People of God, Welcome Home
MINISTRY TEAMS
Administration
The Admin team is responsible for church personnel matters, building use, and insurance concerns important to running the day-to-day operations of Kirkwood.
Christian Education
The Christian Education Team’s mission is to provide Biblically-based and spiritual educational programs which help all ages come to know Christ through his teachings and help all ages grow in their faith.
The CE Team is responsible for:
· All Sunday School Programs
· Children Programs
· Confirmation Classes
· 3rd Grade Bible Presentations
· Leadership Training and Teacher Workshops
· Tuesday Bible Study with the Pastor (12 p.m.)
· Vacation Bible School
· Receptions for Teachers and High School Graduates
· Rally Day
Communications
The Communications Team focuses on ensuring that the Kirkwood congregation stays abreast of important church news. This includes a weekly email message with current announcements and a prayer list. Other responsibilities include keeping the church website, social media, and online calendar updated and providing news about Kirkwood events to local media outlets.
Congregational Care
Comprised of 3 subteams that meet separate or together as needed:
· Kitchen Crew: The Kitchen Crew works in conjunction with other teams in hosting luncheons, dinners, receptions, etc. to encourage meal fellowship within the church family. These events nurture and assist members of the congregation enabling them to grow as a church family and in their relationship with God through fellowship with one another. All functions provide an opportunity for visitors and members to join over food.
· Nurture: The Nurture Team oversees food gifts to congregation members who are in need, who are ill, or who have recently experienced a major life transition. It also helps support members in need with visits, rides to appointments, and some in-home assistance.
· Fellowship: Throughout the year, Fellowship provides opportunities and activities for the congregation, friends, and neighbors to gather with the Kirkwood family of believers to share themed meals, small group dinners, holiday events, crafts, and special gatherings in the spirit of fellowship, Christian love, and fun. We organize trips to the theater, baseball games, and learning venues as we venture out of the doors of the fellowship hall into the community. It is not unusual to find Fellowship in league with the Kitchen Crew and Nurture to organize and promote a special dinner or family picnic or other gatherings where fellowship is celebrated with laughter and usually food. These three arms of the Congregational Care Team bring all ages together where we welcome participation in one form or another. By sharing our Congregational Care, we accomplish part of our Mission Statement to be a church that cares.
Finance
The Finance Team handles the daily and yearly financial responsibilities. The church treasurer handles most of the day-to-day finances of Kirkwood, such as paying bills, balancing the checkbook, preparing monthly statements, and getting ready for the annual audit. Team members oversee church spending against the budget, issue periodic donation statements to the congregation, and help prepare the annual budget to submit to the Session for approval. In addition, several members of the team, on a rotating basis, count the church offerings every week.
Our mission statement derives from 1 Peter 4:10: “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”
We attempt, with God’s guidance and grace, to be good stewards of the gifts of Kirkwood.
Membership
The Ministry Team coordinates with the pastor to welcome visitors and host new member classes.
Outreach
The Outreach Team fulfills the message of Christ by looking after those in need. Its mission is “To reach out to those in need, sharing God’s love through our works inspired by faith.” Outreach is responsible for organizing several annual projects, some of which are exclusive to Kirkwood and some of which are part of a larger mission.
· Back Pack Ministry – backpacks filled with school supplies are donated to approximately 20 children each year in support of MUST Ministries’ annual back-to-school program
· Breakfast for the Homeless – volunteers prepare and serve breakfast six times per year for the homeless at the MUST Ministries shelter
· Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Gift Drive – Supporting SafePath to provide clothing and various necessities to their children & their non-abusing guardians who are in need.
· The Dan Hulbert Memorial Thanksgiving Day Food Basket Drive – donations are collected to purchase and distribute food to over 50 families in need within our community
· Family Promise of Cobb County: Supporting the families living in the Promise House as well as hosting families at the church for 2 weeks per year.
· One Great Hour of Sharing – donations are collected to assist with disaster relief around our nation and throughout the world
· MUST Summer Lunch program—Preparing lunches for children in Cobb County during the summer.
· Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Mission Trip - coordinates adult mission trips
Outreach meets monthly.
The Promise House
The Kirkwood Promise House is leased to Family Promise of Cobb County and rented to graduates of their program. While the family lives at the house, FPCC works with the family. But the team cares for the house and lawn, maintains a relationship with FPCC, and works with the transitions between families.
Property
The Property Team reports to the Session and is made up of members from the congregation (membership is open with no limits). The team is responsible for maintenance and improvements to the church building and property. Team responsibilities include addressing church property needs, organizing congregation spring and fall workdays, team workdays, and lawn care.
Sabbatical Team
Prepares and plans for the Pastor’s sabbatical and works to secure grants or supplemental funding
Stewardship
The Stewardship Team is responsible for coordinating the annual giving drive. The team invites members to make a financial pledge to Kirkwood as well as a commitment of time and talents.
Virtual Liaison
A new team working to connect those who participate in virtual events and worship with the larger congregation.
Worship
The Worship Team is the spiritual core of the Church. Our mission is to provide that Kirkwood Church has worship services that conform to the principles of the Reformed Christian Faith. As reflected in our Mission Statement, these worship services should gather us as a joyful, supportive family of faith, emphasize our relationship with God and fellow man, and send us out as disciples to proclaim, “Jesus is Lord.”
The Worship Team is responsible for:
· Assisting the Minister in planning worship
· The Church music program
· Assignment of Elders, Ushers, and Liturgists to worship services
· Children’s worship time
· Communion
· Pulpit supply when the Minister is ill or on vacation
· Decor of the sanctuary
· Weddings and funerals
· Special services, including
oAsh Wednesday
oMaundy Thursday
oChristmas Eve
· Live-Stream of services
· The Advent Devotional Booklet
· Hanging of the Greens
Youth (the Four:12)
· Regular Youth gatherings for students in grades 6-12.1st& 3rd Sundays at 7 pm
· Youth-specific Camps, Conferences, Retreats, and mission work