United Methodist Church of Casa Grande
Welcome / Worship Lay Ministries
- Spiritual Guidance and Hospitality:
- The team would lead congregational worship, ensuring that services are conducted with reverence, authenticity, and spiritual depth.
- Simultaneously, they would cultivate a warm and inviting atmosphere for both existing members and newcomers. Their presence would embody the church’s commitment to hospitality.
- Community Engagement:
- As laity representatives, the team would actively bridge the gap between the church and the local community.
- They would extend invitations to community members, encouraging their participation in worship services, outreach programs, and other church activities.
- Inclusive Leadership:
- By embodying the church’s mission and vision, the team would exemplify inclusive leadership.
- Their actions would foster an environment where everyone feels valued, accepted, and embraced regardless of background, age, or circumstance.
- Communication and Follow-Up:
- The team would serve as effective communicators, relaying essential church information to both regular attendees and visitors.
- After services or events, they would follow up with visitors, expressing gratitude for their presence and inviting them to return.
- Volunteer Coordination:
- Overseeing volunteer recruitment and training would be critical to their role.
- They would ensure that volunteers are well-prepared to serve in worship-related and hospitality roles.
Embracing Community and Spirituality at the United Methodist Church of Casa Grande
At the United Methodist Church of Casa Grande, everyone is vital in creating a welcoming and enjoyable worship experience. Whether you’re a guest, visitor, member, or actively involved in setting up the physical space, coordinating volunteers, or planning the service elements, each aspect contributes to a deeply meaningful and inclusive atmosphere for all.
Gallery
Welcome Team Members
Here are a few things the Welcome and Worship Team perform:
- Coordinate with the pastor and other worship leaders. Support worship by identifying, training and supporting worship leaders.
- Greeters: Welcome members and visitors, providing a friendly and inviting atmosphere.
- Ushers assist with seating, offering, and maintaining order during services.
- Liturgists participate in the service, often reading scriptures or prayers.
- The team ensures the sanctuary is visually appealing and appropriate for the service or season.
- Hanging Banners corresponding to the different liturgical seasons like Advent, Lent, and Christmas.
- Events of the Church: Assist in planning and executing church events.
- Adjusting Paraments: Preparing the altar with appropriate cloths and making sure candles are set for the service.
- Preparing and Serving Communion: Utilizing two sets of communion servers during communion while serving the congregation.
UMCCG
Communion Stewards
Persons elected by the Charge Conference to be responsible for the preparation of the bread, wine and the communion ware for use in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Learning is a lifelong journey that can bring immense satisfaction.
The elements of communion
The Bread
“It is appropriate that the bread eaten in Holy Communion both look and taste like bread,” This Holy Mystery clarifies. “The use of a whole loaf best signifies the unity of the church as the body of Christ and, when it is broken and shared, our fellowship in that body.”
The Cup
“A single cup or chalice may be used for intinction — dipping the bread into the wine — or for drinking,” This Holy Mystery also affirms. “The use of a common chalice best represents Christian unity, but individual cups are used in many congregations.”
This story uses the word juice over wine because historically, United Methodists have been committed to use “the pure, unfermented juice of the grape.”
“That came out of our involvement in the temperance movement in the 19th century and into the 20th century,” Burton-Edwards explains. “It is also out of an ongoing concern for persons for whom alcohol may be a problem.”
An open table: How United Methodists understand communion (umc.org)
The Christian year has two cycles: the Christmas Cycle (Advent-Christmas-Epiphany) and the Easter Cycle (Lent-Easter-Pentecost). Within each cycle is a preparatory season symbolized by purple and a festival season symbolized by white. After each cycle, there is an ordinary time of growth symbolized by the color green. Thus, a sequence of seasons uses purple, white, and green in that order twice each year. (The United Methodist Book of Worship)
- Purple, representing royalty and penitence, is traditionally used during Advent and Lent.
- Blue symbolizes hope and may also be used during Advent.
- White and gold are used at Christmas and Easter to symbolize joy and festivities.
- Red symbolizes the color of fire, representing the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and other times when the Holy Spirit’s work is emphasized. During Holy Week, the blood of Christ is represented. Red is also used for ordinations, church anniversaries, and civil observances such as Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.
- Green represents growth and is used during Ordinary Time (the season after Epiphany and after Pentecost.)
Learning is a lifelong journey that can bring immense satisfaction.
The Breakdown:
Christian Year
The Christian year has two cycles: the Christmas Cycle (Advent-Christmas-Epiphany) and the Easter Cycle (Lent-Easter-Pentecost). Within each cycle is a preparatory season symbolized by purple and a festival season symbolized by white. After each cycle, there is an ordinary time of growth symbolized by the color green. Thus, a sequence of seasons uses purple, white, and green in that order twice each year. (The United Methodist Book of Worship)
- Purple, representing royalty and penitence, is traditionally used during Advent and Lent.
- Blue symbolizes hope and may also be used during Advent.
- White and gold are used at Christmas and Easter to symbolize joy and festivities.
- Red symbolizes the color of fire, representing the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and other times when the Holy Spirit’s work is emphasized. During Holy Week, the blood of Christ is represented. Red is also used for ordinations, church anniversaries, and civil observances such as Memorial Day and Thanksgiving.
- Green represents growth and is used during Ordinary Time (the season after Epiphany and after Pentecost.)