Worship

Worship is the primary event of the congregation. Worship provides many opportunities to use our special gifts. All gifts are important. To help in our planning, please consider the following:

Usher: Join an usher team, and usher on a rotating basis with a small group. Assist with bulletins, offering, communion ushering and oversee the worshipping congregation.

Reader: Read the scripture lessons for a worship service. Lessons provided ahead of time.

Communion Assistant: Assist pastors with the distribution at communion.

Sound System Operator: Become knowledgeable about the sound system in worship areas and fellowship hall. Instruction will be provided. Be available on a rotating basis for worship.

Video taping operator: Operate video equipment at worship for showing on local access cable. Instruction available. Rotating schedule with video team.

Sacraments Ministry members meet monthly (3rd Tuesday, 7 p.m.) for fellowship & planning duties. Responsible for scheduling care of the altar, preparation for communion, baptisms and seasonal changes during the church year.

Arts and Environment Guild members meet on an as needed basis to decorate our worship spaces for the Season of the Liturgical Year.

Worship Hospitality

Greeters at worship: Greet members and visitors in the narthex before worship. The first opportunity to make persons feel welcome.

Office Receptionist: Be on duty at church office to help with questions of new-comers; receive messages for staff and boards; answer telephone. 3 shifts each Sunday, concurrent with worship hour; Schedule is set up by Volunteer Coordinator. Willing persons will be contacted as to their availability.

Serve Coffee following worship in Fellowship Hall.  Two shifts each Sunday.

Caring Ministry

Parish Nurses: Work with church staff to provide a unified health ministry in the congregation. Parish Nurses are health educators, health counselors, referral providers and coordinators of congregational programs.  They received specialized training for this ministry, at the Parish Nurse Center at Concordia College.

Healthcare professional: Available to assist Parish Nurses in providing health related activities (blood pressure screenings, health fair, etc.).

Prayer Chain: Participants in this telephone chain agree to pray privately for concerns requested by Faith members and pass requests on to next person in prayer chain.

Communion Deacons: Available to bring communion to nursing homes and shut-ins following early worship on the 1st Sunday of each month. Deacons serve as personal schedules permit and are contacted when needed.

Leadership Ministry

Parish Planning Council Executive Board: This council provides leadership for congregational affairs. President, three Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer. Each office is elected for a two year term. Council (Executive Board and leadership from each of nine congregational boards) meets 2nd Tuesday of month, 7 p.m.

Nine Congregational Boards: Organized around specialized areas of congregational concern: Education & Youth (combined), Evangelism, Lay Ministry, Nominating, Property, Social Ministry, Stewardship and Worship. 6-10 members on each board, elected for a 2 year term. Each board meets monthly to plan and direct their concerns (most meet on 1st Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m.)

Foundation Board of Faith Lutheran: Organized in 1985 to support growth of our church, its ministries and stewardship opportunities. The Foundation encourages gifts through bequests, insurance, real estate, securities or cash. Gifts to, and income from, the Foundation will not be used for the general fund, but for supporting special projects of the congregation. Meetings are scheduled as needed.

Faith Lutheran Church Women

Faith Lutheran Church Women of Faith: Direct and plan the affairs of Faith Lutheran Church Women (FLCW). Officers: President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer; Mission Growth chairperson, Mission Action chairperson, Chairperson for each Circle. FLCW Board meets 1st Tuesday of the month, 6:30 p.m.

Faith Lutheran Church Women Circles (small groups) meet monthly for Bible Study and concerns of FLCW.
Rebecca - 2nd Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
Dorcas - 2nd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Mary - 2nd Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
Rachel - 2nd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Ruth - 2nd Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
FLCW Circles also sponsor a Women's Brunch for all women of the church in February, May, September and December.

Funeral serving: Available weekday hours to assist with serving lunch following funerals at Faith Lutheran. (You will be contacted by phone)

Quilting: Persons interested in making quilts for Lutheran World Relief and other local needs. Meet one week in the Spring, and one week in the Fall. Dates to be announced.

Church Library: Mary Circle has responsibility for the library, but assistance could be used. Help is needed with processing books and upkeep of the library.

Work Group Leaders: Congregation members are divided into workgroups to assist with monthly serving responsibilities. Leaders supervise one month.

Outreach Service Ministry
Our Social Ministry Board provides connections with area agencies which need the support of individuals.

Churches United for the Homeless -provides services for homeless individuals and families.
Assist a team from Faith in serving a meal.
Help assemble food baskets (done weekly on Thursday)
Volunteer at office of Churches United
Help with children's program
Representative from Faith to Churches United Board

Dorothy Day House -hospitality for homeless men.
Provide and prepare meal for residents (served each month, select month suitable to your needs)

New Life Center Thrift Store
Volunteer at Thrift Store as you are available

Fargo Moorhead Food Pantry
Contribute food to collection box at Faith, in narthex by office.
Deliver food collected at Faith to Food Pantry (as available)

Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota
Be a representative from Faith to LSS of ND. May involve occasional meetings.

West Fargo Refugee Coalition
Willing to assist in resettlement of a family which has been forced to leave their country due to war or persecution. Help with setting up apartment or providing transportation. Will be contacted as help is needed.

West Fargo Meals on Wheels
Deliver meals to homebound individuals either on a regular basis or as a substitute.

Sister Parish: Faith Lutheran is linked with a congregation in Tierra Nueva Uno, Chinautla, Guatemala. We are developing a new relationship with this community and the first delegation traveled to meet our new friends in November-December 2002.

Evangelism Ministry at Faith

Transportation: Interested in providing rides to worship for persons who request it. Individual contacts will be made for scheduling.

Hosting New Member Orientation: Greet new persons, provide coffee and bars for evening meetings. (New Member meetings are held twice in fall and twice in spring.) Will be contacted with schedule and check your availability.

Telephone contact with visitors: Contact recent visitors to worship by telephone. Script will be provided with suggestions for welcoming contact. Make 5 phone calls as needed.

Photography: available for photographing special events such as Rally Day, Christmas programs, and other congregational events. Expenses provided, may use own camera or Faith Lutheran's camera. Will be contacted for each event.

Care and Repair of Church Property

King's Men: Men available to assist with projects of repair and building in the church facility. Many, but not all, are retired. Group meets 2nd & 4th Thursday at 7:00. They also do fund raising events to support special projects.

Special Projects: The Property Board oversees property concerns for Faith Lutheran and appreciates assistance of volunteer help. Consider interests you may have in the following areas: painting, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, gardening (assisting with planting annual flowers and care of flower beds) and cleaning.

Faith Lutheran Church Office

Need to be available during weekday office hours, 8:30am. - 5:00pm. Will be contacted when needed.

Office Receptionist: Substitute occasionally when office staff needs to be away. Answer phones, greet people and take messages.

Office Assistance: Assist with mailings (Faith At Work newsletter, quantity letters, etc.), stuff bulletin inserts, and other routine office work as needed.

Computer Entry: Assist with routine computer data entry.  Could be scheduled on a regular weekly/monthly interval or called as needed.

"Faith At Work" Newsletter Support:  Assist with layout and data entry on Microsoft Publisher software, interview individuals or groups for specific articles, write articles as needed.   Newsletter is prepared on a monthly basis, support would be requested as needed.