Minutes
Good Works Team
January 6, 2009
Present: Charles Curry, Delton Botkin, Betty Young, Flora Mae Gay, Martha Voegly, and Rev. Glen Langston
The purpose of the group was discussed and there was concurrence that the purpose was to study current, prospective, and preferred outreach ministries and make recommendations for future outreach ministries at Parnassus United Methodist Church. Since the group is not an elected part of the church structure the group will make recommendations to the appropriate church administrative unit. It was noted that Joyce Evers is the representative for the Council of Ministries.
Ephesians 2:10 will be the Mission Statement for the team. It expresses the expectation for good works.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”
The work of this group is based on the following three assumptions:
Doing “good works” is one of the primary responsibilities of a church.
Progressive, growing churches have major programs of outreach ministry.
People prefer to associate with churches that are engaged in doing “good works”.
It was agreed that for devotions at each meeting someone will select a verse or two that supports the expectation that Christians have a responsibility to do “good works.” This duty would rotate thru the group. Betty will provide this for the next meeting.
A proposed agenda for meetings was discussed and it was agreed that the following standard agenda will be used for each meeting:
Dutch Treat Breakfast
Devotions – Rotate selecting a “good works” Bible verse or two for discussion
Focus Area
Select focus area for next meeting
Things to do before next meeting
Select devotions person for next meeting
Closing prayer
Charles Curry was selected as the group leader and Sue Floyd was selected as the recorder.
The group reviewed the following list of potential focus areas and selected “Brainstorming the “Good Works” Interests of Team Members” as the focus for the February meeting. Listed below are some of the potential focus areas for future meetings:
Brainstorming “good works” interests of team members
Study outreach ministries of other churches
Identify educational programs on outreach ministries to have at the church
Identify community needs
Survey member’s priorities
Identify priority, missing, or overlooked outreach ministries
Develop an outreach ministries plan or recommendations for Parnassus
The group then reviewed the following list of the outreach ministries conducted during the current year.
Soldiers in Iraq $639.00
Initiatives of Hope Ministries (Russia, Mozambique, Brazil, Alaska) $201.00
Disaster Relief Kits $311.00
Henry Fork Service Center $646.00
The Society of Saint Andrew’s Potato Project $186.00
Local Families $2,136.00
Churchville Food Pantry $753.00
King’s Way Prison Ministries $425.00
World Service Fund $3,597.00
Black Colleges/African University $266.00
May’s House Project $1,500.00
Weekday Religious Education $380.00
Other donations & Church Extension programs $709.00
GRAND TOTAL $11,749.00
We have been tracking our financial outreach ministries and posting them at the Lawn Party. It was noted that our outreach ministries are primarily financial contributions.
The group then reviewed the outreach ministries of the McDowell Charge of the United Methodist Church for 2008 from newsletters provided by David and Jake Smith (see Attachment A).
The following suggestions were made for changes or additions to our outreach ministries:
The youth should be a major initiative.
We should have another “Meet Your Neighbor” event (supported by the group).
We should reconvene our offerings for needy families at Christmas.
We need to move from just financial support to more hands on and face-to-face support.
The following reflections were offered to provide direction for our work:
We should develop a realistic number of recommendations.
We need to take it one step at a time.
It is important to capture ideas in writing.
We should maintain good communications with the church through the newsletter, website, and bulletin.
We should strive to make it enjoyable.
For next meeting, everyone is to come with some ideas for outreach ministries that we would like to see implemented at Parnassus.
Attachment A
McDowell UM Charge Example
Take from “Mission Moment” Articles in the McDowell Newsletter
1. Heart Havens Ministry of the UMC – provides housing for persons with disabilities
2. Stephanie Saufley, a missionary with Team Expansion in Venezuela
3. Dr. and Mrs. Kraus, serving as medical missionaries with Africa Inland Missions in Kenya
4. Dave and Beth Greenawalt, serving with Mission Society (UM) in Hungary
5. Operation Christmas Child – shoeboxes are sent to children around the world
6. 29 School Kits, 10 Health Kits, and 4 Sewing Kits for the Virginia Annual Conference
7. Food Drive for the Christian Assistance Network food pantry in Franklin, WV
8. Native American Ministries
9. Mission trip to Guatemala to build masonry cooking stoves
10. Brazil Children’s Ministries, Mozambique Education, Russia Pastoral Development, Alaska Native American Ministries, Global Aids Fund – Annual Conference Offering
11. Mission trip to an Indian Reservation in North Carolina – Youth Mission
12. Scholarships for children attending Camp Overlook