Best Practices - Turning Committees into Ministries

Is the trend of renaming committees as ministries or task forces just playing around with words or is it truly a change that makes a difference?

Tom Evans, pastor of the Reems Creek - Beech Presbyterian Church outside of Asheville, N.C. shared with me last week what he has done with his folks. 

When I asked him to send me something in writing, he wrote back..."the reason for going to Ministry Teams, besides getting rid of the "Committee" thing, was to involve as many of the congregation who would like to be involved.  I made Session members and a couple of Deacons heads of the teams so they could bring action items back to the Session.  I also meet with the team leaders for 30 minutes before our teams meet on the first Sunday each month to share ideas and pass on to them any needs that I have observed.  The initial signup found about 50% of the congregation involved in the ministry planning and activities of our church.  It gives ownership to so many more people than just a few Session members.  Also many of the members have great ideas and get excited about doing the "work" of the church.  A good idea for the first year of having all of the teams meeting on the same Sunday night is for them to bring snacks and share them at the beginning.  Also the first year I gave lists to each of the Teams of things that I thought they ought to be considering.  It gave them a starting place.  Now they develop their own agendas."

Tom also sent me a couple of templates they use to help stimulate involvement. Click below to go their ministry structure.

Reems Creek - Beech Presbyterian Church 2005 - Ministry Teams

Care - ________________, Team Leader

1.  Card Ministry. (shut-ins, hospital patients, birthdays, anniversaries, nursing home patients, etc.)

2.  Flowers during Hospital Stays and for Funerals.

3.  Visits to Shut-ins and Elderly

4.  Care Packages 9 college students, military members, nursing home residents)

5.  New Member Support -

    - Obtain contact information and print in bulletin if they have no objections

    -  Make home visit. Take new member packet prepared by Fellowship Team.

    -  Add to information chain. Ask if they want to be on prayer chain.

    -  Coordinate with Fellowship team for recognition at fellowship dinner (annually)

    -  Care team sends invitations

    -  Fellowship team provides flowers that can be used as both decoration and gift to new member.

6.  Prayer Chain and Information Chain

    - Keep information updated 

    - Recruit members of congregation to participate

7.  Weekly Mailings to Shut-ins

     - Mailings consist of bulletins, sermon text, and Home Touch worksheet.

Discipleship - _____________, Team Leader

1. Responsible for Sunday School Program including resource materials and room assignments.

2. Responsible for overseeing Youth and Kid’s Programs.

3. With Pastor, responsible for scheduling periodic Communicants Classes.

4. Responsible for Special Classes. (i.e. Bible Studies, Parenting Class, etc.).

5. Responsible for teacher staffing and training including Church Nursery.

6. Responsible for Vacation Bible School.

7. Responsible for Church Sunday School record keeping and presentation of attendance pins or awards and teacher recognition.

8. Responsible for Children’s Church (K-5th Grade)

9. With Pastor, plan annual Youth Sunday for the first Sunday in November.

10. Responsible for Easter, Christmas and other plays/skits.

11. With Fellowship plan annual “Rally Day” with breakfast.

12. With Property Development and Fellowship Teams plan annual “Live Nativity.”

13. Responsible for Nursery staffing and curriculum.

Fellowship - ____________, Team Leader, _____________, Asst. Team Leader

1. Responsible for planning Fellowship functions. (i.e. dinners, picnic’s, new member functions, and special events, etc.)

2. Responsible maintaining adequate kitchen and nursery supplies.

3. Responsible for seasonal decorating of both church buildings.

4. Responsible for flowers, candles and other non-printed service items required for worship services.

5. Responsible for developing new policies as needed for use of facilities.

6. Responsible for church directory (every 3-5 years)

7. Responsible for articles, pictures and information for newsletter as required by editor.

8. Responsible for church brochure and updates.

9. Responsible for New Member Packets and updates.

10. Responsible for Senior Lunches

11. Responsible for Bulletin Boards at both churches.

12. Responsible for helping organize rummage sale and pig pickin events and other fundraisers.

13. Responsible for Christmas and Easter Flowers.

14. Responsible for homecoming with help of other Ministry Teams.

15. Responsible for Decorating for and serving family night dinners.

16. Responsible for advertising special events. (Pig Pickin’s, Rummage Sales, Plays, Movies, Etc.)

17. Responsible for the planning and decorating of special areas of our facilities as requested. ( i.e. parlors, nursery, etc.)

