• Education > visit the Christian Education section for more information
The cornerstone for Christian education in United Methodist churches has been Sunday (or Church) school. The common meeting time for Sunday school is on Sunday morning. Though some people associate Sunday school with children, people of all ages need to learn how to grow as Christians. The Discipline also mandates that small group ministries be conducted in the local church. These small groups may work on teaching and learning, fellowship, support, community ministries, and accountability. The goal is for members to grow in knowledge of the Bible, Christianity, United Methodism, and how the church relates to the world. Members are encourage to incorporate their learning into their lives as they strive to be better disciples of Christ. This includes worship, faith sharing, creating new faith communities, spiritual discernment, Bible study, theological reflection, prayer, community building, serving the poor and marginalized, and advocating peace and justice. [Discipline ¶ 256] |
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Education ministries may be on-going (Sunday school) or temporary events ( Vacation Bible School ). Vacation Bible School is usually held in the summer. It offers a daily opportunity for hands-on learning, crafts, and music. Though geared towards children, some churches also plan youth and adult learning opportunities as well.
When deciding upon topics for your educational opportunities, it is important that you look at your church and community to plan educational opportunities that address their needs. Some topics are universally acceptable, while some may be more applicable to your church membership and setting. Here are some possible study topics for Sunday school / small groups:
Knowledge of the Bible
Old Testament
New Testament
Major biblical persons
Major biblical events
Major biblical themes
Skills related to learning the Bible
Methods of Bible study
Resources for Bible study
Knowledge of the church
Christian worship
Christian sacraments
United Methodist heritage
Spiritual formation
Methods for prayer
Bible study skills
Fasting
Participation in worship
Ability to share faith stories
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Connecting faith and daily life
Building healthy families and communities
Incorporating ethics in the workplace
Knowing issues affecting your community, country, and the world
Participating in mission and outreach
Working for peace and justice
Skills for connecting faith and daily life
Recognizing assumptions
Identifying and evaluating options
Reflecting on personal experience in light of Scripture and tradition
Making decisions consistent with values and beliefs
Forming values/characteristics consistent with the Gospel
Compassion
Loving-kindness
Hospitality
Patience
Peace
Generosity
Self-control
Mercy
Hope
Joy
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• Worship > visit the 21st Century Worship section for more information
The Worship work area assists the pastor(s) in planning and conducting worship services. It is important that people (staff and volunteer) who lead worship have a voice in the committee. This will include the pastor(s), people involved in music ministry, ushers/greeters, acolytes, altar design, and lay readers. It may also involve storytellers, drama, dance, and different forms of the arts. Besides the regular worship service(s), the committee will also play a role in helping to plan and facilitate special services such as Christmas Eve, Good Friday, etc.
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While the pastor, staff, and volunteers lead the elements of the service, worship is the act of the people of God offering up their praise and thanksgiving. But it is more than that. Besides an offering to God, it is a means by which we, as the people of God, gather to celebrate the good news and then carry that good news to the world around us. The best worship experience offers not only a way for us to connect with God, but also the means for us to learn and fellowship with our fellow Christians.
Today, there is much discussion over the format of worship. Most churches have developed a traditional style, dating back to the mid twentieth century. In the final quarter of the century, some churches began using more contemporary music and used a more simplified liturgy. Depending on the level of change, these may be called contemporary or blended service. It is up to your local church and pastor to decide which type of service best reaches the membership and community. You can find more information on worship at the 21st Century Worship section.
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Primary
Task of Worship Ministry Group (Work Area) in the Local Church
To help your church offer settings for vital worship. You work with your
pastor to ensure that worship helps the congregation experience its relationship
with God and will help it live more faithfully as a Christian community.
Responsibilities
of the Worship Ministry Group (Work Area) in the Local Church
1. To learn about worship and about people in your congregation and community
so you can plan worship appropriate to their needs.
2. To collaborate with the pastor and music leaders in planning worship.
3. To develop and support effective musical leadership in the church.
4. To promote and foster regular individual and family spiritual formation.
5. To consider other opportunities for strengthening worship. |
• Stewardship
Stewardship has generally been associated with financial giving to the church. That is appropriate, but not thorough. In the broader sense, we are stewards in many areas.
Stewardship is properly defined as the management of another's property, finances, or other affairs. We are caretakers of all of the various ministries of the church. As members of a local United Methodist Church , we pledge to support it with not only our gifts, but also our prayers, presence, and service. |
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• Family Ministries
The church values the importance of families in our development. As the Discipline says, “We believe the family to be the basic human community through which persons are nurtured and sustained in mutual love, responsibility, respect, and fidelity. In the church, we try to foster healthy family life and faith formation. Family ministry seeks to reach out to all ages and all family types. Care must be taken to reach the variety of family types, which may include singles, families with children, single parent families, blended families, multi-generational families, and couples with no children at home.
