance Committee
Meets monthly with the Treasurer to advise and assist them in their duties. Inspires financial generosity to support our ministries.
Pastoral Relations Committee
Supports good relations between the Pastor and the members of the Church by acting as an advisor to the Pastor and as a communications vehicle for the Pastor and the members to share concerns and resolve conflicts. This group also notices trends in the life of the church, supporting its health & vitality.
Personnel Committee
In collaboration with the Leadership Council and the Pastor, shoulders responsibility for management of the employed personnel of the church (including recruitment, maintenance of an employee handbook, job descriptions, annual performance reviews, compensation and issues involving working conditions or conflicts).