Outreach/Missions Committee

Committee Chairpersons
Pat Rafter(2019)

Current Committee members (as of April 2016)
Doris Huston(2020)
Kris Harrinton(2018)
Donna Delay(2018)
Ruthann Paden(2019)

Description
To glorify God by taking part in one or more of the congregation's mission programs.

Activities
Monthly meeting (currently the 1st Monday of the month 7:00 pm), and various projects which have included over the years: Coffee hour, Visitation Team, Military Support Group, GNIHN, Share Baskets, maintain Food Pantry for the needy, Bibles collected and sent to churches in the South, Mother's Day Blankets, Tools of Hope, workday at various UM churches in our conference, Arks for Heifer Project, help with Economic Ministry in Maine, Lenten projects, Undie Sunday, Operation Shoe box, Christmas presents for shut-in Emergency team, Samaritan meals, Rebuilding Together, Crop Walk, Salvation Army bell ringing.

Fundraisers
Past fundraisers have included: May Fair, Valentine's Dinner, Super Bowl Super Sandwiches, donations at Coffee Hour, Nicaragua Covenant walk

Current Needs (August 2018)
At least 2 new members

Volunteer opportunities & job descriptions

Missions/Outreach Committee Member

Purpose of Ministry:
The purpose of serving as a Missions/Outreach Committee Member at the Milford United Methodist Church is to glorify God by taking part in one or more of the congregation's missions programs.

Objectives:
      *   To lead or assist in specific congregation missions projects
      *   To encourage or solicit the involvement of the congregation in missions projects.

Activities:
      *   Attend Missions/Outreach Committee Meetings - currently the 1st Monday of the month.
      *   Pray regularly for the Missions/Outreach Committee Leader and the persons being served by the congregation's missions program.
      *   Work with the committee in deciding upon missions priorities for the congregation. Some of the current organizations receiving money include: the Nicaragua Covenant, the Nashua Soup Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, Share, the Nashua Children's Home, and The Fold.
      *   Select mission projects for which you will take some responsibility.
      *   Work with the committee leader and other sources (e.g., your denomination) to gather information and resources for your projects.
   
      *   The following activities are examples of what can be done by interested members or the committee. These activities are added and/or dropped at the interest of the committee: shopping for school supplies for the Nashua Children's Home, writing letters to our 2 Compassion International children, organizing and implementing the Valentine's dinner, collecting items that should be distributed to SHARE, making Christmas baskets for our shut-in members, maintaining the church's food pantry for the needy, and fundraising events as deemed necessary.
      *   The Missions/Outreach Committee has recently committed to being a GNIHN host church. We will be responsible for up to 15 homeless people for a week at a time, about 4 times a year. We will need help in organizing the week, cooking, cleaning, fellowship, and other activities as needed by the GNIHN coordinator.   
      *   Assist the committee chair in any other area that the member feels comfortable in. This is a very sharing, empowering committee!

Related Gifts
Generous and caring spirit

Other Qualities:
Good facilitative and organizational skills, ability to work with people, baker, shopper, writing skills for anyone that wants to write for the newsletter

Reports to:
Missions/Outreach Committee Chair

Service Times:
One nightly meeting per month, help with different projects, and after church cookie duty a couple of months per year

Length of Service:
One year, renewable by mutual agreement

Training/Orientation:
On the job training!

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Hospital Visitor
Purpose of Ministry:
The purpose of serving as a Hospital Visitor at the Milford United Methodist Church is to glorify God by extending the congregation's care and concern to persons who are hospitalized

   Objectives:
      *   To be a reminder of Christ's love and the congregation's concern to a hospitalized person
      *   To minister to the hospitalized person's spiritual and emotional needs
      *   To discover the person's (or family's) needs for prayer or assistance and communicate these needs to the pastoral staff or lay leaders

Activities:   
      *   Receive the name(s) of hospitalized congregation members
      *   Pray for the person(s) prior to your visit(s)
      *   Visit the person(s) on your list at an appropriate time (e.g., not during meals) for 15-20 minutes
      *   Actively listen to the person's concerns and respond appropriately
      *   Read Scripture or pray with the person as he or she wishes
      *   Pass along relevant information to pastoral staff or lay leaders
      *   Attend meetings of Hospital Visitors
      *   Pray regularly for the person(s) you have visited and the visitation ministry
      *   Take communion or arrange for communion to be taken to the person

Related Gifts
Knowing, evangelism, faith, mercy, teaching the faith, encouragement, shepherding, helping, proclamation, healings, servanthood

Other Qualities:
Good listener, knowledge in appropriate use of Bible and prayer, ease in dealing with ill or dying people

