First Christian
Church Groups & Activities
Fellowship Groups
Ministry
Teams
Fellowship Groups
ADULT MINISTRIES
Men’s Ministries
Monthly dinners – 1st Tuesday nights at 6:30 (except July, Aug, &
Dec.) An annual candlelight dinner is sponsored in December.
Christian Women’s Fellowship (CWF)
This group meets in smaller groups (or circles) in members’ homes monthly, with a
general luncheon meeting at the church. CWF sponsors a yearly "Ladies’ Night
Out" in May, and an annual Fall Harvest Bazaar the first Saturday in November.
God’s Gardeners
This small group meets on Saturday mornings at 8:00 at the gardens of its various
members and at the church. A light breakfast is served and is followed by a devotional.
The programs then range from work on the church beds to informational guest speakers to
field trips.
Sports Teams
Annually our church sponsors teams in a church league organized by the Nazarene Church.
Anyone in the church family is encouraged to participate in Women’s Volleyball or
Co-Ed Softball.
Various Small Groups
We are always looking for new small groups with
various interests. Currently meeting are: Kneedle Knuts (various
needle crafters), First Christian Bookies (a book club), and Dinners of
Eight (monthly meals at members homes).
YOUTH MINISTRIES
Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF)
This group invites those in grades 9-12 to meet approximately twice a month at the
church. Activities consist of study, service, worship, and fellowship.
Chi Rho
Middle school youth, in grades 6-8, are invited to join the Chi Rho Fellowship. Meeting
twice monthly, this group does lots of service projects, some study, various worship
experiences, and fellowship. The First Christian Puppet Troupe is a ministry of this
group.
Scouting:
Boy Scouts Troop 907 meets Monday nights at 7:30 in the scout building.
Girl Scouts Drifting Dunes Troop 96 for young women in the 7th grade meets
on most Monday evenings during the school year.
DRAMA
Godspell
Every year about 80 members of First Christian offer our church and community a unique
worship service based on the musical Godspell. Anyone interested in participating should
watch the "Bell Tower" or the weekly bulletins in December and January for
information. Rehearsal schedules will be arranged and sent to those who choose to share
their talents.
Walk To Bethlehem
"Walk to Bethlehem" is our unique way to bring the
Christmas Story to life and actively observe Advent. Our church
members participate as live figures in tableaus that depict key events in
the Christmas Story. This is set outdoors and visitors walk along a
path, see each scene, and reflect on the story. Refreshments are
served in the fellowship hall.
Ministry
Teams
The various
ministries of the church are divided among three Ministry Teams and a Special Assignment
Team as outlined in the bylaws of the church. Each Ministry Team is further divided into
three Servant Groups with each of the church’s ministries listed as subgroups of each
Servant Group. Two bodies govern the church ministries activities and functions: the
Church Council, which decides policy matters, and the Administrative Leadership Team,
which is mainly concerned with program coordination.
Worship & Witness
Ministry Team
(Overseen by our Elders)
1. Worship Servant Group
The Worship Servant Group, in cooperation with our elders
and the pastoral staff, oversees the worship life of our church. Music is a
sub-group responsible for shepherding the musical aspects of our worship life. Decoration
is a similar sub-group, responsible for the look of our sanctuary.
Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty
firma-ment! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing
greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with
tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
(Psalm 150)
2. Pastoral Relations Servant Groups
Each member of our pastoral staff has a Pastoral Relations Group.
They provide support and advice, discuss salary at budget time, and offer a regular
channel of communication between pastor and congregation.
