OUR MINISTRIES

Have you ever had an idea for a program and wondered where you should take it? Ever have a passion for some part of parish life and work and wondered how to get involved? Have you ever wanted to have more influence in the direction the ministries of the parish were taking? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you should get involved with our Ministry Area Model.

Holy Communion's Commission Model creates seven Ministry Areas each of which is composed of Ministry Teams. Each Team is an area of ministry undertaken by the parish.

The seven Ministry Areas are:

• Spiritual Formation (composed of two major foci, Christian Formation and Spiritual Life)
• Congregational Life (composed of three major foci, Family Ministries, Hospitality/Church Growth, and Fellowship)
• Congregational Care (composed of Pastoral Care and Health/Wellness)
• Stewardship
• Worship and Music
• Social Outreach
• Communications

Each is equally important and valuable, and each is interdependent on the other. And of course, at the center of all the ministries is the cross of our Lord.

Each Ministry Area is charged with program development, volunteer recruitment, and program implementation for that area. The really exciting part of this model is that potentially every parishioner can be a part of shaping the ministry our parish carries on. For example, if you have a passion for the Christian formation of children, you can be a part of the Children’s Ministry Team. As a member, you’ll be able to provide input into the development and shape of our ministry to children in the parish. And of course, be involved in implementation if you wish. A staff member will be involved in the Team, assisting with ideas and with support and guidance, but the ultimate shape will be created by the Team.

To continue this example, the Children’s Ministry Team is one of several Teams that comprise
the Christian Formation Ministry Area. Periodically, the chairs of the teams will meet together
to coordinate the work of the parish in Christian Formation. By meeting together, each will be able to see how the plans and ideas of the other Teams relate and can develop a coordinated and balanced ministry emphasis in Christian Formation.

The chairpersons of the seven Ministry Areas comprise the Parish Council, which is the coordinating body for all the ministries of the parish. They will receive ideas and plans, including budget requests, and will also help craft the vision for the various ministries. They ultimately will, of course, be accountable to the Vestry, but will have clear guidelines, called Charters, to give them a measure of independence that is created by delegated authority. The Vestry is ultimately responsible for the fiscal health of the parish and the maintenance of its facilities, and for the vision and mission of the parish. But, they just can’t undertake the day-to-day planning of all the various ministries needed to be a vibrant parish. They delegate this responsibility to the Parish Council and the staff .

Speaking of the staff , what is their role in all this? In the past, almost all initiatives came from the staff , and they were oft en responsible for implementation of programs. The down side to that is the relatively small number of them means their “reach” is limited, and they can easily be burned out. In the new model, the staff will serve primarily in a support role for Ministry Areas and Teams. They can still be creative, suggesting ideas and initiatives, but by involving more parishioners, the “reach” of the parish in ministry will be much greater.

We know that the full implementation of this model will take some time, but we are beginning this year. As it is put into use, we will fi nd it needs refinements, and we will make them.