Council on Ministries Report for 2008

1) Create new Nametags that people will actually wear, with different designs for Staff and the Congregation.  Develop method to make it easy for people to wear them and leave them at church.    Deferred until 2009.

2) Continue to send members to EMIM Conferences at Frazer Memorial UMC to educate and invigorate our program and encourage the interest of new people in the ministries at this church.

Frazer Memorial UMC suspended EMIM conference for second half of year. We plan to send members to the March 2009 conference.

3) Each committee/ministry to keep their WebPages current to provide useful information to church members, visitors, and potential members.

New web site released in October. Seven of ten committees have web sites with current information.

4) Average 460 people in attendance at Sunday worship services.  

By the end of the year the average attendance should reach 460 people.

5) Place additional electronic bulletin boards inside the church to convey what is happening in our ministries.

Funds donated to assist with church repairs from hurricane damage.

6) Increase the number of prayer team members.   Done in first quarter!

7) Expand ministry to men to encourage greater participation through personal contacts and new programs.

Steady progress made this year.  Master’s Men meetings have good attendance. Men’s Fraternity study offered at both sessions of TGIW.

8) Review the LCUMC Safe Sanctuary policy and determine if changes can be made to increase staffing flexibility without reducing desired security. Enable use of nursery on Sunday nights for Adult Leaders of youth program and for other occasions.

Accomplished in June with Administrative Board approval. Procedures to staff the nursery with parents coordinated with nursery supervisor.

Missions Committee – Recent Accomplishments

• Flood Buckets - 5500 total distributed
• Local Repairs- 1 project to build wheel chair ramp for members. At Church working in Bell Room to cleanup and remove old drywall. Also will replace drywall.
• Mission Trips- Canceled International Mission Trip for 2009 and will instead continue local projects in Galveston, etc.
• Christmas Giving-  Deveareaux and Three Wishes program will be supported
• Food Drive in November to benefit ICM. 

Christian Nurture - Recent Accomplishments

• Donated $5000 from Garage Sale proceeds to church to help pay for Hurricane Ike damage to facilities
• Sponsored Trunk or Treat event
• Family Camping Trip Nov. 14-16th

Scouting - Exciting new program has been proposed for 2009.

• Planning in progress to offer God & Country Program in January as part of TGIW. Will recruit instructors from scouting groups and church members. Great outreach program to the community and fills need for scouts. Material available from Cokesbury bookstore. Intent is to offer four classes:
• God & Me (Grades 1 -3)
• God & Family (Grades 4-5)
• God & Church (Grades 6-8)
• God &Life (Grades 9-12)

Respectfully yours,

David Bowers

COM Chairman