- How To Get Connected - Trinity Presbyterian Church in Woodbury, MN From the Shared Ministry Team Our hope is to help Trinity members & friends be more aware of the opportunities for service that exist right here within the church, as well as our outreach to the community. God calls each of us to use the gifts and talents and time that God has given to us to be of service for Him. If we are doing things that we like to do and are fitted to do, we are more likely to be serving with JOY. God wants us to minister and serve with JOY!
Guide Contents Worship Christian Education Mission Worship, p.4 Children & Youth Education, p.6 Mission & Action, p.9 Choir & Musicians, p.4 Nursery & Childcare, p.6 Extra Innings Tutoring, p.10 Greeters & Ushers, p.5 (Pre-k - 5th grade), p.7 School Tools Drive, p.10 Sound Crew, p.5 Vacation Bible School (VBS), p.7 Food Drive, p.10 Lay Worship Leaders, p.5 Youth Group (6th - 12th grade), p.8 Winter Clothing Drive, p.10 Tidy Team (sanctuary), p.5 Adult Education, p.8, p.11 Flowers & Plants, p.6 Adult Bible Study, p.9 Mission Sponsorships, p.11 Library, p.9 ** Contact our church office at 651-738-0045 for a current list of contact people for any of these initiatives ** Community Social & Fellowship Activities Session New Member Classes, p.11 Social & Fellowship Committee, p.14 Session, p.16 Shared Ministry, p.12 Trinity Family Group (TGIF), p.14 Building & Grounds, p.17 Deacons, p.12, p.15 Honor Garden, p.17 Prayer Chain, p.12 Tuesday Lunch Club (TLC), p.15 Communications, p.17 Mental Health & Wellness, p.13 Dinner Around the World, p.15 Stewardship & Finance, p.18 Funeral Assistance, p.13 Game Night, p.15 Trinity Foundation, p.18 Transportation & Meals, p.13 Book Discussion Club, p.15 Sluggers Softball Team, p.16 Christmas Caroling, p.16 2
Worship is a time to be transformed and renewed in your spiritual relationship with God. The Worship Committee coordinates all of the activities that compose and support the worship service: music planning; care of music equipment and instruments; sanctuary beautification through flowers, plants and banners; sanctuary care; ushers; and communion preparation. The Worship Committee Chair leads monthly meetings that last approximately 90 minutes. Choir and musicians provide music for our worship service. The choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. All singers (adults & youth) are welcome to join the choir. Contact our Choir Director if you are interested in sharing your musical gifts either through voice or instrument. Choir Time Commitment: 90 minutes each Wednesday, September through May and 60 minutes during Sunday a.m. worship services approximately three Sundays per month. 3
Greeters are the first people that meet and warmly welcome worshippers on Sunday mornings. Ushers prepare the sanctuary for worship, greet and help direct seating in the sanctuary, distribute worship bulletins, collect and secure the offerings, and help clean up the sanctuary following worship. A rotation is scheduled for Greeters and Ushers on Sunday mornings. If you are interested in serving as either, contact our Worship Committee Chair. Other assistance during worship is provided by the Sound Crew who adjust the microphone levels and record the worship service. If you have gifts in audio/ visual skills, please contact our Sound Coordinator. Lay Worship Leaders assist the pastor in reading scripture, prayer, and other leadership needs for the worship service. The pastor requests assistance on an as-needed basis. People are needed to care for the sanctuary as part of the Tidy Team to: straighten the pew materials collect the visitor and member attendance sheets restock the children s worship bags with materials Our Worship Committee Chair schedules a rotation for those interested in this area of service. The time commitment on days of service is about one hour. 4
Flowers & Plants are provided in the Sanctuary on Sunday mornings and for other special services during the year. Congregation members who would like to donate flowers are able to choose from a list of dates posted in the Welcome Room. An arrangement(s) is ordered and several people who serve on the Worship Committee share the task of picking up and delivering the flowers to the Sanctuary. Children & Youth Education. From pre-school to high school, Trinity keeps its baptismal promise to nurture children and their faith through nursery care, Sunday School, VBS, Confirmation, Wednesday night programs, youth group and mission activities. Nursery & Childcare during worship services and education hours on Sunday mornings is provided by able and caring staff employed by Trinity Presbyterian, but volunteers are sometimes needed to help during various other programs. Please contact our Christian Education Chair if you are interested in assisting with nursery care during Worship hours. If you would like to be contacted for other childcare volunteer situations throughout the year, please let our church Administrative Assistant know by contacting the church office. The Christian Education Committee meets once per month for approximately 90 minutes to plan and review these efforts. Extra time is required for certain activities and services through the year. 5
