Description of Committees
Council Committees
Several Committees serve various as-needed functions at our Savior’s Church:
Several Committees serve various as-needed functions at our Savior’s Church:
- Worship Committee helps to plan worship services and special services in coordination with the pastor, prepare the worship space, enlist musicians, and oversee volunteer worship assistants as well as volunteers to deliver Holy Communion to shut-ins. In the pastor’s absence are responsible to continue to provide worship, recruiting worship leaders and preachers as needed.
- Welcome and Outreach Committee welcomes members and visitors, helps the congregation receive new members, and provides outreach into the community both to visit potential members and to make the community aware of our ministry
- Children’s Ministries Committee encourages ministry to and ministry by children, providing classes and offering opportunities for learning and serving, including weekly events, summer camps and classes, and performances to share what we learn with the congregation and community.
- Youth Ministries Committee is responsible for planning, coordinating and implementing educational, fellowship and service opportunities for and with the youth. This may include classes, mentoring, encouraging relationships to God and each other, assisting with or leading worship, and sponsoring mission trips and youth gatherings trips.
- Buildings and Grounds Committee is responsible for the physical maintenance and improvement of property including church facility, parsonage, garages, sheds and grounds, including hiring and supervising those who maintain or make repairs and improvements.
- Spiritual and Financial Gifts Committee encourages and enables members to use their talents to serve in and beyond the congregation, coordinates service opportunities and directs ways in which we give money and self both through and beyond our congregation. The committee establishes a schedule for designated offerings, provides mission opportunities and coordinates with financial secretary and volunteers to receive and account for all financial gifts
- Women of the ELCA functions with leaders elected by the women of the congregation (rather than by all members). This committee functions under their own governing documents to strive for WELCA goals as well as supporting the work of this congregation.
Non-Council Committees
- Nominating Committee usually meets near the end of the year to seek out candidates to fill various positions of leadership and service for election or appointment at the annual meeting.
- Auditing Committee meets with the treasurer at year’s end to audit the financial records and assets of the congregation in preparation for the annual meeting.
- Bethesda Homes delegates represent our congregation at the annual meeting of Bethesda Homes Corporation and Foundation in Aberdeen.
- Farm Committee manages a piece of property donated to Our Savior’s Church, including renting out the land and making sure the taxes are paid on that rent. Income from the land goes into our Building Fund and is managed by council decisions.
- Memorial Committee meets occasionally to recommend gifts the congregation would receive as memorial gifts and approves such gifts. The committee, with the help of the treasurer, establishes and maintains various funds to which people may contribute in memory of those deceased.
- Endowment Committee meets several times a year to receive and disburse monies in two endowment funds—one for scholarships and one for general mission support or enhancement. The committee encourages gifts to our endowment funds by those interested in supporting the work of our congregation into the future often as bequests from their wills or other planned gifts.