First Presbyterian Church - Grapevine
2006 Christian Resource Survey
"Fullness of Life"

God asks us to share our time and talents where He calls us. You can let us know your areas of interest by completing the information form below and then clicking ‘Submit’. Your information will be sent confidentially to the church office and will assist us in knowing where you feel called to God’s work in this community of faith. For more information about the committees of First Presbyterian Church of Grapevine, scroll down below the form. Thank You!

Full Name:	Preferred First Name:
Address:	City:
Zip:	E-mail address:
Home Phone:	Work Phone:
Cell Phone:	If student, anticipated year of graduation:
Church offices previously held:
In gratitude to God, I would like to return a small measure of what has been given to me by becoming more involved in the life of my church family. There are many opportunities to serve, and these are some specific things that sound the most interesting to me.
Please list a special gift that you would like to use in the ministry of our church.
Join a committee: --Select-- Administration/Personnel Christian Education Communications Finance Property Stewardship Worship and Music Congregational Care Fellowship Missions (The committee descriptions are listed below.)

Administration/Personnel

This committee maintains the overall church organizational structure with the appropriate governing and support functions to allow all ministries of the church to meet their missions. Responsibilities include all "human resource" support activities such as: evaluations of paid staff members; the hiring and retaining of highly qualified non-ordained staff; and maintaining and offering competitive compensation for all church members. The committee is responsible for maintaining/revising the church operating guidelines and handles multiple types of contractual agreements necessary for the continued smooth operation of the church. Members with the gifts of nurturing leadership, administrative leadership, and a love for managing people and processes will be attracted to this committee's ministry.

Christian Education

This committee is responsible for planning and implementing educational ministry for children, youth and adults. The work of the committee is done primarily through sub-committees and task groups. The responsibilities of the Christian Education Committee includes Sunday School classes, the Sunday morning nursery, Kid's Korner, Young Children & Worship. In 2006, we will begin the workshop rotation model for 1st - 5th grades. This committee is responsible for youth ministry, which includes Sunday afternoon youth programming, confirmation class, youth retreats, conferences, Water & the Word and summer mission trips. Weekday studies, such as the Men's Bible Study, the Pastor's Bible study, Children's Fellowships and Day Camp are all under the this committee.  Other Christian Education Committee responsibilities include the church library, child care, worship readiness and Child Protection.

Communications

The Communications Committee handles all mass media channels of FPCGV communication to the outside community including press releases and advertising. We use media such as WWW, print advertising, promotional items and follow-up contacts with visiting attendees at our worship services. In addition, we write newsletters and orchestrate website campaigns. We also facilitate communications internal to the church by managing electronic kiosks and the curb-side signage. In many cases we coordinate and support the activities of other committees. Talents desirable in committee members and volunteers: good writing skills; website design; flash animation; PowerPoint presentation skills; audio mixing and editing; photography and photo editing; willingness to bake and take bread to first time visitors

Finance

This committee overseas the Financial recordkeeping and reporting system of the church. The committee reports the financial status of the church to Session and the congregation on a periodic basis, compiles the annual budget and makes fiscal policy recomendations to the Session. The committee is comprised of two active elders, the treasurer and other members of the church.

Property

This committee is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the church buildings, grounds, parking lots, and equipment. The mow team is one of the largest sub-committees during the mowing season. Additional responsibilities include facility usage, ordering of janitorial supplies, and impromptu handyman work required at the church.

Discipleship

Who is a disciple of our Lord? Anyone who is deeply and personally committed to Jesus Christ by faith, whose life displays the power and authority of our Lord, and who continues and extends His work. The purpose of the Discipleship committee is to foster discipleship as a way of life; it is how we view our time, money, talents, the environment, and our relationships. It is putting our convictions into practice. It is truly putting God in first place in our lives.

The goals of the Discipleship committee are to encourage the congregation to:

1 - Increase giving gradually with a goal of reaching a tithe of 10%

2 - Live life intentionally

3 - Discover God's call for your life

Jesus called His disciples into a personal relationship with Him. The concept of discipleship requires us to submit to the authority of Jesus as our teacher, guide and leader. To be a disciple of Jesus is a blessing, not a burden. These three goals reflect our commitment to be disciples of Jesus.

Goal 1 - increase giving with a goal of reaching a tithe (10% of income)

Tithing is one of the best ways we can grow closer to God. Recognizing that God is the owner of all and that we are merely stewards of His blessings puts our relationship with Him and with "goods" into perspective. God asks for a tithe from His faithful followers. It is hard to understand the importance this has to God. Money is as important to God as it is to us and is mentioned continually in the Bible. It is the way we measure value. If God has value to us, we will bring Him our tithes gratefully. "Will a man rob God?" Yet you rob Me. "But you ask, "How do we rob You?" In tithes and offerings." Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:8-10.

Goal 2 - Live life intentionally

We have been given life so that we may "worship God and enjoy Him forever". That's it. That's the purpose of our lives. To worship God is to submit to His authority in all things in our lives. Instead of losing the precious gift of life by letting life happen to us or by ignoring our purpose, we want to live intentionally so that we fulfill our purpose. By following God's advice to us, we will live in such a way as to be able to say of our lives, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7.

Goal 3 - Discover God's call for your life

Just as Jesus called His disciples, God calls us to join Him in a relationship that is based on His incredible love. This involves discovering the ministry God has equipped us to do in the church and in the community. Our spiritual gifts give us energy and enthusiasm and we love to do the things that we are gifted to do. Exercising our spiritual gifts is a true blessing and we embrace the "work" with excitement and joy. Too many times we take on ministry in the church based on our skills and abilities and find that we become tired, frustrated, burned out. We have confused our spiritual gifts with our abilities. We think we are doing God's work but, in fact, work that God has not asked us to do, no matter how necessary and valuable, is not God's work. We need to know how God has gifted us in order to deepen our relationship with Him. A spiritual gifts survey is available to the entire congregation so that we may all discover our true gifts. "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." Romans 12:6-8.

Worship and Music

The committee is responsible for assisting with worship each Sunday as well as special services during the church year. You can participate in the work of this committee by taking part in the music program, being an usher, head usher, greeter, sound technician, or liturgist, and helping in preparation for special services. Elders and deacons, both current and past, may serve communion

Congregational Care

This committee oversees care clusters (geographical groupings of members) which care for and support members by providing food, transportation, cards and prayers.  The committee also provides spiritual nurture for the congregation through the prayer group and prayer chain, Disciple Bible Study and other small groups, and various seminars and workshops.

Fellowship

The fellowship committee provides opportunities for the members, friends, and families of the church to get to know each other so that they may better become one family of God. It plans social and recreational events for the entire church as well as activities for groups of people with similar interests. Typical Fellowship events include the Church picnic, dinner clubs, bowling events, pot-lucks, holiday events, sporting events, etc. This committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month.

Missions

The Mission Committee is responsible for local and global mission activity for our church. Some of our local missions include GRACE (Grapevine Relief and Clothing Exchange), Kairos Prison Ministry, Habitat for Humanity, and the Presbyterian Night Shelter. Our global missions include the Heifer Project International, Church World Services CROP Walk, Presbyterian Disaster Services, and the Christian Mission Hospital in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, which directly supports the work of Doctors Leslie and Cynthia Morgan and family.