Ministry Guidelines
2009-2012 United Methodist Church

These PDF files from the UMC describe the basic roles & responsibilities for leadership within a congregation using a committee leadership structure.  Of course the Discipline of the UMC allows for each congregation to organize for local effectieness so, as the name implies, these are guidelines and not hard-and-fast rules.

CHILDRENS MINISTRY: creates age appropriate programs and environments where children can become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  At Trinity, this work area also has responsibilites for family ministries to reach the generations simultaneously.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: "2nd base" - plans and implements small groups to develop disciples of Jesus Christ through intentional Bible study and Spiritual formation.  This work area is led by a council including: the Children & Familiies Director, the Youth Director, and the Adult Small Groups Director.

CHURCH COUNCIL: provides the vision and plan for Trinity to fulfill it's mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  This body is the administrative agency of the annual church conference but assigns most of its business to the committees of the church giving appropriate authority with responsibility to leaders at all levels.

CHURCH HISTORIAN: helps organize, preserve, and present in creative and engaging ways the history of Trinity and the people who have made this their spiritual home.

COMMUNICATIONS: helps define a consistent and effective public presence for Trinity on the wordwide-web, on the TV and radio, in newspaper and other print advertising, and internally within Trinity church.

EVANGELISM: develops and deploys plans to reach our community for Christ.  This team helps every member find creative and authentic ways to share their faith without frightening their family and friends.

FAMILY MINISTRIES: creates and leads a ministry to and with families in our church and community so that a cross-generational focus on Christian discipleship strengthens the family as the foundation of God's blessing.

FINANCE: selects and manages the finance systems for Trinity in full compliance with the Florida Annual Conference Financial Guidelines.  This team does not determine what ministries may be done, but ensures all ministries are fiscally responsible and the overall mission of Trinity Church is achieved.

HIGHER EDUCATION: helps connect Trinity to college campus ministries and our students.  This area includes both a scholarship committee and a work area chairperson responsible for campus ministries.

LAY LEADER/LAY MEMBER: Trinity's Lay Leader is the lay equivalent of the pastor being present on most major committees and providing continuity between these communities ensuring the mission, vision, and values of Trinity are best repreented at all levels.  The Lay Member to Annual Conference attends annual conference and helps to communicate the actions and programs of the wider UMC to Trinity.

MENS MINISTRIES: support the spiritual growth of men helping them to mature as followers of Jesus Christ and leaders in their community and world.

MISSION: the mission council helps to coordinate the outreach programs and mission work of Trinity Church.  It's comprised of leaders who passionately lead a specific mission focus and help to educate and engage Trinity in their ministry.

NOMINATIONS: helps members discover, develop, and deploy in ministry their God-given gifts.  This team helps develop all non-employed leaders but is not responsible for selecting or recruiting individual workers for specific ministry areas.

PASTOR-PARISH: is the "human resources" department that relates to the conference appointed clergy and supervises the employment of all paid staff in every ministry at Trinity including the Preschool. 

PASTOR: ordained to Word, Order, Sacrament, and Service the pastor preaches, teaches, conducts the sacrments (baptism & communion), develops congregational leaders and systems, attends to the day-to-day business of the church, and cares for the spiritual and temporal needs of the congregation and community.

SCOUTING: partner with outside organizations that develop youth and children in values and life-choice consistent with the mission, vision, and values of The United Methodist Church.  

SMALL GROUPS: "2nd base" - helps to create and equip groups that in a purposeful way help members become better followers of Jesus Christ through an L3-model...
Loving: being aware of and celebrating God's Presence and providing pastoral care for one another by embodying the Great Commandment (Luke 10:27).
Learning: challenging one another to become more faithful and mature followers of Christ by living out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
Leading: the purpose of the group - could be fellowship, Bible study, crafts, Dominoes or a thousand other possibilites - but it brings glory to God.

STEWARDSHIP: helps the whole congregation look to the welfare of God's great gift of creation incorporating a whole-life teaching time-talent-treasure and the responsible use of these gifts for Kingdom purposes.

TRUSTEES: oversees, maintains, and supervises all local church property in trust for the United Methodist Church, oversees gifts (Trinity also has Memorial and Endowment Fund committees these guidelines apply to), and incorporates/insures Trinity.

WOMENS MINISTRIES: helping women to know God and experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ with a special focus on women's and children's ministries in mission around the globe.

WORSHIP: helping develop the vision and themes for worship that glorify God and help worshippers discover and develop their God-given gifts as Christ followers.

YOUTH MINISTRIES: leading youth into a deeper relationship with Jesus and a deeper commitment to the work of Christ in the world.