Deacon Ministry Team
The Deacons ministry team is concerned with the spiritual life of the congregation. Along with the pastoral staff, the Deacons reflect on and oversee worship at Hope UCC. They help plan worship as well as do very specific things as assist with Communion and set up the sanctuary. They also reach out to friends and members through prayer and offer special care in times of crisis, loss, or death.
If you feel called to serve on the Deacons’ ministry team, please contact Marion Ekpuk. Deacons are nominated and confirmed by the congregation during our January congregational meeting. We are looking for several new Deacons as well as a new leader in January.
The Deacons meet the second Monday of the month. We are currently seeking nominations for new Deacon Ministry Team Members.
Servants who offer their gifts to accomplish the work of the church
Diakonos is a Greek word that translates roughly as “servant,” and is the source of the word “deacon.” You’ve heard the word before but you may wonder just who the deacons are and what they do. The book of Acts (Acts 6:1-6) introduces the first seven disciples identified specifically for church administration and the feeding of widows. Paul, in his letter to Timothy (1Timothy 3:8-13), describes the required character traits for deacons. Neither passage defines the term, but taken together they give us a sense of the responsibilities of those who accept this role. A deacon is an individual elected to a position of service in a local church. The Deacons are perhaps most visible on Sundays, as we bring the communion elements to the altar, or in the fellowship hall as we seek volunteers for the lay positions. However, we do much more. As defined in Hope Church’s constitution, deacons are responsible for several tasks, including assisting the pastor in meeting the spiritual needs of the church and community; preparing the sacraments; and receiving new members. We work with Pastor and the Music and Christian Education ministers to plan Sunday worship and special holiday services and programs. We work with families to plan funerals and memorial services. We handle budget matters related to our work. We are also available to listen to your concerns (or praise!) about our services and programs. The deacons address longer-term, projects as well. At the moment we are beginning a discernment process around inclusive and expansive language. These terms describe the ways language shapes our perceptions of God (expansive language) or the people of God (inclusive language). Together with Pastor Sid Fowler, Christian Education Minister Holly Jackson and Music Minister Nichole Hodges-Abbasi, the deacons are developing a process that will allow everyone in our congregation to participate. You will hear more about this in the near future. Diakonos. Your deacon team members are: Roberta Boyd, Marion Ekpuk (team leader), June Lamb, Pauline McDonald and Kristy Moeller. Stop us one Sunday to share a concern, ask a question or just to say hello.