Children s Sunday School teachers are responsible for nurturing the faith development of children ages Pre-K through 5th grade. Teachers and caregivers learn about God s love through the lessons they teach, the faith they share, and the kindness they show toward the children. Sunday School classes are taught on Sunday mornings from September - May for children pre-k through 5th grade. Sunday School begins just after the Children s Message portion of the worship service and ends at 11:15 a.m., giving parents and adult caregivers time for coffee and fellowship after the worship service. Teaching materials are available to help guide both new and experienced Sunday School teachers through the year. The Christian Education Committee Chair coordinates a teaching rotation for each grade. Time commitment involves quality lesson preparation and approximately one hour on Sunday mornings. Vacation Bible School (VBS) is overseen by our Christian Education Committee Chair and is offered each summer for our children Pre - K through 5th grade. Nursery care is available for our youngest children in order to accommodate VBS leaders, teachers and helpers. Volunteers are needed for decorating, teaching, shepherding kids, preparing and cleaning up at snack time as well as a host of other important contributions. Time commitment is usually one hour per week during the final month leading up to VBS and then three hours per day during VBS week. 6
Youth Group provides our 6th - 12th grade students many opportunities to build relationships through fun, faith and fellowship. Most Sundays between September May Bible study discussion is offered following the worship service from 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. A variety of other fun activities (lock-ins, overnights, fundraisers, retreats, missions trips, etc.) are held throughout the year. Volunteers work with the Director of Youth Ministries to develop and lead activities. Committed adults assist and build relationships with teenagers for fun, support and encouragement - specifically to help them know Jesus Christ personally. Youth Group Assistants may be involved 2-20 hours per month, depending on the ministry that tugs at your heart. Adult Education is an interactive discussion on a variety of scripture and other topics on Sunday mornings September May from 9:00 9:50 a.m. Adult Education is guided by the Adult Education Committee and there is an outline of classes for the year. Because Adult Education leaders are most often members of the congregation, volunteers are needed to suggest topics for study and to teach. The time commitment for teaching will depend on the subject matter and requires a commitment to quality preparation and approximately 50 minutes of class instruction on a Sunday morning. The Adult Education Committee meets on an as needed basis to fulfill the yearly teaching schedule; contact the Adult Education Chairperson for more information. 7
Bible Studies for Adults. Trinity offers a number of Bible studies for the education and enrichment of its members and friends alike. Mid-week (typically Wednesday) classes occur during Lent and the autumn months and are taught by our pastor and others such as the seminary intern. In addition, opportunities are sometimes offered on other weekdays such as Monday and feature topical or in-depth gospel studies. Contact our Church Office to learn specifics on our current studies or visit our website. Trinity s library has a changing selection of educational, pleasure reading, media and children s books to supplement our study of God s word and to help us along our individual faith journeys. These materials are available to all congregational members. Library Custodians organize and manage the log of signed out books and media. This job requires approximately 2-3 hours per month. Please contact our Director of Youth Ministries to offer your organizational talents to our library. The Mission & Action Committee members organize several local and international mission initiatives (detailed on following pages) for church member participation such as: collecting food, clothes, and school supplies tutoring students grades K-12 in Landfall, MN issues of homelessness support and education for people and families affected by brain disorders creating prayer shawl and baby caps organizing youth mission trips fundraising and (budgeted) financial support for scholarships in developing countries, food shares, the Heifer Project, and to support medical and teaching missionaries abroad The Mission & Action Committee Chair leads approximately 10-12 meetings per year to review, discuss, plan, and coordinate various mission outreach efforts. Meetings typically last an hour. Depending on the specific outreach project, there may be additional time spent outside of the monthly committee meetings. 8
Extra Innings is a Trinity sponsored initiative at Landfall for adults to assist students grades K-12 with homework. The program runs from October to May from 6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. No specific academic knowledge is required. Time Commitment: 90 minutes each tutoring session. Persons can tutor one or both nights per week or serve as a substitute. Those who wish to become involved with Extra Innings should contact the Mission & Action Committee Chair for additional information. School Tools Drive. Every August, we seek donations to help low-income children in need. Examples include backpacks, notebooks, calculators, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, rulers, pocket dictionaries, facial tissues, erasers and glue. The collected supplies are generally distributed between the Extra Innings Tutoring program and the St. Paul Area Council of Churches school tools drive. The Mission & Action Committee Chair organizes this effort. Christian Cupboard. Food and household paper items are collected at Trinity for this local food shelf. Individuals can also contribute monetary gifts which enable the food shelf to purchase items in bulk. Monetary donations can be placed in the Sunday offering plate or taken to the church office. The Mission & Action Committee Chair organizes this effort. Time Commitment: Once every 2-3 weeks, someone delivers the donated items to the local food shelf. Winter Clothing Drive. During December and January we seek donations of clothing items such as mittens scarves, hats, and gloves for children who attend the John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary School in St. Paul. The Mission & Action Committee Chair organizes this effort. 9
