Adult Education
opportunities vary from year to year and are most often offered by the
Pastors but may be led by lay leaders. One of the Disciple Bible Study
series is offered every year. Other adult education opportunities include
Bible study and topical studies. An example is an 8-week course on
“Methodism 101.” An early morning Bible study is offered once a week by
the Pastor. Topics vary, but the group often chooses a book of the Bible
to study.
AnnualChurch
Retreat
Every year on the weekend after Labor Day, an all church family
retreat is held at a lake in West Swanzey in southern New Hampshire. This
event provides an opportunity for fellowship, quiet time, outdoor worship,
adult and children’s programs, the sharing of meals, recreation and fun.
Friday evening people gather around the campfire for conversation and
refreshments. Adult and children’s programs are held on Saturday mornings
while teens take a mountain hike or bike trip. The 2007 adult program was
“The Mind, Body, and Soul Connection.” Saturday afternoon there is time
for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, tennis, softball, golf, and socializing.
Saturday evening’s program can be anything from skits to a square dance to
game shows, to a campfire. Sunday worship is on the beach overlooking the
lake. The retreat is an opportunity to welcome newcomers to SUMC and to
strengthen bonds among old and new friends.
Caring
Networks
The church
community is divided into thirteen geographical neighborhoods with between
twenty and thirty family units for the purpose of providing support and
care toif someone in the congregation who has a short-term need. This has
most often consisted of providing meals, rides, babysitting, or grocery
shopping when there is an illness in the family or someone is grieving.
Each network has a coordinator. At times the networks are used for
fellowship and planning. They are used to acquaint people with a new
pastor or, as in the Fall of 2007, to do some strategic planning about the
church’s mission, activities, and worship in the years ahead.
Christian Education Commission
The Christian Education Commission works with the Director of
Christian Education to oversee all aspects and levels of Christian
education from infants to adults. They may help to recruit volunteer
Sunday School teachers and nursery care helpers. They may suggest and
implement ideas for dynamic and innovative educational programs, Adult
education classes, or retreats. Topics of discussion have included youth
group programming and Vacation Bible School. The church library also falls
under the responsibility of this commission. The commission sponsors an
Advent workshop each year and provides support for the annual Christmas
pageant. The Commission also prepares a soup meal for one Lenten Supper.
Church Growth Commission
The Church Growth Commission seeks ways to attract and make welcome
newcomers to the SUMC congregation. They have initiated and staff an
“Information and Welcome Station” for visitors to the Sunday service.
Commission members also send postcards to and telephone newcomers. A
quarterly reception on Sunday morning after the service is organized to
further acquaint newcomers with the church. This is an opportunity to meet
the pastors and some lay people and to ask questions. In addition,
developing public awareness of SUMC in the community is carried out by
this commission through publicity in the newspapers, development of an
attractive website, and the production of cards and brochures about the
church.
Club 67
This is a
fellowship group for grades 6 and 7 which meets the second Sunday of the
month from noon until 2 p.m. Activities have included both social events
such as bowling and outreach activities such as leaf raking for older
members of the congregation. For more information, please contact Director
of Christian Education,Andy Andrews.
The God Squad
The God
Squad is Christian Education, Confirmation and Youth Fellowship for
grades 8-12. Meetings are generally held on Sunday evenings from
4-6 PM. Events include three major components: Theme (curriculum
based) Events, Service Events and Play Events. Mission
work and outreach are key to the foundation of the group. Director of
Christian Education Andy Andrews leads the group. Andy works closely
with the God Squad Leadership Council, a youth-led steering committee
comprised of ten youth from the God Squad. Together they make up the
yearly schedule of events and provide direction for the group.If you have any questions about the God
Squad, please contact the Director of Christian Education, Andy Andrews.
Health
Ministry
Broadly defined a Health Ministry is anything a faith community is
doing to promote the well-being of its membership and the community in
general. The purpose of the Health Ministry at SUMC is to help the
congregation care for one another. Through programs and activities, this
group helps to promote the spiritual, social, mental and physical
well-being of the individual, congregation, and community. Some of the
groups already doing this at SUMC are Stephen Ministry, the Caring
Network, and support groups. MORE
Lenten Suppers and Worship/Program
During Wednesdays
in Lent, the church Commissions take turns preparing and serving delicious
soups and bread for a simple supper held at the church and followed by a
worship service or other appropriate program, often lay-organized.
Magic Years
This is a group of
people age 55 and above who meet monthly for lunch and a program. The
Minister of Visitation is a mentor to this group, but lay people plan the
programs with feedback from the group and help with the lunch. Activities
include speakers, short videos (for example, Al Gore’s movie “An
Inconvenient Truth”), singing, sharing of travel, etc.
Membership and Community Life Commission
The purpose of the
Membership and Community Life Commission is to develop programs and
provide fellowship opportunities to integrate new members into the church
and to nurture those who attend the church regularly. The Commission
members oversee aspects of the church’s life which have to do with
greeting and hospitality such as Coffee Hour, arranging for Sunday
greeters, and providing support for new member classes. The Commission
organizes an annual Fellowship dinner for groups of 8 to 10 people in
member homes. Ideas for other fellowship events are discussed and
welcomed. The Membership and Community Life Commission also publishes the
members’ Photo Directory.
