Service Opportunities

Let Us Serve with Gladness!

Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.

Current Opportunities for Giving and Sharing

Crafts for Missions: The Prayer Quilt Group has been working on items to be used in mission projects. These items are simple creations and projects that will mean so much to those who receive them.

The group's May meeting was devoted to learning about the “Gift of the Heart” kits that are so important to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program. Marlyn gave a presentation on what is included in the “kits,” along with general information and some instructions. The June and July meetings were devoted to completing items in the Gift of the Heart kits.

People who enjoy any type of sewing, crocheting, or craft are very welcome to join the group for this special mission effort. You don't need to sew; there's always a need for cutting, pressing, and numerous other talents. There is even the occasional need to rip out a mistake! To learn more, please call the church office at 850.877.4428 and ask to speak with Rita or Evalyn.

E.C.H.O. continues to need your support. Bring non-perishable food items and small toiletries to the Narthex (entry) and put them in the bin. They're delivered to E.C.H.O. whenever the bin fills!

Weekly Service Opportunities, from A to (YO)U:

Acolytes (Assistant to the Pastor)
Children (of a safe age), youth, and adults are invited to serve as Acolytes at our Sunday worship services. At Lafayette, our Acolytes use a candlelighter to "carry the light" into our sanctuary and light the candles at the front of the church. At the end of the service, they re-light the wick on the candlelighter to symbolically carry the light out into the world. Then they use the bell-shaped snuffer on the candlelighter to snuff out the candles, and carry the light back up the aisle and out of the sanctuary. Training is available: call the church at (850) 877-4428 for information.
Child Care
We joyously provide child care for children up to and including preschool-aged children. We ask a member of our congregation to help our regular Nursery Attendant care for these children each Sunday in the Nursery. The Nursery is equipped with love; age-appropriate toys; playpen; changing table; comfy glider-rockers; short, faith-based stories and movies; and more. As you serve, you can remain part of worship, which is piped in from the sanctuary. Sign up in the Narthex!
Sound System Monitors
The Worship Committee invites you to be trained how to monitor the system during worship. The new system will no longer require the operator to sit at the back of the sanctuary—it can be monitored easily on an iPad from anywhere in the sanctuary. If you are interested or would like more info, please call the church office at 850.877.4428 and ask to speak with Margaret, Chair of the Worship Committee.
Ushering
Often the first person to meet guests and regular attendees, our ushers greet worshippers, distribute bulletins, provide activity bags to young children, and answer questions. They also distribute the friendship pads and gather worshippers' tithes (financial gifts) for God's work through the church. It's a great way to get to know everyone! See any usher to learn how you can volunteer to help "ush."

Monthly Opportunities: Committee Service

Several of the opportunities listed below are committees, all of which meet at 6:30 PM on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. This work is then reported to the Session and, upon occasion, approval for specific committee work. Read the descriptions below to learn how you can use your talents and interests to contribute to the work of our church.

Administration & Finance Committee (Elder Tom P., Chair)
Volunteers interested in finance and budgets oversee the budget and all financial and administration matters of the church. More specifically, committee members review financial statements each month, monitor administrative and financial functions of the church, and provide guidance to other committees during the budget process. To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.
Christian Education Committee (Ruling Elder Bob H., Chair)
Volunteers interested in children, families, and adult Christian Education help select curriculum, train class leaders, support a weekly Bible study, plan for Rally Day in the fall, and plan for Vacation Bible School (VBS) in the summer. To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.

Evangelism & Outreach Committee (Elder Sandy K., Chair)
Volunteers on this Committee connect with visitors who ask for further contact. They are also responsible for the website as a communications tool to help potential visitors learn about Lafayette and help regular attendees stay in touch with what's happening at and through Lafayette. To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.

Membership Committee (Ruling Elder Martha Ann M., Chair)
Volunteers on this Committee help organize various meals and receptions at our church and provide opportunities for attendees and visitors to have an opportunity to build the relationships that are so important to building and maintaining our faith. One of this Committee's best-loved events is the Annual Ice Cream Social each August! Yum! To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.

Mission Committee (Elder Mary K., Chair)
Lafayette is a "tithing" church, which means that at least 10% of the budget is dedicated to giving and serving outward. Volunteers on this Committee review needs in our community and beyond and determine how best to help others through direct donations and hands-on service. To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.

Property Committee (Ruling Elder Ken J., Chair)
From the fountain that graces the pond at the road-front edge of our property to the AC, light bulbs, general upkeep of the church's 4 buildings and gazebo, and maintaining our beautiful grounds, this Committee manages professional services, as necessary, and provides volunteer service to make certain we are good stewards of God's blessings. To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.

Stewardship Committee (Chair - vacant)
Volunteers on this Committee work with the congregation to gather pledges on an annual basis. These pledges determine the bulk of the church's budget. To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.

Worship Committee (Ruling Elder Margaret W., Chair)
Committee volunteers plan for regular and special services throughout the year, preparing the elements (bread and "wine") for each Communion Service, providing visual support for various church seasons and events, and a great deal more. To learn more, click on the Annual Report button for this Committee at the right.

Other Service Opportunities:

Buck Lake Road Clean-up
After the "Men of the Church" Breakfast each quarter, volunteers put on reflective vests, gather trash bags and their "trash-grabbers," and head over to Buck Lake Road (nearby) to help keep God's great, green earth clean and beautiful. The Boy Scouts sometimes join in this effort, too, as a community service in the church's name, for which we thank them!
Church Work Days
Hosted twice annually by the Property Committee, these are FUN days! Washing windows is so much more fun at God's House! We "divide and conquer" to weed flower beds, trim shrubs, wash curtains, rake, clean out storage areas, paint - whatever needs to be done to refresh our buildings and grounds for Palm Sunday and Easter, and again in the fall. Bring rakes, window cleaner, and roll up your sleeves - these are days of service and fellowship you won't want to miss!