Committees and Teams
Welcome to the page devoted to the Committees and Teams at
Westwood United Methodist Church!
Acolyte
Being an acolyte is an opportunity for children and youth aged 6 through high school to serve in the church during 2nd service. Acolytes bring the Light in the sanctuary and light altar candles, and may help with offering also. At the end of the service acolytes carry the Light out of the sanctuary. Call the church office to contact acolyte leaders for upcoming training opportunities and to get on to the schedule.
Altar Team
The Altar Team provides the proper Altar arrangements (flowers, paraments etc.) for the services. The altar team is looking for new members. Most work is performed on Saturday. How to Get Involved: Call leaders to be trained and or share ideas with members of the team.
Board of Trustees
The primary task of the trustees is to supervise and maintain all property belonging to the congregation so that the ministries of the congregation can be effective. In our case this task must be carried out for the church and education building, Epworth, and the parsonage.
Children’s Ministry Team
The Children’s Ministry Team was formed in January 2013 to support young children and their parents at Westwood UMC. The CMT helps the church reach out to children in the community as well. CMT oversees the Sunday morning children’s activities from nursery and preschool to Sunday School and Children’s Worship. Working alongside other committees, CMT organizes and promotes special events such as Vacation Bible School and Trunk or Treat.
Church Council
The primary task of the Church Council is to lead the congregation in long-range planning and in carrying out its programs so that people are received into its fellowship, encouraged in strengthening their relationship with God, and supported as they seek to live as Christian disciples. The purpose of the church council is to plan a program of nurture, outreach and witness; implement the plan; provide an administrative infrastructure; align the plan with the mission of the church; evaluate the effectiveness of the plan; act as the administrative agency of the charge conference. All leadership of all ministries and administrative committees and any interested church member are welcome. To become involved, attend church council meetings – all members have a voice and a vote; Participate in the spiritual gifts class to identify your gifts and passions; Participate in the planning activities of the council as well as the “Circles” opportunities for problem resolution.
Congregational Care
The Congregational Care team shares in loving our members and making sure each one can feel the care that is so rich in our faith community. Jesus tells us to love one another as He has first loved us and we are dedicated to doing just that. Through greeting cards, calls, personal visits, pastoral care, small gifts, meals, and an assortment of ways, we strive to help all of our people feel valued and cared for.
Foundation
The Foundation is responsible for accepting gifts to the congregation, which are intended to be lasting gifts for the church. They therefore safeguard these gifts and provide for their growth and the distribution of that growth to the ministries of the congregation. This is a dynamic and growing ministry involved in the growth and development of the church.
Hospitality Team
The Hospitality Committee provides snacks and coffee between the services on designated Sunday mornings. Our goal is to provide a welcoming environment for fellowship and community for our membership and our guests. Hospitality volunteers brew coffee, which is provided by the church, and set out the snacks the volunteers have either made or purchased. After the second service begins the volunteers clear the tables and tidy up the kitchen. Groups of two volunteers serve once every couple of months. We always welcome additional volunteers as many hands make light work.
Justice Team (ISAAC)
(ISAAC: Interfaith Strategy for Action and Advocacy in the Community) The ISAAC Core Team provides leadership to the congregation and works cooperatively with other congregations and organizations to promote social justice at the policy level. Because of our involvement in ISAAC, we can attend leadership training. To become involved, attend ISAAC core team meetings, contact Deb Lindstrom or call the ISAAC office (341-4213) and talk to the director.
Lay Leadership
This ministry team ensures that our congregation has a process for discovering, inviting, nominating, and supporting people for Christian spiritual leadership positions essential to the ministries of the local congregation.
Memorial Committee
Membership is open for all interested. We meet very irregularly to consider requests for memorial funds or to process large numbers of memorial donations. The task of the Memorial Committee is to receive and administer all gifts that are made to the Congregation Memorial Fund. In doing so, they provide a lasting value from those donations to the ministries of this congregation.
