DESCRIPTION: This team helps to facilitate all types and aspects of worship at Providence, including Lord's Day worship, informal worship (e.g. P & P), family worship, and gathering for prayer. It is true, vital worship, which should motivate us to action in service (e.g. Isaiah 6:1-8)
CHANGES: Previously, the Worship Team has been especially focused upon the various aspects of music for worship (selection of songs, music practice & playing, etc.). Although this has not been the exclusive focus in the past, the Planning Team recommends a greater focus by the team upon other areas of the worship experience (preparing the people for worship, leading worship, greeting, visitor follow-up, Lord's Supper, etc.).
LEADER:(Currently Wil Meiners - looking to find a non-elder leader....if possible)
MEMBERS:
GUIDELINES / ACTIVITIES:
Greeting (before worship service):Ensure people coming into the church before the worship service are made to feel welcome, and are provided with any information they might need.
Suggest greeters be instructed on the information to tell visitors (e.g. about Sweet Welcome, what is available for their children, etc.)
Suggest making up permanent magnetic badges
Suggest having "greeting packets" that greeters hand out (see survey Q2)
need to define list of items for packets (this should be a "budget item" - perhaps include small devotional, other item of value)
need to determine who would maintain them
Suggest including an adult (or couple) as part of the greeting team with the youth (could put a number of couples on greeting rotation) (see survey Q2)
Discussion:
Initial visit: When people first walk in the door during "Sweet Welcome," do they just go in and sit in an empty sanctuary? Is it clear what to do with their kids (note on website)? Can they take coffee into the sanctuary?
Brad suggestion: He and Bill S. might make a “box on wheels” that we put outside before the worship service (have Mission Statement there that greeter can point out and say, this is who we are, point out nursery, a greeter stands behind it
Visitor followup:Ensure that we have a mechanism in place for following up with visitors to Providence, answering any questions they might have, and establishing a relationship where possible.
Suggest evaluating our current system for collecting contact information from all visitors who are willing to share it, and make improvements to ensure we are able to followup with as many visitors as possible (Admin Asst. item?)
Suggest evaluating our current system for tracking visitors (Confluence page, pastor currently maintains), and look to improve. Suggest assigning someone the task of weekly keeping this up-to-date. (Admin Asst. item?)
Suggest having a team (couple?) who make visits to newcomers to welcome them, build relationship (Carol & Jerry expressed desire)
Special worship events:Ensure (by working with the Session) that any necessary planning is done for special worship events / services (e.g. Christmas day service, Easter morning, other services)
Suggest working with the Session to evaluate the possibility of a quarterly Sun. evening communion service designed to get a number of people from the body involved (testimonies, special music, and perhaps a short message/devotional)
Suggest a different format worship service, such as Sun. evenings down at the lake (Brad: pontoon boat rental)
Lord's Supper:Ensure that the elements for the Lord's Supper are prepared in advance, and that things are setup for the Lord's Supper each week
Lord's Day Worship:
Bulletin: Ensure (in coordination with the pastor, and perhaps the admin assistant) that a bulletin / order of worship is provided for each Lord's Day worship service.
Suggest having the pastor submit most of the elements for the order of worship by COB Monday prior to the Lord's Day
Suggest someone from the worship team determine the music selection / arrangement in the order of worship by COB Wed. prior to the Lord's Day
Suggest the admin assistant put together the bulletin (including any announcements or other requests), and have it printed and picked up
Music Preparation: Ensure that music for each Lord's Day worship service (and other worship venues, e.g. Praise & Prayer) is planned out, prepared, and practiced as needed.
Ensure the song selection is developed in coordination with the preacher's sermon theme.
Suggest having someone (e.g. Wil?) lead the music from up front, on all songs
Ensure that we are making use of the gifts that God has given to members of the congregation, for their contribution in worshipping the Lord (that includes members who are not an actual part of the WMT)
Suggest consideration is given to forming a group of musicians, some who would likely be a part of the WMT and others who are not, to meet and practice for participation in worship services and other gatherings of the body
Sanctuary Preparation: Ensure that the sanctuary is prepared for the people to gather together and worship the Lord.
Suggest that flowers are prepared and arranged prior to each service (Nancy currently handles this)
Service Conduct: Ensure (in coordination with the session) that Lord's Day worship services are conducted in a manner that glorifies God, strengthens the people, and draws us into an increasingly intimate relationship with the Lord.
Suggest, through coordination with the Session, involving others in the reading Scripture, or possibly involvement in other elements of worship
Suggest scheduling and coordinating, at least once per month, a member from one of the Ministry Teams to provide a "Ministry Minute" (share an update or some encouragement related to ongoing ministry)
Service Environment: Ensure we have a worshipful / reverent environment prior to and during our worship services
Discussion:When we currently come into the sanctuary for worship, people haven’t moved from a Sweet Welcome mindset, to a preparation for worship mindset. Also, when visitors come in, they often first experience a mostly empty sanctuary, then a large "hubbub" until announcements begin. It would be helpful to have things in place to ensure that people are moving into the sanctuary 10 min. before service begins, and that there is "a worshipful environment" in the sanctuary at least 5 min. before service begins
Suggest that we shut down food at 10 til (ring bell). Ensure S.S. finishes on time (10:30)
Suggest we change “Sweet Welcome” to very simple, not meal
Suggest we put shutters on the food area, so that they can be closed at 10:50, and it's clear everyone should move to sanctuary.
Suggest we dim the lights in the sanctuary; have an elder (or someone) stand up and suggest everyone look at reflection
Suggest we have an Elder come to the front at 10:55, and request that everyone spend the next few minutes reading the Reflection on front of bulletin, in prayer, etc.
Suggest that all music practice prior to S.S. finishes by 9:20, allowing everyone to attend S.S. classes.
Suggest we make it a priority to start on time with worship service
Suggest elders move their prayer time to 10:45 to help facilitate this.
Training: Ensure that any training that is needed, either with the intent to instruct on "biblical worship," or in terms of improving the caliber and nature of music with which we worship, is provided to the members of the team, as needed.
Suggest providing / seeking out training and instruction for those involved in facilitating worship (e.g. Sing conference, music workshops, reading books together, etc.)
Safety: Ensure that some form of plan exists and is communicated, to prepare for handling emergencies during services or during Sunday school (e.g. a shooting, an individual medical emergency, etc.) (Note: this entire item should be placed under a "facilities manual" once that is available, rather than under the Worship Team)
Suggest having a CED device available nearby, with certain individuals trained to use it
Suggest making sure a couple of regular attenders have been trained and certified in CPR
Sharing with the church:Ensure that the congregation is made aware of any areas that the WMT is working and planning, areas of progress, and any specific prayer requests.
Suggest that, perhaps twice a year, the congregation be given a short, verbal update by making use of a "Ministry Minute" during the Worship Service.
Suggest that specific efforts, areas that might require volunteers or involvement from members of the congregation, and other initiatives from the WMT of particular interest, be provided to the congregation through the (planned) newsletter. (Admin Asst. item)
Prayer.Ensure that, following each ministry team meeting, any special prayer needs are provided to the Prayer POC (currently this is the pastor; in the future, this might be a prayer team)
Budget Requests: Ensure a budget is established annually for the Outreach Ministry, as input to the budget process (Financial Team to provide submission timeframe).
RESOURCES NEEDED:
Conference attendance (e.g. Sing 2019) - for education, encouragement, fostering ideas