Mission - ____________, Team Leader, _______________, Asst. Team Leader

1. Local and Foreign Missions

2. Habitat For Humanity

3. NBSM - ABCCM

4. WIN Team (When In Need) (clean gutters, build ramps, rake, trips to Doctor, etc,)

5. Other outreach ministry needs.

Property Development - _________, Team Leader, _______________, Asst. Team Leader

1. Responsible for Maintenance and Repair of all Church Buildings, and manse equipment and property.

2. Responsible for setting up and removal of any special seating, platforms or other items used in worship or fellowship.

3. Maintain adequate custodial supplies for use in all areas of church.

4. Responsible for Building and Grounds clean-up.

5. Responsible for opening and securing building before and after Worship Services. (Groups using building at times other than worship will assume this responsibility.)

6. Responsible for all church property and liability insurance.

7. Responsible for garbage and trash removal.

8. Responsible for developing long range maintenance program (In conjunction with Stewardship / Finance Team)

9. Responsible to insure adequate lighting for parking and entry areas of church.

10. Responsible for periodic maintenance of equipment and all maintenance agreements.

11. Responsible for scheduling use, maintenance and upkeep of Church Van.

12. Responsible for grounds care. (Mowing, raking, trimming bushes, etc.)

13. Responsible for property security.

14. Responsible for review and renewal recommendations to the Session of equipment maintenance contracts.

Stewardship - ______________, Team Leader

1. In conjunction with other teams, responsible for preparation and maintaining of Church Budget for Session approval.

2. Responsible for staffing Treasurer/s for church.

3. Responsible for annual audit of church books.

4. Responsible for annual Stewardship Program, if required. This includes preparing and conducting program to encourage members to give proportionately and regularly of their time, talents, and monetary gifts.

5. Responsible for providing monthly financial statement for Session. (Treasurer)

6. Responsible for providing yearly Giving Statements to members. (Treasurer only.)

7. Reporting to Congregation, periodically, financial status of Church giving verses budgetary needs.

8. Responsible for recommending to Session special offerings. (i.e. Joy Gift, Children’s Home, etc.)

9. Responsible for counting of all collections.

10. Responsible for providing congregation information on wills and bequests.

11. Responsible for the yearly review of any church employees. This responsibility will include job descriptions and contractual agreements between the church and the employee. This responsibility will include the participation of the chair of the appropriate Team and the Pastor.

12. Responsible for yearly review and recommendation to the Session of building, vehicle and liability insurance.

Worship - ________________, Team Leader, ________________, Asst. Team Leader

1. With pastor, responsible for planning and scheduling all Music and Worship Services of the Church. (i.e. Cantatas, Revivals, Praise Services, Prayer / Praise Times, Sunday Morning Worship.)

2. Responsible for selection and training of Ushers / Greeters.

3. Responsible for selection and training of Acolytes and Bell Ringers.

4. Responsible for maintaining all Church musical instruments.

5. Responsible for ordering and maintaining all choral music and apparel for church choir.

6. Responsible for maintaining Choir and Accompanist for worship and special services.

7. Responsible for Sound System. This includes maintaining a group or small team which will be responsible for working the sound system and mixer board/s for services.

8. Responsible for visitor cards, bulletins, Bibles, hymnals and other printed materials necessary for worship.

9. Responsible for preparation of Communion elements.

10. Responsible for Flowers for worship.

11. Responsible for Flowers for worship.