Diaconate Calendar

January

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Review the affectivity of the Advent and Christmas events with the Pastor. Note any changes needed for the next events;

2. Remove and put away the Christmas decorations;

3. Check the Ash Wednesday date. If before the February meeting arrange to get the altar cloths changed from white to purple on Ash Wednesday;

4. Arrange for February’s communion servers and greeters;

5. Check if there are Confirmation Class duties. Usually there are Confirmation Classes every Sunday for a period of time in the spring, and the Confirmands become members of Our Congregation on or around Pentecost. The Diaconate should receive a list of the Confirmands, but voting on accepting them and notifying the Clerk with names of those who are accepted will be done by the Council;

6. Do not plan to hold Confirmation on the same Sunday as Graduation Recognition;

7. Tie up any loose ends; there will be a new Diaconate for the February meeting;

8. Check on Bible Study and/or discussion groups during Lent;

9. Rough out plans for Maundy Thursday.

February

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Check with the Pastor for the Ash Wednesday date. If before the March meeting arrange to get the Altar cloths changed from white to purple on Ash Wednesday;

2. Arrange for March’s communion servers and greeters;

3. Review the Diaconate budget voted at the recent Annual Meeting of Our Congregation;

4. Review the Duties, Procedures and Requirements of the Diaconate;

5. Review Conflict of Interest Policy and fill out and sign the Declaration Form;

6. Formulate plans for Maundy Thursday (Thursday before Easter) and determine what will be done and by whom. Solicit volunteers from the youth group and the congregation. Place a notice regarding the service in the monthly newsletter;

7. Raise questions about Palm Sunday (sometimes new members are welcomed), the Easter Sunrise Service (generally there are no specific tasks for the Diaconate at this service), and the Easter Sunday Service (usually the Diaconate delivers lilies to the homebound and other members after the service);

8. If new members are not ready to be welcomed on Palm Sunday, talk about when is a good time. New members may be welcomed at any time except on a Sunday when there is a Meeting of Our Congregation’s membership for a vote on Bylaw changes, major financial transactions, etc.;

9. Check with the Pastor for the date of Confirmation Sunday and the need for Diaconate Support or help with the Confirmation class;

10. Appoint service persons or teams as appropriate, e.g. a Flower and Card Person, a Fellowship Person, a Mission Support Person, a Visiting Team Administrator, and others as may be needed or seem appropriate. They do not have to be Diaconate Team Members or even members of Our Congregation;

11. Consider plans for Laity Sundays, at times later on in the year. The Diaconate coordinates the Lay Service by deciding on a theme and organizing the speakers, music, etc.

March

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Check for the Ash Wednesday date. If after the March meeting arrange to get the altar cloths changed from white to purple on Ash Wednesday. When Easter occurs before the April Diaconate Meeting arrange to get the Altar cloths changed from purple to white on the Saturday before Easter Sunday;

2. Arrange for April’s communion servers and greeters;

3. Follow up on plans for Laity Sundays if there are to be any;

4. Organize activities for Holy Week including Easter Sunday:

a. Arrange any needed rehearsals (e.g. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunrise, and Easter Service). Inquire if the Pastor needs assistance with any of these;

b. Make sure candles are available for any special Lenten services;

c. Arrange for setup of the Easter plants. Usually this is done on the Saturday just prior to Easter Sunday. Ask the Flower and Card person to check with the Office for assistance with determining the persons who should receive plants;

d. Arrange for delivery of flowers to the homebound and others after the Easter Sunday service.

*Have Mission support suggest the mission portion of Lenten offering to the Council.

*Prepare to solicit donations for Easter flowers to decorate the sanctuary and then to be delivered to homebound and others.

*Determine what services will be held during Holy week and begin planning. These may include: Palm Sunday, Reception of New Members, Passover Seder, Tenebrae, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunrise.

*Obtain permission, if necessary, to use Sunrise service location.

*Check and order Holy week supplies.

April

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. When Easter occurs after the April Diaconate Meeting, arrange to change the Altar cloths from purple to white on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. When Easter occurs in March, arrange to change the Altar cloths from white to red (for Pentecost) between the 6th and 7th Sundays following Easter Sunday and from red to green between the 7th and 8th Sundays following Easter;

2. When Easter has occurred in March or earlier in April, review the Easter activities and note any changes which may be needed for next year;

3. Discuss summer services and whether we will conduct them on our own or coordinate with another congregation. If on our own will they be on Sunday or some other day, and on what dates will they start and stop? Also, how many services will need a guest preacher and who will it be?

