Everyone at St. John’s UMC has an opportunity to serve in at least one of the many areas of ongoing ministry in the church. Listed below are areas where you may want to help, or you may have an idea for putting your time and talent to work for your church. And, it's easy to get started! ... Just click below or call the church office if you are interested in serving!

Administrative Ministries
· Prepare newsletter mailings: Give an hour or two each month to assemble and label our newsletter for mailing (usually the last week of the month).
· Bulletins: Every Friday there are 350 + bulletins to be folded and stuffed for Sunday Services (Holidays there are more). The staff will contact you to let you know what time of the day the bulletins will be ready.
· Assist Secretary: Answer the phones and assist with odd jobs such as copying and filing, particularly during staff meetings on Tuesday mornings there is a need for someone to man the phones from 10 a.m. till noon. This will also be greatly appreciated when one of the staff members is on vacation or out sick.
· Help with bulletin boards: Use your creative skills to assist the Staff with maintaining attractive and informative bulletin boards in the Sanctuary, Narthex and Admin. Building.

Children’s Ministries
· Acolytes: Schedule and coordinate acolytes who assist in morning worship.
· Nursery: Volunteer your loving care to our infants and toddlers on Sunday mornings, or holidays. Please contact our nursery coordinator.
· Pumpkin Patch Coordinator, Volunteers: Man the Pumpkin sales table or help in scheduling workers.
· Support: Lend your help to such things as VBS, after school programs, children’s choir, fellowships, etc…
· Children's Council: Activities and events for children are planned through St. John’s Children’s Council. Children’s Council is made up of St. John’s Children’s Coordinator and parents and other church members knowledgeable about children and interested in helping children develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and in helping children make friends in a safe, Christian environment. FMI: Raychel Laya, Children’s Council Chair or Suzy Shepard, the Children’s Coordinator.

Congregational Care
· Note absent members: Make a special effort to phone or drop a note to members who have been absent for more than two or three Sundays.
· Visit in Hospitals: Visit our friends or members who are hospitalized.
· Prepare food in crisis: Prepare food for families following surgeries, accidents or death of a family member.
· Serve meal after funerals: Help serve the family on those occasions when the meal is offered here at the church.
· Follow up visit after a death: A visit to extend love and care from the congregation.

Educational Ministries
· Sunday School Teacher: Volunteer to teach one of the many children’s classes on a regular or substitute basis.
· Short term leader: Offer to lead a short-term adult study, either on Sunday mornings or weeknights. (Indicate your subject of interest.)
· Lead a support group: Groups offer support to persons who are uncertain how to cope with difficult life circumstances. (Indicate the type of group you could lead.)
· Vacation Bible School: Offer to help with the many facets of VBS, from teaching a class, doing crafts, music or refreshments.
· Be a Sunday School Greeter: Guide newcomers to the appropriate classes and extend a smile to everyone.

Evangelism
· Telephone prospective members: Make phone calls to people who have visited our church, making them feel welcome and answering their questions.
· Drop a note to visitors: Check with the office for first-time visitors – drop them a friendly note of welcome.
· Sponsor a new member: Meet those who have just joined and stay in touch with them for a time while they get acquainted with their new church home.
· Photograph new members: Take a Polaroid shot after either of the Sunday morning services of new members who have joined.

Hospitality
· Help with Potluck Dinners: Be part of a team that prepares for potluck dinners; set-up, make tea/coffee, clean up, etc…
· Special Occasions: Help the Fellowship Committee with special dinners or receptions.
· Decorate: If you have a flair for decorating tables, making centerpieces or any other special touch, volunteer to help the Fellowship or Sr. Adult Committees.
· Sunday morning coffee: Help with making and setting up coffee area for Sunday mornings.

Maintenance and Repair
· Landscape maintenance: Volunteer for seasonal work and odd jobs to beautify the church grounds.
· Flowerbed upkeep: Keep weeds pulled in any existing flowerbeds. Keep plants watered.
· Carpentry: If you have the skill, there are times when minor repairs or small building projects are called for.
· Electronics: Occasional maintenance and/or repair of equipment not covered under maintenance contracts.

Mission Projects
· Serve on Missions Committee: Help plan ways to reach out to those who need our help.
· Volunteer at Metro Ministries Shelter: Work with the Missions Committee in this ministry to the homeless of Corpus Christi.
· Share your vision: Do you have an idea for a service project in the local area? Bring it to the Missions Committee’s attention.
· Prayer/Financial support of missionaries: If you are willing to support a missionary team, the Missions Committee can give you names and addresses so that you can become a partner in ministry.

Prayer Ministries
· Be in the Prayer Circle: Be called for urgent prayer needs any time of the day or night. Call next person in the circle.
· Help form small prayer covenant groups: Be willing to work with the Spiritual Life Committee in organizing small prayer groups within the congregation.

Senior Adult Ministries
If you like to see a face light up with love and gratitude, then working with our home bound Senior Adults and nursing home residents is what you are looking for. Our committee visits once a week, takes them Communion, gifts and flowers. Our Pastors visit once a month.
St. John’s holds a church service at Mt. Carmel Retirement Home three times a year. A Valentine “Young at Heart” Luncheon is held once a year for Mt. Carmel residents, Winter Texans, and St. John’s Senior Adults. Below are listed additional opportunities to minister:
· Provide transportation to church, senior events, grocery store, doctor’s appointments, etc…
· Prepare or serve meals for senior adult gatherings.
· Assist with minor home repairs for homebound or seniors in need.
· Provide an interesting program for Senior Gatherings, e.g. Book Reviews, travelogue, inspirational, musical performance, skit or informative topics on health, nutrition, life changes, etc…
· Support group Bible Study leaders.
· Serve as a cheerful telephone partner for seniors.

Worship Ministries
· Ushers: Serve as an usher for one of the three Sunday services.
· Greeter: Be one of the first friendly faces people see as they arrive for worship. Help elderly or disabled with parking and building entrance.
· Communion Sever: Help serve communion at either of the three morning services once a month.
· Prepare Communion: Bake communion bread or ready all the trays before each communion service (fill cups, clean afterwards).
· Decorating for Easter and Christmas: Help with whatever decorating needs to be done in the sanctuary or elsewhere.
· Operate sound system and/or lights: Learn to operate the sound system for one or both services.
· Help in the Crossroads service: This includes count, passing out the bulletins and whatever else is needed.

Youth Ministries
· Jr. High Youth Fellowship: Be an adult sponsor for the Junior High Youth Fellowship which meets on Sunday nights. Interviews with the Youth Minister and Youth Coordinator are required.
· Sr. High Youth Fellowship: Be an adult sponsor for the Senior High Youth Fellowship which meets on Sunday nights. Interviews with the Youth Minister and Youth Coordinator are required.
· Serve Dinner: Offer to provide snack suppers for either of the youth group meetings.
· Music: Lead or support youth choirs or informal singing. Encourage their use of talent in worship services.
· Sunday School: Volunteer to teach or support the junior high or senior high Sunday School classes.
· Miscellaneous: Offer whatever help you can to those in charge of youth.

And MORE! Ministries
· Cross-stitchers and crocheters: To make Baptism towels and pacifier holders for babies as needed. Can be done at home.
· Wherever the Church needs me! Be flexible – be willing to learn a new skill or meet new friends. Call the office and ask “How can I help?”
· Share your good ideas: Maybe you’ve got an idea for a program that would be of interest to many folks… or you see a need the rest of us haven’t seen yet. Tell us about it. We listen. Remember, to be happy just “find a need and fill it!”