Service Opportunities.......
This page represents a cross section of our current service opportunities. It is not a complete list as we are ever changing and growing to meet the needs of our community and congregation. If you are interested in a ministry opportunity that is not mentioned please call the church office at 724-463-8535.
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Food Pantry Feed the Flock Food Services Greeter's Ministry
Handy Hands Ministry Lobby Cheer Multi-Media Stephen Ministry
Tape Ministry Ushers Welcome Center Mid-week Worship
Audio Production
People involved in this ministry operate the sound systems of the church.
Members of the team support the worship services by mixing, balancing , and equalizing verbal, vocal, and instrumental input.
Individuals are needed who not only have an ear for music but who also understand or are willing to learn how amplifiers, microphones, signal paths, and sound processors work.
Childcare Ministry
This ministry seeks to provide safe and enjoyable care to our young children while providing parents with a sense of security as they attend functions at the church.
Childcare is available during all types of church functions. Ministry members strive to provide a safe and loving environment for the young children. The staff includes three full-time workers and many volunteers who give of their time to make Grace Church a wonderful place for our young children. The childcare coordinator and the full-time workers are CPR certified and have ACT 35/35 clearances. (to top of page)
Communion Stewards
The purposes of this ministry are (1) to aid the congregation in observing Holy Communion as a Sacrament instituted by Christ to remind us of His shed blood and broken body, and (2) to prepare the Communion elements on Communion Sundays and any other requested items.
This ministry is a behind the scenes opportunity to serve God and our congregation. Ministry personnel are responsible for purchasing the juice and the bread, preparing the elements, washing the utensils used, and making sure the linen tablecloths and napkins are clean and ironed.
Communion stewards prepare the materials at the church on Saturday and arrive early on Sunday. They facilitate the observance of Holy Communion from beginning to end. This ministry is always in need of assistance. (to top of page)
Congregational Care Shut In Visitation Ministry
Shut in visitation is a lay ministry of care offered to any person who is confined to home or personal care home. Each person is visited on a regular basis by one of the shut in ministry ministers. Visits are done monthly or more often if necessary. The visiting minister shares the love of Christ and the Body of Grace church with the person and also offers to help to find ways to get any needs met. Shut in ministers also report visitation to the office of Congregational Care on a monthly basis so that any needed follow up such as pastor visit is done. Visitors also take a card or note from the church along with other things such as bulletins and the Upper Room for the person if possible.
Currently we have 22 visitation ministers and 18 shut in persons being visited. Other shut in persons are part of out congregation but they or their family have expressed a desire not to be visited. We are always looking for any that we can reach out to with this ministry and it continues to evolve as more persons volunteer and more persons to minister to are identified. (to top of page)
Emergency Food Pantry
The purpose of this ministry is to respond to requests from individuals and families in emergency situations, providing food that will sustain the family for three days.
Requests for assistance are received through the church's voice mail. Screeners question individuals to determine eligibility for assistance and assign cases to shoppers. The shoppers purchase perishable foods and supplement the order from items in the church pantry. The shoppers then contact the clients to arrange for pick-up.
A steering committee of 11 persons meets quarterly to operate the food bank. New shoppers and screeners are trained by the steering committee. (to top of page)
Feed the Flock
The purpose of this ministry is to prepare and deliver meals to church members who need help following a hospital stay, the birth of a new baby, or a death in the family.
The ministry captain checks with the church office to find out what family may be in need of meals. The family is then contacted, and a determination is made regarding the number of meals that will be required. The captain then calls team members and makes arrangements for them to prepare and deliver the meals as needed.
How often a team member is called varies, depending on the need and the number of people on the ministry team. The ministry captain tries to call persons who live in the same area as the member receiving the meals. (to top of page)
Food Services
There are a multitude of areas in which you can volunteer to help in the kitchen. From bereavement dinners to coffee and conversation on Sunday morning. You can choose to be a kitchen helper on a weekly basis or an occasional event. If you don't care to actually work in the church kitchen we always need volunteers to bake desserts and/or cookies when the opportunity presents itself. Nicole Chichy is our Director of Food Services and can be contacted through the church office. (to top of page)
Greeters Ministry
The purpose of this ministry is to provide Christian friendship and a warm welcome to everyone entering Grace Church. By providing a personal expression of kindness, this ministry aims to make guests and members want to return to this caring and congenial Grace Church Family.
There are approximately 125 men, women, and children who participate as Grace Greeters. Each greeter is given a three-month schedule indicating date, specific service, and entrance assignment. On their assigned Sunday, greeters arrive 15 minutes prior to their service, get their Greeters smile and extend an especially warm welcome to all those who enter Grace Church. When the service begins, they return their name tags and attend the service. (to top of page)
Handy Hand's Ministry
The purpose of this ministry is to involve men and women of Grace in household projects for the elderly, widows, and single mothers.
Participants are asked to commit from one to four Saturdays each year to work on projects together that use their handyhand skills or that help them to learn and develop skills from others. Projects are referred from our senior citizens, widows, and single mothers. Normally, the recipiant who has the project pays for all supplies. (to top of page)
Lobby Cheer
Lobby Cheer was created to provide a smile, some encouraging words and "treats" for family members visiting loved ones at SCI Pinegrove. Since this outreach began, there have been approximately 40 individuals who have volunteered to help in some way. This program is an excellent way to share God's love with men, women and children who are really hurting. (to top of page)
Multi MediaProjection Team
The purpose of this ministry is to prepare and present the announcements, sermon notes, worship songs, and other multi- media materials projected during programming at Grace Church.
Members of this team support the worship services by coordinating the display of announcements, sermon outlines, worship songs, and videos being projected.
The team also occasionally records the services and special events for use in promotional items and distribution.
Individuals are needed who have a basic understanding of computers or are interested in learning video photography and editing. (to top of page)
Stephen Ministries
http://www.stephenministries.org/stephenministry/default.cfm/928?nvid=94
The Stephen Series is a complete system for training and organizing lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around your congregation.
The Stephen Series provides congregations with the structure, training, and resources to set up and administer a complete system for lay caring ministry (called Stephen Ministry) in the congregation. In Stephen Ministry congregations, lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) provide one-to-one christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it. (to top of page)
Tape Ministry
This ministry is a service where we provide copies of the worship services on audio tape.
We have previously made copies during the week following each service, and the tapes were then ready for pickup the following Sunday. We are striving to make tapes available immediately following each worship service in the Welcome Center. In order to make this possible, we need volunteers who would be willing to stay for a short time after each service and man the duplicating machine. (to top of page)
Ushers
Members of this ministry represent a group of church members who are dedicated to serving the Lord by seating and serving the congregation at all church services.
Participants build new friendships while helping other ushers take care of the needs of the congregation.
Training for ushers is provided, and each individual chooses the service which best fits that person's schedule and needs. (to top of page)
Welcome Center Ministry
The purpose of this ministry is to welcome church visitors, and members into a setting that will enhance personal contacts, serve as an information source and gathering point for everyone at Grace, as well as to encourage greater use of the church library. Welcome Center hosts extend God's hand of fellowship to all who visit. Further, they are familiar with both the resources of the center and with the programs of the church so that they can provide information and direction to persons seeking materials and/or to sign up for various service and fellowship opportunities. (to top of page)
Mid-Week Worship,Wednesday at
For more information about service opportunities contact Audrey Wallace at awall150@hotmail.com
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