The needs of families in the church and community should be discerned so that the church can better minister to those needs. The Guidelines for Family Ministry includes a survey that you may want to give in your church to learn about the families in your congregation.
Some types of family events a church might plan include covered-dish meals, retreats, recreational activities, etc.
Please note that we as the church are to create safe sanctuaries. The church is a place where all should feel safe and secure, and the local church should ensure that its policies and practices make that happen. For more information, check out Safe Sanctuaries. |
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• Children's Ministries
While they don't sit on committees and don't contribute large sums of money, it is important to remember that children – who are just beginning their faith journey - are a vital focus of the ministry of the church. It is essential that their early experience foster a positive impression of the church Christian life.
Children's ministry represents the needs of children in the church and advocates for them in all areas of congregational life. The needs of children in the church and community should be discerned so that the church can better minister to those needs.
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Some children-oriented events include Vacation Bible School , Easter egg hunts, and children's choirs.
Please note that we as the church are to create safe sanctuaries. The church is a place where all should feel safe and secure, and the local church should ensure that its policies and practices make that happen. For more information, check out Safe Sanctuaries.
• Youth Ministries
> visit the Youth section for more information
According to the Discipline, there should be a thorough approach to youth ministry programming at all levels of the church. The primary task of youth ministry is:
• to love youth where they are,
• to encourage them in developing their relationship to God
• to provide them with opportunities for nurture and growth, and
• to challenge them to respond to God's call to serve in their communities.
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Youth ministries [Discipline ¶256.3] is typically geared towards teenagers age 12 through 18. A common program in United Methodist churches is UMY, or United Methodist Youth. UMY, often led by volunteer adult counselors (though some larger churches have paid staff for youth) meets regularly (often on Sunday evenings) to provide a place for fellowship, support, education, recreation, and opportunities to serve.
Some types of youth activities are: mission trips, fundraisers, youth choir, retreats, Bible study, recreation, and lock-ins.
If your church decides to form a youth council, it's membership should be as follows.
- at least 75% youth
- nominations (both youth and adult) should come from the youth group
- the nominations will be approved by the committee on lay leadership and then forwarded to the charge conference for approval
- membership should include:
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at least one young adult
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youth ministries coordinator and related staff (ex-officio)
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any youth or adult serving on a district, conference, jurisdictional, or general church youth council
The youth ministries of the local church should empower youth to be full participants and active leaders in The United Methodist Church. It also helps the congregation in understanding the concerns and needs of youth in the church and community. Youth should be included in the goals of the church. They should also be a part of the decision-making of the congregation and should be included in the membership of committees where possible.
• Adult Ministries
Adult ministries are geared towards adult members of the church and community. Some ministries - Bible study, covered-dish meal, choir, etc. - may be irrespective of age or gender. Others may be focused on certain adults. United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women, for example, are gender-specific. Your church may have groups for specific age groups or types of adults, such as: young adults (18-30s), middle-aged adults (30s-60s), older adults (60s+), single adults, and married adults. Different activities may be planned, depending upon the make-up of the group. Some examples include:
• a retreat on being a better Christian spouse may be planned for married adults.
• a softball team for young adults
• a Bible study for singles
• a prayer group for widows and widowers |
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The needs of adults in the church and community should be discerned so that the church can better minister to those needs. This may be done by a survey and/or talking to individuals and groups to find needs and concerns.
• United Methodist Men
> visit the UMM page for more information
United Methodist Men [Discipline ¶257]is a specific adult ministry geared towards adult males. According to the Discipline, every church should have a chartered UMM group. Men seeking to join UMM are asked to engage in daily Bible study and prayer, witness to Christ in word and action, and engage in Christian service. UMM should help men to grow in spiritual formation and discipleship. Some of the ways to do this include: |
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1) enhancing Evangelism, Mission , and Spiritual Life to help men become servant leaders.
2) advocating training programs in prayer, missions, stewardship, and civic/youth serving ministries.
3) helping men in their relationships, roles, and responsibilities in the family setting, workplace, and society.
4) understanding the organization, doctrines, and beliefs of The United Methodist Church.
• United Methodist Women
> visit the UMW page for more information
United Methodist Women [Discipline ¶ 256. 5.]is a specific adult ministry geared towards adult females. It began in the 1800s as home and foreign missionary societies. According to the Discipline, every church should organize a UMW group. While it is to focus on ministries with women, children, and youth, mission work is still a major priority in UMW.
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• Scouting > visit the Scouting page for more information
Many United Methodist churches sponsor scouting groups such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire USA , and 4-H [Discipline ¶ 256. 4.]. A church may choose to have a scouting coordinator to help relate the scouting opportunities to the congregation. Scout Sunday is observed on the second Sunday in February. |
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