The Jethro Tree is a picture that visually describes a re-organized committee structure for our church. Most of the committees on the tree are already here. A few are new. Why are we doing this? Our Session believes that this structure will make us more efficient and better enable us to use our resources to fulfill our mission of “Bringing Christ to our community and our Community to Christ.”

Like any tree, there are main limbs with branches that grow out from these limbs. These limbs are:

Reaching Out
Growing Within
Growing in Faith
Sustaining Our Ministries

Each limb has branches that carry out an aspect of the broad function of that limb, described in detail as follows:

REACHING OUT

This first limb is called “Reaching Out.” This limb invites everyone to “come just as they are.” It is the limb that builds the bridge from our church to the community and the world. The branches from this limb, called Committees or Teams all support our outward ministry. That’s why this limb is called “Reaching Out.” This limb builds the bridges from our church to the community via the branches coming from it.

Here are those branches:

Mission and Outreach - This team develops relationships to recognize opportunities to serve in our community as well as actually serving those in need by giving time, talents, and treasure. They will also oversee distribution of the mission budget. e.g. donate food or money to feed hungry people at the Center or Men’s Shelter, donate time to WorldVision or other mission projects, serve on “Faith in Action” Sunday.
Growth and Development - This team will develop a cohesive, robust vision for our church in the community. They will develop events to raise awareness of our ministry and mission to invite people in. e.g. Fall Festival, Christmas caroling, invite a friend to church, ideas to get church involved in community.
Communications – This team will communicate our calling and invitation to the community and consistently convey our message through multiple channels. e.g. stuff envelopes for mailing, web-site update, take pictures for web-page.
Wooden Ladder – Provides an excellent faith-based preschool to the community and creates ways for the parents of Wooden Ladder students to be exposed to and invited to our church. e.g. serve on Board of Directors, donate to scholarship fund, greet parents, Wooden Ladder Sunday.

GROWING IN FAITH

The second main limb on the Jethro Tree is called “Growing in Faith.” This limb helps people to “find the joy and inspiration they seek.” This is the limb that seeks to help the people who are part of our faith community grow in faith and spirituality. It represents the inward ministry to the church that is necessary for us to be effective when we go out into the community.
The branches on this limb are:

Music and Worship – This team coordinates all aspects of worship to help members and non-members find “joy and inspiration” in our worship as well as provide the musical resources to support all aspects of our church mission. e.g.
- Music: play bells, sing in choir, accompany choir, play instrument or sing solo or in group on Sunday or on special occasion like Easter or Christmas, maintain music library.
- Worship: read Scripture, usher, greet, plan Advent/Christmas or Lent/Easter worship, set up Communion.
Christian Education – This team oversees the development and coordination of programs for all to help them grow in faith. They will oversee Sunday school, confirmation, summer and youth programs. e.g.:
- Adults: Help kids into costumes for Pageant, Drive Youth to Men’s Shelter, Help with “Tween” activity 1/month, teach Sunday school or youth chaperone 1/month, be a Confirmation Mentor for 4 months.
- Youth: go to Sunday school and youth group, read Scripture, usher, help collect offering, mission projects.
- Children: light candle, read Scripture, fill worship bags, be in Christmas pageant, go to Sunday school.
Small Groups – This team will promote small groups as a mechanism to bring people together to develop knowledge, fellowship, and faith. e. g. join a small group: book club, men’s, craft, knitting, spiritual, movies, music and food.

GROWING WITHIN

The third main limb on the Jethro Tree is called “Growing Within.” This limb enables the people of the church community to “become the people they were created to be.” The branches on this limb will all seek to fulfill our church’s mission by ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of the people in our church community. Each branch will work toward providing care, nurture, and fellowship as well as development of time, talent and treasures. The branches on this limb are focused on ministering to the needs of all within our church community.
The branches on this limb are:

Deacons – The Deacons serve our church community and support our mission by helping those in need both physically and spiritually. e.g. donate money or food for Thanksgiving baskets, help set up summer picnic, cook a meal or send cards to those in need, visit a church member in the hospital or at home.
Stephen Ministers – Serve individuals in our church community who have deep needs by providing high quality, confidential, one-on-one Christ centered care. e.g. offer a listening ear to those in need of a spiritual friend on the journey of life.
Fellowship – Promote events and programs for the church community that provide fellowship. Organize fellowship time after worship, dinners, and other projects to bring the church community together. e.g. bring in snack for fellowship time, make lemonade and coffee, help serve Lenten suppers, help organize a fellowship event, like a barbeque jazz night, greet visitors, collect visitor pew pads.
Stewardship and Internal Development – This team will help people in the church community to recognize and apply their spiritual gifts of time, talent, and treasure. This involves conducting the stewardship campaign, leafing the Jethro Tree, and nominating candidates to lead our church. e.g. talk about why you give to the church, encourage others to give, nominate people to serve in church leadership.

SUSTAINING OUR MINISTRIES

The fourth and final main limb on our Jethro Tree is called “Sustaining Our Ministries”. This limb has all of the branches on it that keep our ministries going. They may seem unglamorous, mundane and occasionally vexing. But, they are necessary. Without them, the church cannot fulfill its mission. The branches on this limb support the functions that need ongoing attention to enable our church to operate effectively.

These branches are:

Finance – This team oversees management of the church’s financial assets. It develops a budget for Session and monitors ongoing finances. e.g. meet with committee to manage church finances, make a budget, count Sunday offering.
Property – The property team is responsible for creating, managing, and maintaining an inviting and safe church/community center for worship and various activities that further the church’s mission. e.g. trim bushes, plant flowers, paint a room, clean up kitchen, water plants, spring cleaning.
Personnel – Oversee fulfillment of personnel objectives by attracting the best people. Establish appropriate compensation and monitor performance. Maintain personnel policies and practices. e.g. be a support to a staff member, answer phones, greet church visitors during week, stuff bulletins.

Please prayerfully consider where God might be calling you to put a leaf on Jethro’s Tree and share the joy of our ministry at CPCBA.