Descriptions of Leadership Roles

MODERATOR- presides at congregational and Leadership Circle meetings.   4 year commitment – 2 years as Moderator Elect (part of Leadership Circle) followed by  2 years as Moderator (presiding over Leadership Circle).

TREASURER – keeps an accurate record of the congregation’s finances, issues checks in payment of legitimate expenses of the congregation, presents regular financial statement to Leadership Circle and a financial report at least annually to the congregation.  6 year commitment to the treasurer team – 2 years as Treasurer Elect, 2 years as Treasurer (part of Leadership Circle), and 2 years as Past-Treasurer. 

DEACON – spiritual council of reference for the congregation.  Responsibilities include supporting the pastors in ministries of shepherding and pastoral care, assuring and assisting in leading the regular observance of the Lord’s Supper, attending to the spiritual and personal discernment needs of members (i.e. through Discovery teams), organizing the practice of mutual aid (including distribution of money from the Mutual Aid Fund), offering the community prayer during Sunday worship as needed, and serving with the Leadership Circle in carrying out its duties.

RECORDER – keeps an accurate and complete record of Leadership Circle and congregational meetings.  2 year commitment.

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY CIRCLE LEADER – supports and resources ministries of gifts discovery, financial oversight, facility management, and staff relations. This includes helping to articulate relationships among different ministries, providing encouragement to members involved in these ministries, assisting ministries with discernment, and actively identifying the gifts of ministry in the congregation.  2 year commitment.

CONNECTION MINISTRY CIRCLE LEADER – supports and resources ministries of mission work, peacemaking, service activity, Christian fellowship and hospitality, community learning and engagement, conference and denominational participation, and ecumenical partnerships.  This includes helping to articulate relationships among different ministries, providing encouragement to members involved in these ministries, assisting ministries with discernment, and actively identifying the gifts of ministry in the congregation.  2 year commitment.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION MINISTRY CIRCLE LEADER- supports and resources ministries of worship planning and leading, congregational singing and music, choir programs, Christian education for all ages, youth ministry, mentoring, catechism, and the library.  This includes helping to articulate relationships among different ministries, providing encouragement to members involved in these ministries, assisting ministries with discernment, and actively identifying the gifts of ministry in the congregation.  2 year commitment. 

 

Descriptions of Roles Representing FMC with other Organizations

CENTRAL DISTRICT CONFERENCE DELEGATE – Attend and participate in delegate sessions (as well as other workshops, etc) during the annual meeting.

MENNONITE CONFERENCE USA DELEGATE – Attend and participate in delegate sessions (as well as other workshops, etc) during the biennial meeting.

ET. CETERA SHOP BOARD – Attend regular board meetings to participate in decision-making for Et. Cetera Shop.   Advocate for congregational engagement with the Et. Cetera Shop.

EVERENCE ADVOCATE – Keep the congregation up-to-date of the services that Everence has available for its members. The Advocate will work together with the treasurer and pastor to determine the matching grants to be applied for. Fill out quarterly reports for Everence.

FRIEDENSWALD BOARD – FMC is often invited to supply one or more members of the Camp Friedenswald Board of Directors.   Board members meet at Friedenswald several times each year.

FRIEDENSWALD REPRESENTATIVE – FMC has a long history with Camp Friedenswald – attending programmed retreats, providing voluntary work, and financially supporting Camp Friedenswald.   Stay informed about the needs and participation opportunities at Friedenswald and advocate for continued congregational support.

OUR DAILY BREAD REPRESENTATIVE – Our Daily Bread soup kitchen, located in Lima, provides  meals for those in the community in need.   Advocate for congregational volunteering at and donation to ODB.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY REPRESENTATIVE – Habitat for Humanity seeks to help provide housing to those in the community in need.   Advocate for congregational volunteering at the Lima Restore, local construction sites, planning and leadership within the local organization as well as through monetary donation and use of the Restore.

COMMUNITY MEAL REPRESENTATIVE – A monthly meal held at the Senior Citizen’s Center, the Community Meal provides opportunity for members of the Bluffton community to gather for fellowship and conversation.   The FMC Community Meal coordinator organizes food purchase, preparation and service several times per year.

MENNONITE DISASTER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE – MDS serves those affected by disaster in Canada and the United States through clean up, repair, and rebuilding homes.  Advocate for congregational volunteering through MDS as well as monetary support for this organization.

MENNONITE HOME COMMUNITIES OF OHIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS – FMC is a founding church of the Mennonite Memorial Home and has at least one representative on the MHCO Board of Directors.   You would attend board meetings to help guide the future of MHCO and advocate for FMC members to engage with MHCO with donations of time, talent, and treasure as well as helping FMC members stay informed about the work of MHCO.

CHURCH COLLEGE RELATIONS – Advocate for giving to FMC’s College Scholarship Fund in support of Mennonite higher education and FMC youth who chose to attend Mennonite colleges.  Stay informed about events and needs at Bluffton University and share this information with FMC to promote FMC support of Bluffton University.

BRAZO EN BRAZO BOARD MEMBER – Advocate for FMC support and involvement with Brazo en Brazo.   Help guide planning for Brazo en Brazo through participation in Brazo en Brazo Board meetings.

Descriptions of Roles Planning for FMC

GIFTS DISCOVERY AND MINISTRY PARTICIPATION (GD&MP) TEAM – The purpose of the GD&MP is to strengthen the ministries of the church by expanding the ministry involvement of the church’s members and participants by increasing awareness of ministry needs and roles, creating contexts for the healthy exploration of ministry involvement, supporting the creation of new ministries, providing opportunities to discover, develop, and contribute ministry gifts, encouraging mutual affirmation of each other’s gifts in the congregation, and developing the annual slate of elected leaders.  Team members meet regularly to plan strategies for achieving these goals.

WORSHIP PLANNING TEAM- Team members work with pastoral staff, the Director of Music and Worship Coordinator to identify seasonal themes and help recruit members to serve in worship services.

WORSHIP COORDINATOR – Responsible for recruiting members to fill weekly leadership roles in worship such as worship leader, chancel display, conversation with children and scripture reading.

NURSERY COORDINATOR – Manage nursery supplies as needed and arrange for volunteers to staff the nursery during Sunday School and worship each Sunday.

TRUSTEES – Work with the custodian to maintain the FMC building, including contracting work as needed, repairs, maintenance, replacing equipment, etc.

MENNONITE WOMEN PLANNING/LEADERSHIP TEAM – plan and coordinate activities for Mennonite Women at FMC.

Funeral Meals Organizing – An individual or team working to arrange for food preparation, setup, and clean-up for meals provided to family and friends after funerals.   Funeral meals often occur during the traditional work day.

SOCIAL COMMITTEE – Organize social events for FMC including congregational meals.   Recruit people to prepare or organize food as well as setup and cleanup for FMC social events.

RACIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY PLANNING TEAM – Research and recruit input on racial justice and organize congregational events focusing on racial justice.   Maintain and support racial justice initiatives of FMC.

COFFEE TIME COORDINATOR – prepare coffee and lay out coffee time supplies on Sunday mornings before the Sunday School hour.   Organize acquisition of coffee and other supplies for coffee time.

MENTORING COORDINATOR – Recruit mentors and assign mentor/mentee pairs with input from mentees and their parents.   Plan and coordinate a few mentor/mentee events per year and support mentors.

LIBRARY ACQUISITIONS COORDINATOR – Process books, periodicals, etc. that are donated to the FMC library into the library catalog system.