4. Arrange for May’s communion servers and greeters;

5. Find out the dates for Children’s Sunday and High School Graduate recognition Sunday. Don’t overbook these Sundays. Graduates need time to prepare for ceremonies at the High School;

6. Check with the Pastor for the date of Confirmation Sunday which is usually around Pentecost.

May

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. When Easter has occurred in April arrange to change the Altar cloths from white to red between the 6th and 7th Sundays following Easter Sunday. Note that some years the 7th Sunday, Pentecost, could be the 1st Sunday in June. Between the 7th and 8th Sundays following Easter, change the Altar cloths from red to green.

2. When Easter has occurred in April after the Diaconate meeting, review the Easter activities and note any changes which may be needed for next year;

3. Arrange for June’s communion servers and greeters;

4. Check with the Pastor on Confirmation and Graduation Sunday celebrations;

5. Make definite plans for summer services, and if we are joining with another congregation include one or more joint communion services. Request the Office Manager to notify the local newspapers of the locations, dates, and times and that the voice mail for the Church Office be updated accordingly;

6. Ask the Pastor about her/his vacation plans;

June

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Arrange for July, August, and September’s communion servers and greeters as necessary;

2. Arrange for coverage in the hospitals and other visitations when the Pastor is absent during the summer months. The Pastor may have a reciprocal coverage arrangement with another minister to ensure that Pastoral Care is available during the summer. Our Congregation’s members will be asked to request a Diaconate member or the Church Office Manager to notify a Pastor if needed;

3. Make sure all Diaconate members and the Church Office Manager know how to contact each other and the Pastor over the Summer months and what to do if a minister is not available;

4. Update the Parishioner Support lists and notify the Church Office Manager about contact people. Also ask the Church Office Manager to put a notice in the weekly Order of Worship soliciting volunteers and explaining what these groups do;

5. Complete plans for the summer services including any communion services. If we are meeting with another congregation during the summer, contact the Chair (or equivalent) of their Diaconate and offer our participation and request theirs. Follow up with the Church Office Manager to make sure notifications about summer services are in the local newspapers and on the Church voice mail;

6. Determine if the Diaconate will host a dinner for members and their families who have joined Our Congregation since last September. Pick a date and ask the new members to RSVP to the Church Office Manager.

July and August

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Arrange for any needed special meetings. Usually the Diaconate does not meet during July and August;

2. Follow up with the Office Manager that notifications to the local newspapers and the Church voice mail of the change in Church service times coming up in September are in place.

September

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. The Altar cloths should continue at Green during all of September;

2. Arrange for October’s communion servers and greeters;

3. Review the summer activities;

4. Plan the World Wide Communion Service (1st Sunday in October. Make sure a notice is placed in the Order of Worship at least one week prior and an announcement is made during the service the week prior;

5. Consider any other special events between September and Advent e.g. Thanksgiving Eve;

6. Update the Parishioner Support lists and notify the Church Office Manager about contact people. Also ask the Church Office Manager to put a notice in the weekly Order of Worship soliciting volunteers and explaining what these groups do;

October

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in our activities;

b) In cases of illness and death, render personal service if such action seems desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Arrange to change the Altar Cloths from green to red for Reformation Sunday, the Sunday falling Oct. 24th to 30th. If Oct. 31st is a Sunday then from red to green, otherwise from red to white for All Saints Sunday, the 1st Sunday in November and back to green for the Sundays following;

2. Arrange for November’s communion servers and greeters;

3. Establish a flower/decorations team for Christmas;

4. Develop plans for Advent. Ask the Office Manager to order candles for the Advent wreath, Blue Christmas (many different sized small candles are needed for the Blue Christmas Service, when there is one, including votives, pillars, etc. so that candles will stand upright when lighted) and the Christmas Eve service including protectors (bobeches) for the Christmas Eve candles;

5. Make arrangements for the Advent Wreath to be placed in the Sanctuary at the proper time in November in preparation for the 1st Sunday in Advent;

