Church Committees

Congregational Life

The Congregational Life Committee is responsible for all the activities of the church community such as the annual retreat, Lenten program, summer potlucks, and various social activities throughout the year. Subcommitees include:

Care Network – The Care Network is responsible for contacting every member of the congregation on a regular basis to provide an opportunity for individuals to share their concerns or needs. Committee members then report these concerns at regular meetings of the Care Network and discuss appropriate ways to meet these needs.

Worship Task Force – Worship Task Force meets throughout the year to discuss all aspects of the worship service including music and art in worship, participation of children in worship, flow of the service, and scheduling of liturgists and substitute ministers throughout the year.

Church School – Teachers and parents meet several times throughout the year to discuss the Church School curriculum and to plan for the upcoming year.

Ushers – The ushers get the church ready for worship by opening the doors, switching the lights on, welcome people into the church, distribute the bulletin, light the candles, and collect the offering.

Welcomers' Task Force – The Welcomers' Task Force engages members of the congregation in greeting people on Sunday mornings, holds breakfasts every few months to give new people a chance to become acquainted with members and ask questions about the life of the church, and reports to the church council on the new people who have been worshipping with us.

Outreach Committee

Mission Statement

The purpose of the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ Outreach Committee is to:

• Help the congregation, as the living body of Christ, to reach beyond itself and help heal members of our broader community by working towards greater justice and peace, and recognizing that our broader community is local, regional, national and international. We are especially committed to reaching out to the poor and the oppressed and making their presence in these communities both personal and material.
• Motivate members of the congregation to participate broadly and actively in issues of justice and peace through educational activities and opportunities for engagement.
• Allocate funds to justice and peace agencies and projects which reflect the congregation´s historical and current commitments.

Guidelines for Outreach Gift

In deciding who should be a recipient of outreach funds, we start with the question: Why should this gift be a congregational gift rather than an individual gift?

In relation to all outreach gifts (the global outreach budget):

• Limit the number of recipients to which we give so that Commitee members and the congregation are familiar with the organizations.
• Find a balance among three types of gifts: memberships, large focused gifts tied in to yearly plans for congregational involvement, and emergency or one time gifts.
• Find a balance between local, national and international recipients.

In relation to specific gifts, be mindful of the following:

• Does the recipient (or the issue/concern represented by the recipient) have historical ties to the congregation?
• Does the recipient have personal ties to the congregation?
• How will the gift reflect balance among the issues represented in the Wellington Outreach Program and its priorities?
• Should we fund this group/project to make a statement about where we stand?
• What is the impact of the gift in relation to the recipient’s entire budget?
• Is the recipient focused more to direct action or involved in political advocacy?
• Is the recipient able to provide avenues for congregational involvement?
• Is the recipient “cutting edge” and unlikely therefore to get other funding?
• Is the recipient involved in biblical mandates for action?
• Is this the group doing the most prophetic, smart work (i.e., is it efficient, innovative, well organized) on this issue?
• How does the recipient measure up to objective criteria such as the “Wise Giving Guide”in our lives and strive to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.

Property and Finance Committee

The purpose of the Property and Finance Committee is to oversee the various properties of the church – the church building proper, the parsonage, and the apartment building next door. They are responsible for the upkeep, collection of rents, and payment of the bills. The committee monitors the pledges and helps prepare monthly and annual budgets. As stewards of the properties they oversee tenant use by Good Shephjerd Parish, Time Line Theatre, and Broadway Children's Center.