Church Leadership

Church Leadership – Stewardship is about caring for all the gifts God has given us. To do that we must use our personal talents for leadership and give of our time, as well as the gift of our money, to make sure that this church we love continues as a vital and active source of God’s compassion, mercy and love. Every fall during our Stewardship Campaign we ask for more than a commitment to share our money, we ask for a commitment of time and talent as well. Every member is asked to faithfully pray about the place where they could best serve and then sign up for the team they feel most passionate about.

Church Council: At our yearly Charge Conference, new/returning Church Leaders are elected by the congregation. The chairs of the Administrative Teams as well as the Conveners/Facilitators of the Ministry Teams, or their representatives, make up the Church Council. In addition we elect a Church Council Chair, a Lay Leader, and a Lay Member to Annual Conference to complete the membership of Church Council. Church Council is, according to the UMC Book of Discipline, given the task of planning and implementing all of our ministries and missions with the help of the teams elected for that purpose. It is also to envision, plan, implement, and evaluate the mission and ministry of the church.

Church Council Chair: Ted Sedler

Co-Lay Leaders:Jeanie Fast and Ivan McCormick

Risk-Taking Missions and Service: Beaverton has more homeless teens than any other city in Oregon. We feed them. Teen Food Pantry at Merlo Station High School, HomePlate Youth Services weekly hot meals, Community Assistance Fund, Safeway Food Cards, Outstretched Arms: an outreach of love to Avamere Rehabilitation Center.

Facilitator: Open

Radical Hospitality: Outreaching hospitality to visitors, in-reaching hospitality to our members and long-time friends… Cards and phone calls, ushers and greeters, potlucks and parties; Cider at the Beaverton Christmas Tree lighting and a float in the Parade, this is our connection to our community!

Facilitator: Edie Flaming

Christian Education: We know and love God when we know the stories. Classes for adults, youth and children connect us to our faith and help us along the journey. Small groups connect us to others also on the journey of faith. See our “Events” page for current classes and groups.

Facilitator: Joan Goldhammer

Passionate Worship: An altar that sets the theme, communion elements that invite everyone to the table, a growing sense from the moment you walk in that worship today is going to be very special. Worship that is meaningful, memorable and… passionate!

Facilitator: Dondrea Warner

The Finance Team: A budget that funds all the churches missions, ministries and building needs, fund-raisers that bring in money, but are also fun and exciting, care for God’s money, prayerfully given by all of us, so that Christ’s work can be done.

Chair: Ted Bunga

The Staff-Parish Relations Team: A pastor that fits the needs of the church, a music director and pianist/organist that see the same musical vision, an office staff who are organized, careful, confidential and quick, a cleaning crew who knows that cleanliness is next to Godliness and a sincere prayer that we don’t need to hire all of them in one year!

Chair: Melanie Sedler

The Trustees Team: A love for God’s home and Christ’s earthly headquarters. A desire to make it attractive, up-to-date, safe and in good repair. The Trustees also invest our Endowment Funds so God’s home is safe for the future. The Nehemiah Landscape Team cares for our gardens and grounds so that they are always beautiful.

Chair: Charlene Van Cleef

The Nominations Team: A passion for serving Christ in this place in this time. A passion for missions, hospitality, worship, education, the money needed for Christ’s work, the people hired to help that work along, the place we’ve chosen from which to work… and a passion for finding the right people for each of those teams. The volunteers that find the volunteers.

Chair: Open