First Church has a structure which involves areas of ministry being supervised by teams. Each Ministry Team is a gathering together of like-gifted people, gifted by God for particular areas of ministry within the Body of Christ – both here at First Church, and wherever First Church has an influence in ministry. The purpose of such a team structure is to mobilize and release into ministry a wide cross-section of First Church members. Teams Night is once a month, every second Tuesday.
The five Ministry Teams are: Prayer Team, Resource Team , Creative Ministries Team, Outreach & Discipleship Team, Fellowship Team. See below for descriptions of each Team.
Team Statements & Purpose
Prayer Team ‘To encourage, equip and mobilise the church in prayer’
The Prayer Team will develop strategies to support the ministry of the church through prayer. Areas of responsibility:
- Develop intercessory prayer across the church
- Maintain good communications system in the area of prayer
- Train (in consultation with ministry team) prayer-carers
- Develop prayer teaching events/retreats
- Corporate prayer events
- Prayer resources
Leader – Jenny Lees Elder – Karyn Bennett
Creative Ministries Team: ‘To call the people of God into a vibrant and living place of worship before a holy and righteous God’
The Creative Ministries Team co-ordinate worship services enabling and encouraging worship that is meaningful and relevant in order to glorify God. This will be done through such things as: prayer, teaching, music, dance, drama, sound and flowers. In addition to regular weekly services, CMT facilitates event services, areas of responsibility include:
- Significant times of the Christian Calendar eg Christmas & Easter
- Prayer and Praise Evenings
- Events, meetings etc organised by other teams
We support a team of experienced and enthusiastic singers and musicians who minister at all of our services.
Leader – Johnny Lendrum Elder – Tony Thompson
Resource Team: ‘To encourage and equip the ministry of the Church through the releasing of finance and material resources and active participation’
The Resource Team will support the ministry of the Church through the faithful stewardship of the plant and finances. Areas of responsibility:
- Finance
- Buildings
- Grounds
- Personnel
- Initiatives to source funding
- Community needs and direction
Leader – David Wilson Elder – John Gurau
Outreach & Discipleship Team: ‘to make disciples of Christ and promote and support evangelism and mission, locally, regionally, nationally, internationally’
The Outreach & Discipleship Team ‘will promote and support evangelism and mission, locally, regionally, nationally, internationally. The team will develop strategies to encourage, equip and mobilise the church to impact the community for Jesus.
The Team will organise, encourage and oversee initiatives that will enable growth and increasing maturity in the disciples of Christ in this church fellowship. Areas of responsibility:
- Encourage the ‘outreach’ ministries
- Preschool
- kidzone Junior and Kidzone
- Alpha Course
- Marriage Course
- New Christians development or growth
- Homegroups
- Training and mobilising and releasing people to share their faith
- Outward looking focus
- Promote and support strategies
- Co-ordinationg role in their area of gifting
- Evangelistic outreach (local, regional, national)
Leader— Ana Bracefield Elder—Andrew Bennett
Fellowship Team: ‘To encourage the growth and nurturing of loving relationships and caring concern for one another’
The Fellowship Team will :
organise events to facilitate relationship building;
oversee pastoral care of the church family;
co-ordinate strategies that will enhance the warmth and welcome experience within the church
Areas of responsibility:
- Special social events
- Pastoral care – visiting
- Food bank
- Counselling
- Hospitality – welcoming/greeting
- Rest Home Ministry
- Church Camp
- Visitor follow-up
Leader—David Fern (Elder & Acting Team Leader)