The Outreach and Care Ministries at First United Methodist Church provide an ever-changing
atmosphere of lay ministry to meet the growing needs of the congregation and the community. Two
committees, the Care Committee and the Evangelism Committee, provide the primary foundation from
which many groups are able to find support and direction for their ministry. Many of these groups
provide opportunities for spiritual growth in outreach and care among the membership.
Outreach and Care Ministries works out of a respect for the multiple ways in which ministry is
accomplished through the people of God. Care givers are blessed with the capacity and ideas for
reaching out in ministry, yet are dependent upon the ability of receivers to accept that ministry.
Receivers are blessed with the capacity to accept the various gifts of time and service, thereby
generating a ministry of their own which is returned to the care giver. Meanwhile, the church itself
connects the care givers and receivers, working with both to provide the ways and means to enhance
and to build up the relationship. Together these three become one ministry in which there is a
never-ending cycle of spiritual growth and nourishment.
The primary areas for ministry of Outreach and Care are:
Prayer
Visitation
Benevolence
Assimilation
Prayer groups are small groups of individuals who share specific prayer requests and needs and join
together to intercede for these purposes. We currently have ten groups of prayer partners and three
networks which communicate specific prayer requests at Grove First United Methodist Church.
The care visitation ministries reach out to members and friends who are experiencing crisis in health.
There are eight groups of visitation ministers active in everything from general visitation to devotions to
services.
Assimilation ministries are the intentional efforts to learn about the needs of members, both old and
new, and to assist these members in finding a place in ministry. The processes of assimilation include
everything from the identification of needs to the creation of ways so that new gifts and talents can be
expressed in ministry. This portion of outreach and care could well be considered the most diverse of
our ministries and includes clerical ministries, recreational activities, entertainment, special studies,
spiritual retreats and much more.
The benevolence ministries at Grove First United Methodist Church are an active ministry to
overburdened individuals and families in need of support. They serve hundreds of people by providing
limited financial assistance for basic needs, caring support, services and direction. This assistance is
intended to help those in urgent situations toward overcoming the problems. Our benevolence
ministries can be found in various forms of giving in funds, time and service through many mission
programs of the church.
Information about Outreach and Care can be obtained by contacting the church.
Outreach and Care Ministries
|