6. Begin compiling a list of homebound and those who are bereaved so they will receive a poinsettia at Christmas. A good way to do this is to review the year’s weekly Orders of Worship;

7. Plan an All Saints remembrance ceremony;

8. Determine where the Thanksgiving Eve Service will be held and discuss with the Pastor. If it is to be held in Our Church, plan for post service hospitality;

9. Plan for performance appraisals and initiate action to gather data.

November

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable;

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Arrange to change the Altar Cloths from green to purple for the 4 Sundays before Christmas;

2. Arrange for December’s communion servers and greeters;

3. Double check plans for Advent and ensure that candles, bobeches, and any other accoutrements for the Advent events have come in;

4. Develop suggestions for next year’s Diaconate members and deliver to the Moderator;

5. Develop and document a budget request for the ensuing year;

6. Ask the Pastor if any special assistance is needed for the mid-week Thanksgiving Service;

7. Update arrangements for any special Advent Sundays, e.g. a family from the congregation usually assists in lighting the candles each week;

8. If there is a Blue Christmas Service being held in early December place a notice in local Newspapers and place a notice in the Church sign at least a week before the service;

9. Arrange for a team to decorate the Church edifice and the sanctuary for Advent;

10. Initiate preliminary planning for Epiphany;

11. Prepare performance appraisals. Don’t forget to excuse anyone present who is being appraised.

*Develop plans for Advent and Christmas events which may include:

1) Any Bible study, discussion groups, etc. during Advent.

2) Sanctuary and building exterior decoration.

3) Advent wreath lighting ceremonies.

4) Blue Christmas.

5) Music Concert.

6) Caroling for homebound.

7) Solicitation of donations for Christmas flowers.

8) Delivery of Christmas flowers to homebound and others.

9) Candlelight Christmas Eve Service.

10) Late night Christmas Eve service.

*Check & order Advent/Christmas materials (candles, bobeches etc.)

*Order Christmas flowers.

*Have Mission support suggest the mission portion of Advent offering to the Council.

*Finalize Advent event plans.

*Set or confirm date to decorate Sanctuary and building exterior. (Usually the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent.)

*Determine, with Pastor and office input, recipient list for Christmas flowers to be delivered both after Christmas Sunday and Christmas eve service.

*Chose date to begin flower donation solicitation. (Usually in Dec. newsletter and service bulletins beginning late November).

*Place notices to advertise special Advent/Christmas events to both the congregation and the town.

*Check on Advent/Christmas materials

*Set date to arrange Christmas flowers. (Usually before 3rd Sunday of Advent) Check with Christian Development if there will be a pageant requiring space on Altar platform.

*Select, with the Pastor, a date for Epiphany.

December

a) Take note of persons without church affiliation and new persons moving into Town; invite them to participate in Our Congregation;

b) In cases of illness and death, represent Our Congregation by rendering personal service if such action is deemed desirable.

c) Meeting Considerations:

1. Arrange to change the Altar cloths from purple to white for Christmas Sunday;

2. Arrange for January’s communion servers and greeters;

3. Decide on subscribing to Upper Room and any other periodicals;

4. Finalize plans for the Christmas Eve Candle Light Service including holding a rehearsal if necessary. Decide on an appropriate number of people to take their lighted candles to each end of each pew to transfer the flame to the congregation’s candles. These may be current and past Diaconate members along with other volunteers. Check to make sure fire extinguishers and fire blankets are available and serviceable and that sufficient ushers are available and trained in their use in case there is a fire emergency. Also make sure the Pastor or someone in authority announces safe procedures for transferring flame.

5. Follow up with the team appointed to decorate the Church edifice and sanctuary if it has not yet been done:

6. Arrange for delivery of flowers to the homebound and bereaved after the Christmas Sunday Service. The Flower person should have a list and direct this distribution;

7. Determine if the Annual Report of the Pastoral Relations Team, Missions, Music, and the Pastor should be included with the Diaconate Team’s Annual Report or if some or all should stand alone and designate a Team member or members to inform the appropriate persons;

8. Review the cost, format, and content of an ad in the Scout phonebook and make any needed or desirable changes;

9. Finalize plans for Epiphany;

10. Review the Diaconate budget requests and recommendations and arrange for its delivery to the Finance Team;

11. Set up delivery of Performance Appraisals to the Pastor, Diaconate employees, and selected volunteers.