Ministry Boards

Six different Ministry Boards plan and organize the work of the Church.

Assets & Resources  The Assets and Resources Ministry Board is responsible for the management of all financial and real property assets of the Church as directed by the church membership or the Executive Council. This Board is also responsible for North Church stewardship activities, including our annual pledge drive.

The House and Grounds volunteer Activity Team is responsible for maintaining the outside and the inside of the Church property.  The Investment Committee is responsible for reviewing and overseeing the investment funds; the Committee meets occasionally to discuss current issues and the entire Board meets annually with the bank and investment fund managers.

The Assets and Resources Board is responsible for preparing the proposed Annual Budget after reviewing the independent budgets submitted by all other Ministry Boards and Committees. The budget is then sent to Executive Council for review and recommendation, before the Board presents it to the congregation for their vote at the Annual Business Meeting.

Diaconate   The Diaconate is the heart and soul of North Church, with responsibilities for the physical and spiritual well-being of our congregation. This includes assisting with Communion and Baptisms and providing representation at other important events in the life of the church. In addition, the Diaconate Ministry Board is responsible for staying in contact with members unable to attend regular worship services and planning special activities designed to let our members and friends know we are thinking of them.

Education   The Education Ministry Board works with the ministerial staff developing and implementing programs for members of all ages – from the nursery, to Sunday School, to adult Bible study. This creative group reviews curricula to be used in the Sunday School, comes up with educational activities for teens that won’t elicit moans of anticipated boredom, and responds to the interests of adults with study opportunities.  This Board coordinates with our Senior Minister to provide virtual education opportunities for children and adults.

Fellowship   The Fellowship Ministry Board works with the ministerial staff developing and implementing social programs for members of all ages. This creative group plans Rally Day (the fall Sunday kick off of the new school year) and the Christmas Craft Workshop at the beginning of the Advent season.  This event features craft making opportunities for children and adults, and a visit from Santa Claus.  There’s the Ice Cream Social in June that coincides with the end of Sunday School for the summer, and recognition of teachers.  

This Board plans and coordinates our coffee hour after worship.  The Fellowship Board also organizes the various after-worship meals we have throughout the Church year, and encourages and helps coordinate the Church’s other social activities, such as men’s breakfast, Flick Chicks, and Mascots.

Missions   The Missions Ministry Board is responsible for planning and organizing the Church’s benevolence, mission, and outreach work.  This Board coordinates Church mission activities, such as volunteering at Crossroads, participating and help sponsoring CROP Walk, and participating in work with Camp Restore in Detroit.  This Board coordinates mission activities with other area Congregational Churches via the Southeast Michigan Association of Congregational Churches.  The Missions Ministry Board is also responsible for our interfaith activities with other local religious organizations, such as participating in interfaith worship services during the holidays.  The Board makes decisions about using the benevolence budget to make monetary donations to a wide variety of charitable organizations. 

Worship/Ushers   The Worship Ministry Board is responsible for planning and coordinating all aspects of our worship service with our Senior Minister and Church staff.  This includes arranging for greeters and lay readers, supporting our Director of Music for choral and instrumental portions of worship, and providing ushers for our in-building worship.

The ushers do much more than hand out bulletins prior to the worship service.  They are often the first Church members a visitor meets.  Ushers make sure all is in readiness prior to the service – water for the minister and lay readers, audio equipment to record the service.  Hearing aids and large print materials are on hand for those worshippers who need them. 

The North Church Executive Council provides direction and coordination for the Ministry Boards.

The affairs of the Church, spiritual and temporal, are conducted and managed by the Executive Council on behalf of the congregation, with ratification of council decisions and actions at periodic meetings of the entire Congregation.

The Executive Council consists of:

• Moderator
• Clerk
• Treasurer

Plus the six Chairpersons of our Ministry Boards.   The Minister is an ex officio member of the Council, without vote.