N.O.W. Committee

NOW stands for Nurture, Outreach, and Witness and those are the goals of the NOW Committee.

It is the committee’s responsibility to tend to our members and friends.  This is done in many ways.  We take attendance each Sunday and when someone has been missing for awhile, we call or send a card to make sure that all is well with them and if not, we ask how we can help.  We also sponsor social events in order to help our members get to know each other better and have fun together.  This includes a dinner for new members. We take our turn at helping with fellowship after church and encourage visitors to attend. During the summer we sponsor the Fourth of July picnic outing for our members as well as the residents of Kiwanis Manor.  We nurture members by keeping in contact with them and sending them cards, especially around holiday times.  We want them to know that they are part of the larger church family and we do care about them.  We are using some ideas for greeting such as nametags and also suggestions on how to more effectively greet people to our church.   A representative of our committee also meets with the Race to Reach out Taskforce in order to plan ways of attracting new members to our church and improving our frontline ministries including hospitality host, ushers, door greeters, and greeters.

The Outreach has two main parts. First we frequently put ads, pictures and written articles in the area papers. We sponsor a Bake Sale every other month in order to help our budget so that we can afford to do the advertising part of our Outreach as well as other projects of the committee. We also have brochures in local Chambers of Commerce in the area and we send postcards inviting people to our holiday events.  The second part is our mission to the local community.  Our local  missions include the Movie of the Month, Prayer Pals at holiday times, monthly donations to the Food Pantry ,support for the monthly Second Helpings meals, the Alzheimer’s group, and the Daycare Center.  We have expanded our Outreach in the state, the country, and the world through missions such as Northcott Neighborhood House, the Christian Disciple Farms and the Ingathering at the annual conference. Missions such as the UMCOR 100 Ten Challenge concerning fair trade, the support of our missionary Paul Webster in Zambia, and the support of Special Sundays as Peace with Justice, One Great Hour of Sharing, and the Native American Ministries Day provide donations to be used in the state, the country and the world.  We educate the congregation about the missions through mission moments in the bulletin, on the bulletin board, the newsletter and during the service occasionally on the screen.

We also encourage our faith family to Witness and that is the third area of this committee.  We think of ways to go out into the community and help others feel the presence of the Lord and how it has affected our own lives.  It may be reminding the St. James’ congregation of their obligation to evangelize throughout the community or it may be a pre-planned evangelism, which is more aggressive and group-like.  There are many ways to do this. Some of this area overlaps into the Prayer Ministry Group and we support them in their endeavors such as the prayer boxes placed around town.

It is very difficult to separate Nurture, Outreach, and Witness.  They all overlap and that is why they are all part of one committee rather than several!  We hope to continue our important work during the coming year.
The NOW Committe meets the third Sunday of the month right after Worship (10:15 a.m.)  unless otherwise notified.

                                                           AD – MINISTRY COUNCIL

The St. James Ad-ministry Council is made up of the following people.  The chair person from each committee, Pastor, the Lay Leader  Financial Secretary, Treasurer, High School youth representative and a member at large.

The purpose of the Ad-ministry council is to provide for planning, coordinating, and implementing all programs of the church with the help and directions of each committee.  These include membership, budget and financial decisions, filling vacancies on committees, and the general well being of all members.   We serve to approve all actions of the committees and resolve any conflicts that may arise.  You could consider us “The Board of Directors.”

 EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The Education Committee is responsible for Christian Education.  Specifically the organization and implementation of Sunday School, Adult Education, Vacation Bible School and the Christmas program.

 We also present the 3^rd graders with a Bible and do some mission projects through the Sunday School classes.

 FINANCIAL COMMITTEE OVERVIEW

 This Committee consists of up to six (6) appointed members, including a Chairman and Secretary.  Other members are the Church Financial Secretary and the Church Treasurer.  Additional members are the Pastor, Lay Member to the Annual Conference, Chairpersons from Administration Ministry Council, SPRC, Trustees and Stewardship members.
Each year this Committee prepares a budget using past history and estimated expenses.  This budget must be approved by the Administrative Council as well as approved for all expenses that exceed budget.
The Church Treasurer provides the Committee a monthly report covering all receipts and expenses.  The Financial Secretary issues a quarterly report to each member showing their pledge status.
The Financial Committee cooperates with other Committees regarding all Church functions.

 This committee consists of seven women who meet in person in the church choir/multi-purpose room.  They make visits to shut-ins, to anyone in a nursing home, etc.  Also, they send cards of Get-Well messages – also phone calls, gifts of baked goods or flowers.  They are not on the church budget and what amounts are spent, come from their own pockets.  It is a rewarding experience to visit someone who is confined at home or a nursing facility. 

MEMORIAL COMMITTEE

 The Memorial Committee is made up of about 6 people.  We work with the people giving memorials to suggest items the church needs.  We get some memorial money that is not designated for a special purpose, which we use to get things on a wish list.   We also work with the trustees to make sure all gifts are appropriate.  All money is used according to the donor’s wishes.

