August 28, 2004
The work of the Elders is to assist the pastor in caring for the spiritual health and well-being of the church's members. The Elders are also charged with concern for maintaining the purity of the congregation's doctrinal teaching and practice and the orderly conduct of her worship. Elders are to call upon those who have become lax in worship or Holy Communion attendance and are to be concerned about the welfare of the pastor and his family. They also assist in the distribution of Holy Communion. The office of elder/deacon is described in the Holy Scriptures (1 Timothy 3:8-12) and is open only to qualified men.
Recognizing that furthering the Christian instruction of young and old is a Biblical directive, this board oversees the congregation's arm of Christian Education in the following manner: oversees the Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Teen Forum and Adult Bible Study, administers the Early Childhood Center consisting of Preschool, Kindergarten, and Childcare, approves tution support payments for member children at other LCMS schools. Membership on this board is open to men or women with an interest in Christian education.
The Trustees are responsible for the upkeep and general maintenance of all church property. They also are charged with entering into all contracts on behalf of the congregation. Membership on this board is open to men or women of the church 18 years and over.
Members of the Ladies Aid Society seek to support the mission and ministry of the congregation through sharing their God-given time and abilities in keeping with the example of Luke 8:1-3. The Ladies Aid sponsors two annual fundraisers, a Holly Fair (Christmas cookie & craft sale) on the first Saturday in December and a Salad Luncheon on the first Wednesday in May. The ladies also support the work of Bethesda Lutheran Home and Services and Lutheran Counseling & Family Services auxiliaries.
The choir is open to all communicant members of the congregation and meets on Wednesday evenings for rehearsals from September - May. Choir members help to lead the congregation in singing the liturgy and learning new hymns. Anthems are a mix of new and old as selected by our music director and pastor, with input from choir members. Our choir is especially featured during the Carol/Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve and the Tenebrae Service on Good Friday.
Members of the Altar Guild serve on a rotating basis to take care of the church sanctuary (the area behind the Communion rail including the altar). They prepare the vessels necessary for Holy Communion and make sure they are properly cleaned. They change the altar, lecturn, and pulpit paraments in keeping with the proper festival or season of the church year calendar. All of its service is done for the glory of God and the building up of the body of Christ.
The members of this group are a branch of the International LWML of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a group that helps to support mission work throughout our Synod. In conjunction with the pastor, the LWML also helps to encourage and promote an ongoing mission awareness and emphasis in the congregation. The LWML was originally formed in our Synod in the year 1942 at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Chicago, 65th & Peoria.
Our Voters' Assembly currently meets five times a year, bi-monthly from September - May. It consists of all communicant members of the congregation who would like to take part, men and women, 18 years and older. The Voters' are charged with administering and managing all church business in keeping with God's Word. It is the body also having the responsibility of calling a pastor for the congregation.
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