Missions Team
The purpose of the Missions Team is to inform, educate, and inspire our congregation regarding opportunities for loving response to local and global needs in the name of Christ. Response is encouraged in the form of monetary giving, donating needed items, and volunteering of time and talent to missions at home, in the United States and abroad as well as voicing our concerns and opinions to appropriate leadership and officials regarding social justice issues. There are many options to get involved. Become a team member. Serve at a fundraising dinner or help with other fundraisers. Tell us of your interest in going on a mission trip. The team will consider monetary requests for such a trip and help put you in contact with coordinators. Volunteer your time and skills to a local, national or international mission/ministry/outreach project. Let us know of your experience!
Outreach
The Outreach Team focuses on two areas: (1) Creating a welcoming and nurturing atmosphere for our guests and regular attendees and (2) reaching out to the community by inviting others to share God’s love in Jesus Christ. Through facility evaluation; intentional, radical hospitality; and special events, we endeavor to welcome and embrace all persons. The team meets monthly.
Prayer Ministry
Prayer Ministry is committed and dedicated to supporting WUMC as a House of Prayer. There are many ways to be involved in addition to your daily prayer time.
· Prayer Chain – requests and prayers of praise can be emailed or called into the church office to be included on the email/phone chains.
· Prayer Shawl Ministry – The Prayer Shawl Ministry is an outreach of the United Methodist Women at Westwood. The shawls are prayed over as they are made and are prayed over by the congregation on the first Sunday of each month. A shawl can be given to anyone who is in need of prayer. May God’s grace be upon these shawls, warming, comforting, enfolding, and embracing. May this mantle be a safe haven, a sacred place of security and well-being, sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones. May the ones who receive these shawls be cradled in hope, kept in joy,graced with peace, and wrapped in love.
· Prayer Vigil – be willing to pray for an hour during a prayer vigil for our congregation.
Production Team
The production team is responsible for the in-house audio/visual production, as well as the service broadcast online. The production team is responsible for the soundboard, cameras, switcher’s, and everything else involved in our worship service technical production.
Staff-Parish Relations Committee
The primary task of this ministry is to enable effective ministry within the church. This is accomplished through the hiring and directing of Lay staff, the counseling and partnership with the pastor, and listening and responding to the needs of the congregation.
Stephen Ministry
Do you feel like you need help? If you desire a Stephen Minister, please contact the church office. Do you often feel that you would like to help someone but aren’t quite sure how to go about it? Stephen Ministers are trained to listen and pray with someone needing help. If you would like to become a Stephen Minister, please contact the church office.
Stewardship & Finance
The task of this ministry group is to help people understand the meaning of Christian stewardship and the need to practice it in all of life. They are to propose, raise, manage, and distribute the resources of the congregation to support and strengthen the mission and ministry of the congregation. Some of their responsibilities include: building an annual budget, develop and carry out plans to raise income, to carry out instructions about allocation of funds, and to guide the work of the church treasurer and financial secretary.
United Methodist Women
The purpose of United Methodist Women is to know God and to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ; to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in the global ministries of the church. Two circles meet monthly at the church: Early Eves and Faith-Hope Circle for a program and fellowship as well as a meal or refreshments. All women are invited to attend one of these circles.
United Women in Faith
As it fosters spiritual growth and develops leaders, United Women in Faith seeks to improve the lives of women, children and youth in the United States and internationally. United Women in Faith advocates on peace and justice, economic inequality, education, the rights of children, human rights and farm workers’ rights. We support our work with a scriptural basis and adheres to the denominational mandates in The Book of Discipline and The Book of Resolutions.
Usher Team
Assist congregation at worship celebrations by performing duties, such as collecting prayer requests and forwarding to Pastor or Lay Speaker, distributing bulletins, attendance registration, and guest gift cards, assisting with seating, searching for lost articles, count and record number of attendees. How to Get Involved: Talk to one of the Ministry Leaders. Sign up for an Usher Training Session or ask to be trained. Sign up to usher for a worship celebration.
Welcome Team
The Greeter Team works each Sunday to ensure that all members and guests are welcomed to worship. Providing a smile and a handshake, the Greeters are also equipped to answer questions or point people to those having the answers. Greeters pay special attention to connect new people to existing members. We are always in need of volunteers to be a part of this team. Serving means arriving 10-15 minutes before the service and the teams of two serve on the average of 2-3 times over a 4-month period.