                                                                MISSION COMMITTEE

 Purpose of the Mission Committee of the Church, is to make disciples for Jesus Christ.  United Methodist are called to be in missions.  Christian discipleship is patterned after the servant hood of Jesus, who cared for the sick, fed the hungry and befriended the out cast.   We pray and select where mission offerings can be best used to the glory of God. Our Committee meets approximately 6 -8 times per year, with an outstanding group.  We serve because of our faithful commitment to the Congregation and strong desire to help the needy.  Local Congregations are encouraged to run all the legs of the mission race before them by supporting the following:  Multiple local and community mission needs – at least one United Methodist Committee on Relief Advance projects; at least three Wisconsin Conference Advance Special Projects; The Hunger Task Force; A Covenant Relationship with a missionary serving in the U.S.A. or overseas.  We are supported by a caring, generous congregation and not included in the church budget.

                                                         PRAYER CHAIN COMMITEE

 At present, there are about 14 members on this committee.  When someone has a prayer request, they call the chairperson or Pastor or the church office.

The request for prayer can be for one’s self, a family member or a friend or friends.  This request is then passed on to a committee member – who then passes it on to the next person on the list and on and on through all sixteen members. I believe prayers are very helpful.  It is a rewarding experience to pass the prayer or prayers on!

SCHOLARSHIP TASK FORCE
The Scholarship Task Force is unique to St. James in that it was developed locally over 10 years ago.  The Task Force is responsible for sending applications to all known members and friends of St. James who are seniors in high school or are attending a college, university or technical school.  Using criteria adopted by the Task Force, and considering the amount of money available, members of the Task Force determine eligibility and amount of scholarship for all applicants.  Task Force members present scholarships at the high school awards banquet and also during a church service. 
All applicants must write an essay describing his/her spiritual growth and development, an essay about their future goals and submit 2 letters of recommendation.  Applicants must have a 2.5 or better grade point average if in high school or 2.0 or better if an accredited higher education program. 
The Scholarship Task Force is also responsible for making all members and friends of St. James aware of this program and how to contribute to it.  Press releases are provided for the local papers.  

                                                SPRC – STAFF PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE

This committee is made up of 8 members that are here to be liaisons between the staff of the church and the parish.  Each member of the committee has a working relationship with the staff to make sure that staff is doing the things that are necessary for the church to operate.  Also the staff has someone to talk to if there are any concerns on behalf of the employee.
Our committee meets 8 months out of the year and also discusses the wages and evaluation of the employees.  If there are any issues with the staff please feel free to contact any member of this committee.   Ex officio:  Lay Leaders and delegate and alternate to annual conference.

                                                                   STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE

John Wesley described stewardship in simple, practical terms:  “Do all the good you can, in all places you can, to all the people you can.”

At it’s core, the mission of our church is to build, form, and sustain disciples of Jesus.  Using Wesley’s description, stewardship is all about putting our faith into action.  Discipleship and stewardship go hand-in-hand.

We are all stewards, caring for things which have been entrusted by God.   As such, we must gratefully and responsibly use God’s gifts and we are fortunate to have Jesus as an example to follow.

Whether by our prayers, presence, gifts, and/or service, giving part of what we have been blessed with, for the betterment of our faith family and the community of faith, is the essence of stewardship.  The role of the Stewardship Committee, then, is not to finance the church as many might believe.  Instead, it is our role to encourage giving – giving of every kind.  We remind people of the many ways to give and that each of us can give in many ways.  

TRUSTEE COMMITTEE

1. To oversee, maintain and supervise all local Church property, reporting annually to the Charge Conference.
2. To receive and administer all gifts that are made to the congregation.
3. To make certain that all trust funds of the congregations are invested properly.
4. To insure that the Articles of Incorporation of the congregation are up-to-date.
5. To be responsible, in consultation with the pastor, for all use of the building and grounds.
6. To be responsible for adequate insurance coverage on all church property.
7. To submit annual budget requests to the Committee on Finance for property maintenance and improvement, as well as new property purchases.
8. To be accountable to the Charge Conference and the Administrative Council or Administrative Board. 

WORSHIP COMMITTEE

The Worship Committee assists the minister and the congregation in planning and promoting worship services of quality and meaning. The committee ensures the provision of worship service if the minister is absent, and is responsible for the quality and content of each worship service. The worship committee serves to assist and enhance services in connection with the Christian calendar.  The committee has a chair person, pastor as member, and members at large that are volunteers to serve to and offer worship services for the St. James community at large.  The committee members volunteer for terms up to three years and must actively participate in meeting and events to provide continuity of the worship experience for the duration of their tenure.  All worship committee members are the ears of the congregation to meet and/or exceed membership worship expectations.