First Congregational Church of Cheshire

Boards and Committees

* denotes that one must be an active church member in order to serve on this board or committee.

Click here for available Boards and Committees Reports.

Executive Board*

Purpose: To coordinate, promote, and evaluate the ministry and welfare of our church.

Meetings: First Tuesday of every month.

Responsibilities: The executive board is composed of a president, vice-president, clerk, representatives from all the major boards and committees (often the chairs) and “at large” delegates who represent smaller groups. Together they are responsible for discerning the congregation’s shared vision for the First Church, and provide ongoing leadership according to that vision, especially in matters of concern to more than one board or committee.

Board of Deacons*

Purpose: To share with the ministers in building and supporting our church’s spiritual life.

Meetings: Third Tuesday of every month.

Responsibilities: Ongoing duties include assisting with communion services and baptisms, delivering flowers to shut-ins, overseeing the Parish Associate selection process, and if necessary, initiate and recommend a pastoral search committee. They evaluate the performance of the ministers annually. Deacons also organize the 50 Year Member Luncheon and help with the confirmation pot luck supper.

Board of Trustees*

Purpose: To care for our church’s physical properties and to maintain its financial stability.

Meetings: Second Tuesday evening every month.

Responsibilities: The Board of Trustees approves and disburses all funds for budgeted expenses. They receive, hold and invest our church’s permanent funds, gifts and special funds. They are responsible for safeguarding and maintaining all church property and regulating its use. The Trustees oversee the hiring and yearly performance evaluation of our church’s support staff.

Board of Outreach*

Purpose:To reach out to our community, the surrounding communities, and God's world.

Meetings: Fourth Tuesday of the month.

Responsibilities: Members of the Board of Outreach make decisions for continuing support for many ongoing projects, such as the Waterbury Area Soup Kitchens, local food and fuel banks, women’s emergency shelters, Habitat for Humanity, UCC Missionaries, and our own Youth Group’s summer mission trips. The Board also answers special requests from members of our church for financial support for new organizations. They sponsor refugee families and Foster children. They conduct and publicize several special offerings, reach out to others in their time of need and keep our Church informed on social issues.

Board of Christian Education*

Purpose: To work with the Director of Christian Education in building educational ministries for all ages.

Meetings: Fourth Tuesday evening of every month.

Responsibilities: Members of this board work on selecting curriculum, recruiting teachers, maintaining classroom conditions, and supervising the youth director. They coordinate with other church groups and programs to meet Christian education needs in all areas including adults. They also oversee special events, such as communion and Bible potluck dinners, church school open house, and Children’s Sunday.

Board of Music*

Purpose: To work with the Director of Music in building our church’s music ministry.

Meetings: Second Monday of every month.

Responsibilities: Members of the Board of Music work with the Director of Music in evaluating and directing our church’s music program. They are asked to evaluate the Music Director’s performance annually, and assist in the upkeep of the instruments, robes, music and other materials associated with the music program.

Board of Stewardship

Purpose: To inspire our Church family to serve God with our gifts and resources.

Meetings: One meeting per month with increased frequency during the fall months.

Responsibilities: Members of this board encourage stewardship as the ongoing response of an individual to Jesus Christ; including the giving by members and nonmembers of money, time, talents, property, and gifts in kind to our church. Further responsibilities include making pledge cards available to the church family, collecting and recording all pledges, making follow-up contact to persons who have not returned a pledge card and submitting all monetary pledges to the Financial Secretary.

Flower Committee

Purpose: To arrange for the presence of of flowers for the weekly services and special events.

Meetings: One organizational meeting per year.

Responsibilities: The flower committee is divided into two groups, callers and runners. The callers make sure that the people who are donating memorial flowers are contacted in their appropriate month. The runners deliver the church vases to the correct florist. Members also arrange the flowers and decorations in the sanctuary at Christmas and Easter.

Fellowship Committee

Purpose: To build a sense of community and foster congregational fellowship.

Meetings: 6 times per year.

Responsibilities: This committee finds greeters for all church services, organizes and hosts special receptions, such as for Children’s’ Day. They work with the boards, committees and groups inviting them to serve as hosts and warm welcomers at the Coffee Hour.

Library Committee

Purpose: To oversee the contents and maintenance of the church library and to promote its use.

Meetings: One morning per month.

Responsibilities: Members are responsible for reviewing and cataloguing all of the library contents and establishing rules for its appropriate use. Members can make additional acquisitions as funds are available.

History Committee

Purpose: To preserve the historical records of our church and to assure their continuing availability.

Meetings: Four daytime meetings per year.

Responsibilities: Members preserve and make known the wonderful and rich history of our church.

Personnel Committee*

Purpose: To develop and administer uniform personnel policies for the staff of our church.

Meetings: Quarterly.

Responsibilities: Members develop and maintain a comprehensive set of written personnel policies, personnel procedures and job descriptions for the church staff. Personnel also must review and update salaries and benefit programs and oversee staff evaluations annually. They maintain the official personnel records of our church in an appropriate confidential manner.

Membership Committee

Purpose: To assist in making disciples and spreading and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

Meetings: 3-4 times a year, plus attend one new member orientation meeting per session.

Responsibilities: Members work primarily to welcome and assist those interested in becoming new members. With the pastors, they organize three new member orientation sessions (three meetings each) and three new member receptions annually. They are responsible on an ongoing basis for making sure that the new members are familiarized with all aspects of the church and find ways to share their interests, gifts and talents. The committee also hosts the annual new member’s picnic.

Delegates*

Purpose: To build our church’s ministries with the wider ministries of the U.C.C. and other church partnerships.

Meetings: One weekday meeting per month or Saturday or Sunday.

Responsibilities: Delegates must review the preparations that are necessary for attending their organization’s meetings, attend the meetings and report back to the Executive Board after each meeting.

Ushering Committee

Purpose: To provide ushers at all services of our church.

Meetings: None.

Responsibilities: Members may act as ushers themselves or be responsible for securing and training of a staff of ushers.

Nominating Committee

Purpose: To help people connect their gifts and their talents with the opportunities to serve in our church.

Meetings: Weekly evening meeting during September, October and November if necessary.

Responsibilities: Members compile a list of people to be asked to serve on the various boards and committees. This list is divided among the committee members who make phone contact with the nominees. They work until all vacant positions have been filled and the nominees are approved by the church membership.

* denotes that one must be an active church member in order to serve on this board or committee.