Will you faithfully participate in our ministries by your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness?

Ushers are needed for both traditional services. Contact Todd Wilson, twilson@germantownumc.org if you can serve in this capacity.

Is God prompting you to become more active in the life of GUMC? Not sure how your talents would best be used to carry out GUMC’s mission statement? A brochure is available at the Welcome Center listing all the Administrative Committees and Ministry Teams, their duties, and the requirements/talents needed to serve. Lay nominations are fast approaching. If asked to serve, we hope this will give you the information you need to make a decision in line with how God is calling you.

Any person nominated for an administrative committee must clearly meet two criteria of Church commitment and involvement:

• Be a faithful supporter of the financial life of the Church; giving close to the level of our median financial commitment. The exception here is where one’s income does not allow such level of giving or where the Pastors know special circumstances.

• Be a regular participant in the worship life of the Church

Person nominated to ministry teams should be faithful and regular in giving to the Church and worship attendance. Where there are special circumstances affecting this frequency, such can be considered by the Lead Pastors.

Those nominated for primary leadership roles as Chair or Vice-Chair or as Lay Leaders should clearly exemplify these qualities:

Have a solid spiritual foundation and seek to grow in Christian Discipleship

• Exhibit commitment to prayer, presence, giving and service

• Committed to the mission of the Church: “We are a faith community committed to: Loving God and loving others, Serving Christ and sharing Him, transforming lives and making disciples”.

• Gifted to serve in a particular area of leadership

• Willing to make the area of ministry a priority for the term of service

• Willing to meet with the staff liaison regularly for prayer and planning

List of Administrative Committees:

Committees are administrative bodies defined by the Discipline of the UMC and/or by the local church itself. At GUMC, of our administrative committees, Endowment is a specific decision of our Church. The Church Board, Finance, Staff-Parish, Trustees and Lay Leadership are expected administrative entities.

Church Board

This body is the principal decision-making body of our Church. It meets seven to eight times a year and considers all the key information our leaders need to make wise, prayerful, Christ-centered decisions. The exception to this oversight is that the Board does not have the authority over personnel matters. The staff facilitator of the Board is the Senior Pastor.

The Pastor’s Council

Most large churches have some form of an Executive Committee. This body of designated key leaders is the primary advisory group to the Senior Pastor and the primary filter through which important decisions go before being received by the Church Board.

GUMC has had such a body for many years now. It consists of the key administrative leaders of the Church and a few persons selected by the Pastor. For GUMC the elected leaders serving here are: Chair and Vice-Chair of the Church Board; the Lay Leaders; Chair of Finance; Chair of Staff-Parish; Chair of Trustees; Chair of Endowment; and again, three persons chosen by the Senior Pastor. This body meets monthly. Between sessions of the Church Board, it functions as the primary decision-making body.

The Finance Committee

This committee meets several times a year with the responsibility to manage the financial situation of the Church. These leaders review our budget income, our budget expenses, and our pledge giving per our pledge commitments to insure our financial health remains strong. The committee bears the important responsibility of recommending any changes in budget as the overall financial needs dictate. The staff facilitator is the Executive Minister.

​The Staff-Parish Committee

In essence, the Staff-Parish Committee is the personnel committee of GUMC, overseeing with the Senior Pastor the staffing needs of our Church. The staffing budget of GUMC is the largest single part of our annual budget and this committee, working with the Pastor and the Finance Committee, prepares and monitors this key area. The staff facilitator of the Board is the Senior Pastor.

​The Board of Trustees

The Trustees are responsible for the care and well-being of our GUMC property, the facilities, and the grounds. They are entrusted with essential matters like property and facility upkeep, insurance for our property and our equipment, and working with our facilities staff for the multiple needs we face year to year. While the Lay Leadership suggests appropriate leadership for this body, the committee chooses its own chairperson. The staff facilitators are the Executive Minister and the Campus Manager.

The Endowment Committee

The Endowment Committee is charged with the oversight and management of the GUMC Endowment Fund. Members are selected because of their investment and/or financial expertise and background. This committee chooses its own chairperson rather than receiving a recommendation from the Lay Leadership/Nominations Committee. The staff facilitator is the Executive Minister.

List of Ministry Teams:

Ministry Teams are charged with the venture of developing programs and plans in the areas of ministry and mission focus. The local church is called to make disciples for Jesus Christ, and these groups help us live that calling through various Christ-grounded offerings and experiences. They are invited by the Discipline but determined by the local church. As listed below, each ministry team is vested with the opportunity and responsibility to develop programs and opportunities in their respective areas.

Assimilation

This team seeks to insure that all new members to GUMC are warmly received, are connected with opportunities for spiritual growth in small groups, and are encouraged to actively participate in some part of the life of our Church. Each new member is regularly contacted by a member of the team and there are periodic social activities bringing our new members and this ministry team together. The idea is that our newest folks truly feel hospitably connected. The staff facilitator is Mary Groh, our Membership Shepard.