Joseph s Coat Supplies Drive. Throughout the year, we seek donations of seasonal clothing, household items and person care products to be taken to the Joseph s Coat store in St. Paul. This free store has been serving the neediest individuals in St. Paul and the surrounding Twin Cities communities since 1989 and over 1,000 are served each week through dedicated volunteers. The Mission & Action Committee Chair organizes this effort. Donation bins are located in the church. Missionary Sponsorships. Trinity supports student(s) and missionaries monetarily abroad. Two recent sponsorships have been to help a child who resides in Niger with education related costs and a missionary in Peru working with low-income villagers. The Mission & Action Committee Chair organizes this effort. New Member Classes are offered 2-3 times each year and provide prospective members with valuable information about our Presbyterian history and church beliefs, as well as the many opportunities for ministry and service within our walls and throughout our community. Volunteers are needed to organize and prepare printed materials for the class as well as to organize a welcome fellowship time on the Sunday where new members are presented to the church. If you are interested in becoming a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church or would like to help welcome our newest members, please contact our Pastor. Time Commitment: 1 to 2 hours when scheduled and 2 hours on the Sunday that new members are received. 10
The Shared Ministry Team works with session members, deacons, and staff to encourage all people of Trinity to participate in various ministries by using their particular time and talents. It does this by: gathering information about the interests of individuals in the church working with individual members to help them determine how to best use their gifts in ministry The Shared Ministry Team typically meets approximately one hour per month; additional time required for special projects such as Shared Ministry Sunday. The Board of Deacons is led by the Deacon Moderator. Deacons are elected Members who provide lay pastoral care at Trinity through sympathy, witness, and serve according to the example of Jesus Christ. Deacons responsibilities include: membership spiritual support; leading Kindred Spirits groups; hosting the Easter Prayer Vigil; providing for funeral assistance; assisting with emergency meals, transportation, helping people move, daycare and the like; leading the prayer chain; following up with inactive members; and other lay pastoral care activities. Trinity s Prayer Chain Ministry is composed of church members who receive specific requests for which they set aside time to pray for spiritual, emotional, and physical healing. Call our Pastoral Care Coordinator if you would like to make a prayer request or would like to be a member of the prayer chain. Time commitment: a daily awareness 11
The Mental Health and Wellness Group is an educational ministry to and with people and families affected by brain disorders (mental illness). Our Pastoral Care Coordinator leads this initiative. As a part of this group, volunteers may help with any of the following: offer hope and support to struggling individuals and families support educational seminars and/or events support the Mental Health Matters section of Pathways (church newsletter) which provides information on upcoming educational opportunities assemble and update a bulletin board in the church Welcome Room. Time Commitment: Occasional meetings. Time varies according to ongoing or one-time events or projects. Funeral Assistance Volunteers greatly ease families stress during a difficult time. On-call volunteers are needed for: ushering and greeting for the funeral service providing baked goods setting up the kitchen and fellowship hall serving during luncheons and cleaning up afterwards. If you or your family is able to help in these times of need, please contact our Pastoral Care Coordinator. Time commitment for day of duties are approximately 2-3 hours. Transportation & Meals Ministry is a service to Trinity people who occasionally or regularly need transportation to church for worship services or other Trinity-sponsored events, or may benefit from receiving a meal. If you are interested in keeping our members mobile, please contact our Pastoral Care Coordinator so that she may add your name to the list of available drivers. Time Commitment: Mornings and after church as needed for Sunday service transportation. As needed for meals delivery. 12
The Social & Fellowship Activities group offers the opportunity to serve the whole church by organizing activities which encourage fellowship. A sampling of activities includes: BBQs & fall bonfires, Christmas caroling, potlucks and receptions, lunch and dinner groups, game nights and book discussions. Time commitment for volunteering with this group varies depending on the scheduled events but may take 2-6 hours per month. For more information on upcoming events or to help with the planning of events, please contact our Church Office. Trinity Family Group (TGIF - Trusting God, Involving Families) is a group geared to bring together families who are raising Christian children. Trinity recognizes that this is an important and challenging goal. This group arranges regular family-friendly activities at locations within our community and at our church, as well as monthly group dinners at local family-friendly restaurants. The purpose is for fun family fellowship, support common missions and to continue development of relationships. For more information on upcoming events, please contact our Church Office. 13
