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OUR

MINISTRIES

From "A Song of Faith"

We are each given particular gifts of the Spirit.  For the sake of the world, God calls all followers of Jesus to Christian ministry.  In the church some are called to specific ministries of leadership, some witness to the good news, some uphold the art of worship, some comfort the grieving and guide the wandering, some build up the community of wisdom, some stand with the oppressed and work for justice.  To embody God's love in the world, the work of the church requires and ministry and discipleship of all believers.

Property and Facilities

Property and Facilities maintains and repairs the building and most of the grounds surrounding the church. Our custodian is directly supervised by the Property committee, and when the custodian goes on holidays, committee members cover his duties. 

 

The committee is responsible for addressing issues with existing groups and renters, and for renting the rooms and Walker Hall to individuals or groups for meetings, musical practise, low-impact or meditative exercise, and fellowship events, whether for a one-time event or an ongoing basis. We also have a small music/office studio we rent out monthly, with an annual contract. 

 

Please call the office at 780-466-5822 to enquire about availability of rental space.

Finance

The Finance Committee at present is comprised of 4 members, including the Treasurer and Envelope Clerk.

The committee oversees the money of the church, arranging for 3 people to count the offering each Sunday, making the initial donation records, and preparing the deposit records.

The Finance Committee also reviews the monthly statements provided by the Treasurer.  The statements indicate the status of the various bank accounts, transfers between the accounts and a listing of payments the Treasurer makes on behalf of the church.  There is also a record of the church investments.  The monthly statements are also presented at each meeting of the Official Board.

Once each year the Financial records are reviewed by an external auditor.

Trustees

The Board of Trustees is  appointed by the congregation to act on their behalf to secure, preserve, and administer as necessary, the property of the congregation.  Property under the purview of Trustees can be "real", such as the church land or building(s), or "personal", such as investments, furniture, and equipment owned by the church/congregation.  This group answers directly to the Official Board and/or local Conference, and manages the property under their care as directed by the congregation.  There are currently five Trustees that serve the Strathearn United congregation.

Ministry and Personnel

The Ministry and Personnel (M&P) Committee coordinates the personnel-related aspects of the church. This includes recruitment and payroll associated matters for salaried staff, which currently consists of a Minister, Music Director, Musician, Custodian, and Office Administrator.

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The M&P Committee receives feedback from the congregation and liaises with the Official Board regarding the staff’s performance. The Committee meets periodically with each staff member to get their input and share information regarding their performance and development. On an ongoing basis, M&P Committee members are available to staff to provide support in matters of a personal or professional nature as needed.

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In summary, the Ministry and Personnel Committee’s function is one of coordination, liaison and support for our church staff.

Christian Education and Development

Vision Statement: To facilitate and support a community that encourages people to engage with Scripture and ask questions

 

Our hope is that this vision will encompass our Strathearn congregation and - in time - will reach beyond the walls of our church.

 

Adult Learning: We actively seek to hear and understand the Christian Development interests and needs of individuals and groups.  Our objective is to create opportunities for people to come and engage with Scripture in a welcoming and comfortable space – a place where people can ask questions freely, disagree respectfully, and where they feel safe in sharing personal experiences that serve to deepen and enrich the conversations.

 

Children and Youth: Strathearn has a long and rich Sunday School history, and is currently exploring new and flexible ways to meet the needs of our young families.

Worship

The Worship Committee works with the minister and music team to enable and facilitate worship.  We have a number of subcommittees, responsible for ushering, communion, maintaining the Memorial Garden, and decorating the sanctuary, including season rotation of a large number of handmade banners, and the special decorations for our Christmas Eve service.  In addition to Sunday worship, the committee hosts a number of events throughout the year.  One of our favourite new traditions is an evening of "Candles, Carols, and Cookies" as part of the Advent season.  We have also planned some themed Sunday worship services, such as Ugly Christmas Sweater day, and Silly Hat/Mardi Gras day.

Pastoral Care

The Pastoral Care Committee assists the Minister in monitoring the well-being of the congregation.  Committee members conduct weekly visits to those in hospital, care centers and residences, keeping those unable to attend services connected to their church family.

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In addition to in-person visits, members of Pastoral Care send out personalized cards and notes to commemorate anniversaries, celebrations of life and other important events, and reach out with a phone call to help keep members informed of what’s happening in the church.

We also deliver poinsettias, cards and hampers at Christmas to those in care.

Regional Representative

The Regional Representative for Strathearn United started the position with the new boundary and governance changes that came into effect across Canada in January 2019. The Rep is responsible for attending Regional meetings and conferences of the new Northern Spirit Regional Council (which consists of pastoral charges in northern Alberta and British Columbia, and the Yukon & Northwest Territories), and reporting back to the Official Board on the business of the larger Church.  The Representative has the opportunity to attend special events within the Church community, such as celebrating milestones with other United churches and attending installations of new ministry personnel in other congregations. The representatives are a way for congregations to stay connected and continue the good work that has always been done throughout the south-east Edmonton and area cluster of United Churches and the larger Church community.

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