Groups that
operate separately but are under the umbrella of the Membership and
Community Life Commission are the Annual Church Retreat, Caring Networks,
and Magic Years.
Outreach Commission
The
purpose of the Outreach Commission is to oversee the mission work of the
church. Its members recommend, from many deserving causes, specific
programs that the church will support with its time, talent, and money as
a way to bring the love of Christ to a hurting world. SUMC’s outreach
program is divided into categories that support global, regional and local
needs. Support for organizations that fight hunger and homelessness are
high priority. In 2007, a January concert and auction raised money for
outreach to the Caribbean island of Dominica and a Spring auction raised
money to fight hunger in refugee Dafur, the Sudan, Africa. The Youth Group
went on a mission trip in June of 2007 to Machias, Maine to work with the
Migrant Ministry project. Beginning in the summer of 2007, the
congregation became involved in a Habitat for Humanity project—a house
being built in Acton.
MORE
Social Justice
The
Social Justice Commission seeks to bring to all believers an awareness of
public issues that impede the dignity of some of God’s children. The group
advocates for “the least of these” by encouraging all to examine their
faith and asks themselves “what would Jesus do?” The purpose of this group
is to help others become aware of injustices faced by others and become
emboldened to help change happen. MORE
Staff Parish Relations Committee
This group of nine
members provides a structure of support to the clergy and staff of the
church. Each member of the committee is a liaison with one member of the
staff to provide support, serve as a sounding board, and be a participant
in the evaluation progress. In 2006-2007, the committee developed an
Employee Handbook, including job descriptions, and formal evaluation
process for non-appointed staff.
Stephen Ministers
Stephen Ministers are lay people who have taken 50 hours of special
training to prepare them to provide one to one caring, Christian ministry
to those going through a time of need. Stephen Ministers are assigned by
the pastors to be that “supportive presence” and “listening ear” for those
going through difficult times or crises in their lives. Such situations
might include illness, divorce, death of a loved one, troubled
relationships with a child or spouse, aging parents, or loss of a job.
Sudbury United Methodist Church has been a
Stephen Ministry
Congregation to since 1992.
Stewardship
and Finance Commission
This
Commission plans and carries out the annual pledge campaign to raise
income for the church budget each Fall. Members work with the other church
commissions in December to prepare a balanced operating budget for the
next year, one that is in line with expected income. The financial
secretaries, church treasurer, audit committee, and counters fall under
the umbrella of the Stewardship and Finance Commission.
SundaySchool
Sudbury United Methodist Church offers Sunday School during the
Sunday morning worship service for children ages 2 through 7th grade. A
toddler room is staffed by parent volunteers for children 9 months to 2
years old. In addition, a staffed and comfortable infant room is available
(or a family member may stay with their infant) above the sanctuary with
aural and visual access to the service.
Children begin their Sunday School time in the Sanctuary with
their families for the first ten minutes. After a brief children’s sermon,
children are dismissed to their classes. The curriculum is from the United
Methodist Publishing House and called “Exploring Your Faith.” It is easy
to use for beginning teachers as well as seasoned veterans. The lessons
include both Old and New Testament stories, biblically based and then
related to real life, age appropriate issues.
Sunday School operates with volunteer teachers over four
sessions per year. Each session is 13 weeks long. Each age and grade has
its own class in Fall, Winter and Spring. In the summer, a one-room format
is used for preschoolers through second grade.
There are many opportunities to be involved in the education of
our children. If you would like more information about our Sunday School program,
please contact the Director of Christian Education, Andy Andrews.
SunnyHill PreSchool
Sunny Hill
Preschool
is sponsored by the church, and a committee from the church works with the
Director. Sunny Hill offers a play-based program that combines preparation
for kindergarten with an emphasis on a child’s social and emotional
development. The school makes available to families in Sudbury and
surrounding communities a high quality, affordable, nurturing and
supportive early childhood learning environment.…MORE
Trustees
The nine members of the Board of Trustees
are concerned with the maintenance of the church’s total physical plant
and holding to the budget voted by the church council for doing so. This
work includes both keeping things operating today and planning for
facility needs for tomorrow. With the sanctuary complex and two
residential parsonages, there is always plenty to do. Whenever feasible,
the trustees seek to have work done by volunteers; but outside contractors
are routinely required for skilled jobs. Projects come in all scopes from
major renovations to touch-up painting and the routine spring and fall
clean-ups.
Worship
& Music Commission
The Worship and Music Commission works
with, assists, and supports the pastors and the professional music staff
(Director of Music and Organist, the Choir Director) to ensure that
Sudbury United Methodist Church provides worship opportunities and music
that meet the spiritual development of the congregation both as
individuals and as a community of faith. These activities may vary from
time to time as needs of the congregation change. Under the umbrella of
this Commission are the Ushers, Flower Committee, and Communion Stewards.
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