Barbara Wahle
Gloria Dei!
Council President

Worship
"Worship the Lord with Gladness; Come into His gates with Thanksgiving"      Psalm 100: 2 & 4

      This team has the responsibility for everything that goes into making worship meaningful. This includes the altar Guild, ushers, communion assistants, readers, greeters, sound system technicians, nursery attendants, acolytes, planning special worship experiences, and Praise Cafe. Also a part of the team’s responsibility is helping the music director plan our concert series.

Schedule for special Worship Serveices and Commemorations for 2006-2007

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Don Smith

Lianne Turner
Sunday School Superintendent

Learning

     The major responsibilities of the education team are Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. With the number of children that Gloria Dei! has this is indeed a large task. Most of the Adult Education classes are planned by the pastors and the parish counselor. This last year the Christian Education team under the leadership of the chair remodeled classrooms and made the hallway more worshipful.

     Gloria Dei! youth programs are a vibrant part of the congregational life. We have groups for elementary, Middle school, and High School children. In addition this teams monitors and encourages the leadership of the SNL (Sunday Night Live Worship the first Sunday of the month at 6:00 p.m.).

     This Learning team also organizes programs and services that promote Spiritual and emotional well being and wholeness. It organizes quiet days, retreats, staffs the prayer chain, sends notes and prayers to the ill, organizes the prayer vigils, and provides meals for families in need (sick, hospitalized, grieving etc).

BOOKS FOR SALE - Check out the Gloria Dei! Book Cart, located in the Narthex. PLEASE remember to follow the simple payment directions located on the cash box on the cart. It will help with the inventory. Any questions - please see Jill Lowe.

CROSSROADS - is a spiritual nurture group open to all women. Crossroads meets every Wednesday evening from 7:00 p.m. - 9 p.m. Discussion are usually focused around a selected book. Many of our past book selections are available on the Book Cart in the Narthex.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH - Check out our Spiritual Growth web page for topics of special interest and links to many outstanding sites.

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Witness

     It is the goal of this team to warmly welcome all members and visitors and to help them know they are valued at Gloria Dei! The team plans new member classes and reception.

     If you are interested in finding out more about membership in Gloria Dei!, call the church office to set up an appointment to meet with one of the pastors or see when the next new membership class is scheduled.

     This team is charged with the responsibility of helping our members know each other and our programming better as well as communicating our ministry events to the wider community. It has developed this web site, developed a new pictorial directory, and through the church office sends out daily Email devotions. It advertises in the local paper and other local publications Congregational events so that as many as possible know what is happening at Gloria Dei! This team explores the many new and exciting ways that we can use technology to communicate God’s grace to as many people as possible.

    So much of Jesus' ministry dealt with restoring health to people. God wishes us to be shole persons spiritually, physically and emotionally. This ministry team includes the parish nurse and offers programs that promote greater health.

DRADA - is a support group for individuals who are involved with someone who is experiencing depression, manic depression, anxiety, and other affective disorders. DRADA meetings are held once a month. The group is for members of Gloria Dei!, and members of the community, as well. Please contact the church office for further details regarding dates and times.

BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS - See Pat Kopf, our Parish Nurse, the 1st and 3rd Sundays, between services, in the church office.

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Art Klein

Service

        This team is responsible for global mission. This involves keeping in touch with and planning visits to our sister congregations in Slovakia and El Salvador. We have begun the process of developing a relationship with a church in Tanzania and also a group in Madagascar. This group is also responsible for the purchases and sale of shade grown coffee.

    The Social Ministry part of this team cares for those who are outside the congregation. Among other things it provides periodic dinners at the Lighthouse Shelter, Supports My Brother’ Food Pantry, helps people in need, donates100 turkeys and 20 dinners to families at Christmas and Thanksgiving, organizes educational events on AIDS and Love in Action. For the past two years we have worked with the homeless of the county by providing food and place to sleep as part of the county-wide Winter Relief program sponsored by a group of churches in Anne Arundel County.

MY BROTHER'S PANTRY and S.P.A.N. - Food donations are accepted every Sunday at Gloria Dei! You may place your donations of food items on the cart in the Narthex. Much needed items are peas, baked beans, toddler diapers. Thank you for the past urgent need of peanut butter, jellies, and cereal.

CHORES AND MORE - is an outreach ministry serving the Broadneck Community. This ministry serves people who are shut-ins, elderly, temporarily homebound, in a jam, or just need a helping hand. Gloria Dei! is one of the churches on the Broadneck Peninsula that helps sponsor this outreach. Periodically volunteers are needed to fix a meal, pick up medicine, provide a ride, etc. If this is a ministry that is of interest to you, call the office.

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Support

Stewardship
  This group does more than organize the fall every member response. Stewardship is a way of life. It includes stewardship of time, talent, and treasure. Part of our plan for the future is to have a volunteer coordinator, who will oversee the many volunteer functions of the congregation.

A Note From Pastor Tom...
     Our congregational response to God comes in the form of ministry. We want as many people as possible to understand the unconditional love of God. Too many are only told of their sinful nature. They need to know they are God's beloved children. This takes commitment of time, talent, and treasure. What can you give to this ministry? "We give thee but thine own."

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Barbara Wahle