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way
into him who is the head, into Christ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together
by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and up builds itself
in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16)
3. Evangelism Servant Group
The Evangelism Servant Group strives to help every member of our
congregation witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ by:
- Nurturing and visiting prospective members
- Planning and promoting an all-church evangelism program
- Coordinating "Inquirers’ Classes"
- Overseeing baptisms
…You shall be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
Membership & Missions Ministry Team
(Overseen by the Diaconate)
1. Outreach Servant Group
The Outreach Servant Group oversees, sponsors, and
provides opportunities for service ministries both locally and globally. Local programs
include:
Gifts from the Heart
Post Office Food Drive
Red Cross Blood Drive
CROP Walk for Hunger
Blanket Sunday
Children's Christmas Gifts
Beyond Valpo, we respond to emergency
disaster relief requests and other ministry needs, often by promoting the "special
offerings" of our denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ):
Reconciliation (October) to deal with
poverty, racism, and justice.
Week of Compassion (February) to finance
disaster relief.
Special offerings at Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Easter and Pentecost for Disciples' Mission Fund (the umbrella financing body
of our denomination).
Mothers Time Out
This program provides structured childcare for pre-school aged children with a
Christian format. This program follows the Valparaiso Community Schools calendar. Contact
phone number: 531-8793, or e-mail mtovalpo@yahoo.com.
As you did it to one of the least of these who are members
of my family, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40)
2. Christian Education Servant Group
The Education Servant Group oversees the educational program for
all ages, including Sunday School, teacher recruitment, educational supplies, the nursery,
Children’s Worship, library, and Vacation Bible School.
Train children in the way they should go, and when they are old, they
will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
3. Membership Servant Group
Our Membership servant group nurtures our members and encourages
active participation in the congregation by developing a membership and attendance
database, keeping abreast of members in the military, planning fellowship events,
orienting new members, touching base with members who have stopped participating, and
publishing directories and yearbooks.
By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another. (John 13:35)
Facilities & Finance Ministry Team
(Overseen by the Trustees)
1. Facilities Servant Group
This team oversees upkeep of – and improvements to – our
property and facility.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Is it time for you to live in
paneled houses while my temple is in ruins? Consider how you have fared. Then go up to the
hills and bring wood and refurbish my temple so that I can take pride in being worshiped
there. (Haggai 1:4, 7-8)
2. Stewardship Servant Group
Members of this group are responsible for developing a proposed budget
to cover the ongoing expenses of our ministry. The Stewardship Servant Group also oversees
our annual Stewardship campaign (held during the fall) to underwrite this budget. Most
importantly, they invite our members to be good stewards and joyful givers.
Give to ... God the things that are God’s. (Matthew
22:21)
3. Finance Servant Group
This servant group will deal with
financial and legal issues beyond the budget, such as investments, wills, bequests,
trusts, endowment funds, and insurance. Yearly, this group will also oversee the internal
audit of the finances as outlined in the bylaws.
"Master, you gave me five thousand coins, and I have earned
five thousand more." "Wonderful!" his master replied. "You are a good
and faithful servant… Come and share in my happiness." (Matthew 25:20-21)
Special Assignment Teams
(Overseen by the Council President)
The following Servant Groups or
Teams were created by Council action to fulfill a specific (usually time-limited)
function. Other such groups will be created as needed.
1. Policy Servant Group
These folks devise policy and
procedures to propose to the church council, write and edit the "Role and Function
Handbook," act as Parliamentarians for Council meetings when necessary, etc.
Do everything properly and in
order (1 Corinthians 14:40)
2. Nominating Servant Group
With the assistance of our
ministerial staff, this group develops a slate of proposed Council members (deacons,
elders, and trustees) to submit for a vote at the constitutionally mandated
"Congregational Meeting," held each year on or near the last Sunday in October.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are
varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is
the same God who activates all of them....
(I Corinthians 12:4-6)
3. Youth Support Team
Last year, First Christian Church went through a Faithful Planning process
to decide what new ministries God is calling us to; the number one new priority to emerge
was youth work. To that end, a "Youth Support Team" was chosen to help our youth
minister, and her volunteer associate. The team, made up of youth and adults, will:
- Act as advocates for youth ministry;
- Assist in planning worship, study, service and fellowship events for our youth;
- Help find volunteers who have the right interests and abilities to make a particular
program work.
"Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not
stray."(Proverbs 22:6) |