The Men's Breakfast is held on the first and third Saturday mornings of the month, throughout the year. The 90 minute session is a time of fellowship and discussion of issues (both religious and secular) that concern the participants. All men of Trinity are invited to join; there is no preparation required. Tuesday Lunch Club is a group for men and women who would like to have lunch and socialize with others. It meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. in the church Fellowship Hall. There is often entertainment in the form of trivia quizzes, songs, etc. Transportation is provided for those who request it. Meals are based around a theme of the month and are provided by volunteers. Someone in our Church Office can put you in touch with the persons coordinating the TLC events should you like to attend or volunteer. Dinner Around the World are pot luck meals organized and held in the home of the hosts approximately every 10-12 months. (Recipes are offered in advance.) Dinners have included a wide variety of nationalities: Vietnamese, Mexican, Korean, Italian, Scottish, etc. For more information on upcoming events, please contact our Church Office. Game Night is a monthly get together, usually held at the church, for all ages. Participants bring their own board games and snacks to share. For more information, please contact our Church Office. Book Discussion Club meets every 6-8 weeks in people's homes. The selection for the next meeting is discussed and chosen one meeting at a time and covers a wide variety of topics including classics. For more information, please contact our Church Office. 14
The Almighty Sluggers is Trinity s softball team comprised of men ages 18+. They play weekly in an organized league during Apr-July. Men of all skill levels are welcomed and the team often meets at a local restaurant after the games. For more information, please contact our Church Office. Christmas Caroling takes place on a Sunday during December. Carolers of all ages meet at church to form car pools and then go to pre-determined locations, usually the homes of members who do not get out easily. Everyone meets back at Trinity for a simple chili/mac & cheese supper. The event is publicized in advance but contact our Choir Director for more information. The Session of the church is made up of elected members. Among other things, the Session at Trinity supports the financial, physical, and staff resources needed to carry out the church s ministry programs. It oversees mission groups which are primarily administrative, some of which are: Buildings & Grounds Interpretation of Stewardship Finance Communications Personnel Service as a member of Session is an elected position, but volunteers are needed on many occasions to assist on committees for each of the areas above as well as other areas. Information or questions about Session business can be addressed by our Clerk of Session. 15
The Building & Grounds committee is responsible for the maintenance of church facilities. Building & Grounds Committee Chair leads monthly meetings where repair and landscaping needs are identified. Time commitment for committee work is approximately 1 hour per month. In addition to committee members, people are needed for painting, gardening, electrical and plumbing work, and carpentry. Time commitments on those activities vary based on need. Gardening. Trinity has several gardens including the Honor Garden, located on the south lawn and is a place for friends and family of those who have gone before us to visit and remember their loved ones. Volunteers are needed to keep all areas weeded, trimmed and mulched during the growing season. Please contact our Building & Grounds Committee Chair if you would like to volunteer. Time Commitment: As you are available. Help is also needed for the semiannual spring and fall clean-up days. The goal of the Communications Committee is to reach current and new area residents in order to inform and invite them to Trinity s services, programs, and events through direct mail, advertisements, visitor gifts, etc. The committee also strives to foster community within our congregation by keeping information readily available through: monthly newsletter, Pathways pictorial directory church website (www.trinitywoodbury.org) church Facebook page (www.facebook.com/trinitywoodbury) other social networking and in-person initiatives Time Commitment: One hour committee meeting per month plus any time required to fulfill your area of outreach. Our Communications Committee Chair would love your ideas and participation. 16
Our Stewardship & Finance Committee s goal is to model, live, and teach Stewardship in all its forms and to encourage everyone to fully embrace the opportunity God gives each of us to share our financial resources with others. The committee also manages the church s finances and formulates the church budget for Session approval each year. The Stewardship & Finance Chair leads meetings each month. The time commitment is several hours per month, more during the fall pledge season, leading up to the new budget approval at the first of each year. The Trinity Foundation is managed by the Stewardship & Finance Committee of the Session and was founded as a means to encourage Legacy Giving by our congregation. The committee invests funds which have been endowed by our members as it sees appropriate in order to ensure long-term financial viability of Trinity Presbyterian Church. When thoughtfully planned, there are many opportunities to combine philanthropic giving with your personal financial needs and tax-planning strategies. The intention of this endowment-like fund is to preserve principle and allocate earnings as the Session deems necessary. To help with the planning for the Trinity Foundation or to donation to the Trinity Foundation, please contact the Stewardship & Finance Chair. Time Commitment: an as needed basis. 17
2125 Tower Drive Woodbury, MN 55125 651-738-0045 Email: Web: Facebook: Twitter: info@trinitywoodbury.org www.trinitywoodbury.org www.facebook.com/trinitywoodbury twitter.com/trinitywoodbury Church Directory: Our password protected pictorial directory can be found on our website. 18