Good Hope Union UMC

The Nurture Ministry, a branch of the Administrative Council, is designed to promote development and growth in the areas of education, worship, and stewardship. Ministries under Nurture that play an essential part in the operation and growth of our church are Sunday School, Worship, Children's Ministry, Youth/Young Adult Ministries, Stewardship Ministry, Small Group Ministries, and Senior/Adult Ministries.

Worship: Cherry Ann Tang-Nian

Drama Ministry:  Delores Martin

Acolytes Coordinator:  Cherry Ann Tang-Nian 

Communion Stewards Coordinator: Delores Holland

Parking Lot Coordinator: Linwood Holland

Ushers/Greeters Coordinator: Geraldine Mayo-Stevens

Nurture, Chair,  Billeta Lewis

Church School Superintendent Coordinators:  Billeta Lewis

Children’s Ministry, Coordinator: Jennifer Boston

Youth Ministry, Coordinator: Shelia Thorpe

Young Adult Ministry, Coordinator: Rebecca Johnson

Senior Adult Ministry, Chair: Ethel Shelton, Mary Rawley, & Jo Williams

Girl Scouting, Coordinators: Billeta Lewis, Jennifer Boston, Bridget Ware

Dance Ministry, Coordinators: Marisa Jagne-Shaw

Amplify Coordinator: Ruth Boyd-Okogun

Nurture, Outreach, and Witness Ministries Coordinator(s) (all share the same responsibilities)

Some congregations organize ministry planning and implementation into the areas of nurture (education, worship, Christian formation, membership care, small groups and stewardship), outreach (ministries of compassion, justice, and advocacy), and witness (evangelism, communications, lay speaking, and lay service)

The ministry teams will address the concerns and conditions of people in their congregations and communities so that they may grow in their spiritual lives and become better equipped for life as Christian disciples. Leaders of nurture, outreach, and witness will work together to plan and implement ministries that help the church fulfill its mission.

Spiritual Gifts and Qualifications Helpful for the Job

• Leaders of discipleship ministries benefit from having one or more of these spiritual gifts: servanthood, faith, teaching, exhortation (encouragement), leadership, compassion, knowledge, helping, and administration. These leaders must have a genuine interest in helping others deepen their relationships with God and with people, and then lead from the strengths of their spiritual gifts. They should have an interest in researching, planning, and implementing ministry. They need to listen well and communicate with people of all ages in the congregation and community. They need to be able to build ministry teams and work well with others––individually and in groups.
• These leaders must have a passionate interest for the ministry area they coordinate as well as the ability to collaborate for holistic discipleship ministry.

Responsibilities of the Chairperson

Throughout the year, all ministry leaders need to maintain healthy and growing personal spiritual lives and lead ministry teams to do the same. The ministry teams should engage in biblical and theological reflection about the mission of the church. These leaders guide the work of ministry groups during the year, including planning the agendas and presiding at meetings. These leaders are accountable directly to the charge conference or through the church leadership team, if one exists.

Common Responsibilities of These Ministry Teams

• Each team is familiar with the overall goals of the congregation and understands how its ministry contributes to those goals. Short-term teams may form and disband throughout the year to implement specific ministries. Ministry projects shape the congregation and beyond into the community, building networks with existing organizations, other congregations, people, and resources to fulfill the mission of the church.
• The nurture team coordinates, plans, carries out, and evaluates the congregation’s ministry in the areas of member care, worship, and educational experiences, including the church school, small groups, regular and special worship services, stewardship formation, and member visitation.
• The outreach team coordinates, plans, carries out, and evaluates the congregation’s outreach ministries, including missions, health and welfare, Christian unity and interreligious concerns, church and society issues, religion and race, and status and role of women.
• The witness team coordinates, plans, carries out, and evaluates the congregation’s witness ministries, helping all know and respond to the love of God in Christ. This includes planning evangelistic outreach and setting goals for congregational growth, visitation, and membership care.
• If the local congregation is located in a transitional community as described in Paragraph 212 of The Book of Discipline, the chair – in conjunction with the council chairperson – shall connect with the pastor to develop a community study as detailed in Paragraph 213.