Children’s Council

The Children’s Council works with our children’s ministry staff to dream, plan and develop the overall and extensive children’s opportunities at GUMC. This group is a significant advisory team for Lisa and the staff team. The staff facilitator is Natalie Adkinson, Director of Children’s Ministries.

Christian Education

The Christian Education ministry team works with our Christian Education Director to develop a comprehensive and spiritually enriching plan of adult Christian Education. This work covers supporting and guiding Sunday School offerings, planning special programs, and enhancing our Bible study-spiritual growth possibilities. The staff facilitator is Mary Groh, Director of Adult Education.

Health and Recreation

Through our Owings Life Enrichment Center, we sponsor a full-scale recreational program that consists of state-of-the-art equipment, classes, personal trainers, sports activities for all ages, and life enrichment offerings. This ministry team also discerns church-wide programs that help persons reflect upon body, mind, and spirit health. The staff facilitator is Gordon Kelly,  Director of Health and Recreation.

Missions

This ministry team is responsible for managing and communicating the extensive mission outreach commitments of GUMC; in the community, in the region, and globally. This group also oversees the significant mission budget of GUMC. The staff facilitator is Rev. Mimi White, Associate Pastor.

Older Adult Council

This group guides the many offerings for Senior Citizens in our church and for the community. GUMC, through this active team, provides numerous programs, activities and outings which enrich persons in the later years of life. The leader is Luci Cromer.

Stewardship

This team annually develops and manages our financial stewardship campaign toward the raising of contributions for our church budget and for our many ministry and mission offerings. The costs of a large church with so many programs and possibilities require that each member does his/her best in faithful financial stewardship. The staff coordinator is  Rev. Scott Alford, Executive Minister.

Worship

The Worship Ministry Team works with our Director of Music on the varied aspects of meaningful and enriching worship, as well as; those elements of our sanctuary and worship experiences needing special attention, such as flowers, decorations, ushers and greeters, acolytes, etc. The staff facilitator is Todd Wilson, Director of Music.

Youth Advisory Council

This advisory group works with our youth staff to ensure a spiritually grounded, mission-focused, and Biblically inspired youth ministry. The group helps our youth directors develop programs, studies, activities, fellowship experiences, and mission opportunities that help sixth through twelfth graders grow in commitment to Jesus Christ. The staff facilitator is Chloe Granberry, Director of Youth Ministries.

Practical Expectations of Committees and Ministry Teams

• All committees and ministry teams should meet at least

• All meetings should be planned in advance with proper notice to all its members; except, of course, in special need situations.

• The Chair of each committee or team is responsible for ensuring proper meetings and the fulfillment of defined plans and goals.

• Each committee and ministry team has a staff liaison working for the good of the group per the Staff and the Church as a whole.

• Faithful attendance of the committee and team members is a reasonable expectation. Attendance should be kept for each meeting, and where persons do not, over time, show commitment to the work of the group, then the Chair and Staff Liaison should consult as to who best handles the absences.

• The minutes of each meeting should be forwarded to the Church Board Chairperson.

The Fundamental Decision-Making Process of GUMC

The Executive Committee: Pastor’s Council
Led by Senior Pastor and Executive Minister Membership
Chairpersons of All Administrative Committees & Congregational Reps chosen by the Senior Pastor

• Filter group for ideas, dreams in mission, and ministry

• Primary advisory group for Senior Pastor

• Mediation group for final budget of the Church

The Church Board
Led by Ginny Szalay, Chairperson, and Matt Lubozynski, Vice-Chairperson

• Primary administrative decision-making body of the Church
• Considers and votes on all budget, facility, staffing needs, priorities, and vision plans
• Final arbiter of primary Church plans

The Finance Committee
Led by Jim Dodge, Chairperson

• Manages the budget and income and expense matters of the Church
• Facilities with the Stewardship Committee annual financial pledging program
• Responsible for ensuring the financial health of the Church

The Staff-Parish Committee
Led by Joel Myers, Chairperson

• Works with the Senior Pastor on the staffing needs of the Church
• Works for funding for staffing needs
• Addresses confidentially all personnel matters
• Annually, in consultation with the Senior Pastor, evaluates the staff

The Trustees
Led by Tim Whelan, Chairperson

• Oversees the facilities of the Church
• Defines repair and improvement needs
• Projects the annual costs of utilities, repairs, etc.
• Advises the Campus Manager in the management of the facilities

Staff Leadership Team
Led by Senior Pastor, Primary Clergy, Program, and Oversight Staff

• Meets twice monthly
• Keeps abreast of happenings of the various ministry and mission areas
• Works collectively for creative ideas and plans
• Develops new possibilities

The Endowment Committee
Led by John Ueleke, Chairperson

• Manages the GUMC Endowment Fund
• Approves mission and ministry grants within GUMC per a defined % of the Endowment proceeds

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