Reports to:

Service Times:
Serve on a rotating basis depending upon number of Hospital Visitors, visiting each hospitalized member at least once during that period; participate in Hospital Visitors meetings

Length of Service:
Two year, renewable by mutual agreement

Training/Orientation:
      *   Instruction in listening skills, what to say and not say, appropriate use of Scripture and prayer, and relevant hospital policies
      *   Orientation and tour by hospital chaplain if available
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Coffee Hour Coordinator
Purpose of Ministry:
The purpose of serving as Coffee Hour Coordinator at the Milford United Methodist Church is to glorify God by organizing comfortable fellowship opportunities for members and visitors after the 10:30 worship service.

Objectives:
      *   To recruit, train and schedule Coffee Hour Assistants/Servers
      *   To ensure that supplies are available for the coffee hour
   
Activities:
      *   Recruit Coffee Hour Assistants/Servers to staff and provide or solicit food for the coffee hour
      *   Pray regularly for the Coffee Hour Assistants/Servers and the coffee hour ministry
      *   Develop a coffee hour rotation schedule, pairing assistants/servers
      *   Distribute the schedule and guidelines for serving at the coffee hour to assistants/servers
      *   Phone to remind people prior to their day of service
      *   Check supplies to ensure that there are adequate beverages, cups, napkins, plates, sugar, and cream
      *   Supervises the buying of supplies and submit receipts to the Outreach/Missions Leader

Other Qualities:
Warm, friendly, likes people, good host, well organized, and mingle!

Reports to:
Outreach/Missions Leader

Service Times:
Recruiting and training assistants/servers; weekly checking of supplies and calling schedule assistants/servers

Length of Service:
One year, renewable by mutual agreement

Training/Orientation:
Coffee hour procedures and use of kitchen equipment by the previous Coffee Hour Coordinator
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Coffee Hour Assistant/Server
Purpose of Ministry:
The purpose of serving as Coffee Hour Assistant/Server at the Milford United Methodist Church is to glorify God by organizing comfortable fellowship opportunities for members and visitors after the 10:30 worship service.

Objectives:
      *   To supply, prepare and serve refreshments during coffee hour
      *   To provide a welcoming coffee hour environment
      *   To clean up after coffee hour

Activities:   
      *   Pray regularly for the Coffee Hour Coordinator and the coffee hour ministry
      *   Receive coffee hour service schedule and guidelines from the Coffee Hour Coordinator, including notification of whom you are paired with
      *   Consult with your partner to divide responsibilities
      *   Prior to your assigned day, prepare (or solicit) refreshments for the coffee hour
      *   Arrive early to prepare coffee and other beverages and to set up serving tables
      *   Retrieve and set up cups, plates, napkins, and other supplies
      *   Leave worship a few minutes early to complete setup of food and beverages
      *   During the coffee hour, keep the refreshment table well stocked
      *   Welcome visitors
      *   Clean up after the coffee hour
      *   If you are unable to serve for your assigned week, notify the Coffee Hour Coordinator
   
Related Gifts
   
Other Qualities:
Warm, friendly, likes people, good host, dependable, and mingle!
   
Reports to:
Coffee Hour Coordinator
   
Service Times:
Setup, monitoring and cleanup of coffee hours as schedule
   
Length of Service:
One year, renewable by mutual agreement
   
Training/Orientation:
Instruction from Coffee Hour Coordinator regarding coffee hour procedures, use of kitchen equipment, and location of supplies
   
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Military Support Group

   Purpose of Ministry:
To reach out into our community in Christian love by supporting families of our deployed military personnel, and to support our military personnel stationed overseas.

Objectives:

Activities:
   This ministry has many areas for volunteers to help out including:
      *   writing a letter of support to be sent to a service person
      *   mailing letters
      *   bringing in an item to be sent in a care package
      *   boxing and sending care packages
      *   looking for donations to cover the costs of sending of care packages
      *   cooking, set up, tear down, and/or staffing events for families of deployed military
      *   helping by babysitting, setting up and/or making refreshments for the monthly support group meeting for families
      *   anything else we can dream of that would provide support for this group of people

Related Gifts

Other Qualities:
Loving & caring nature, good helper, baker, letter writer, cheerful, dreamer, party giver

Reports to:
Outreach Chair

Service Times:
Varies - we can use even a free hour to write a letter!

Length of Service:
Any time available

Training/Orientation:
Instruction from Coffee Hour Coordinator regarding coffee hour procedures, use of kitchen equipment, and location of supplies

See our Committee Contact page for more information.