Ministry Teams

Benevolence

The purpose of the Benevolence Ministry is to help the congregation and community by extending the love of Jesus in the form of food, fellowship, lending a helping hand, or just being there when there is a need. Currently we:

• Coordinate the food pantry
• Offer grants for utility bills, rent, and gasoline
• Serve meals to families after a funeral
• Deliver fruit baskets to our shut-ins at Christmas
• Deliver flowers to our shut-in at Christmas
• Collect gifts for area nursing homes
• Help with a birthday party twice a year at the nursing home

Contact People:
Mark Mathew
Phone Number: (217) 659-7809

Darren Beachy
Phone Number: (309) 333-5600
Email Address: pastor@laharpechristianchurch.com

Buildings and Grounds

The Buildings and Grounds Ministry Team is comprised of the elected trustees and others who wish to serve in this area. Its area of responsibility includes all the physical properties of the congregation with includes:

• The church building
• The church grounds
• The parsonage
• The church vehicles

The team oversees the use of the building and grounds and vehicles by those within and outside the congregation. The team will deal with needed maintenance and equipment needs for the ongoing ministry of the congregation.

Contact Person:
Wayne Bray
Phone Number (217) 659-3411

Children's Ministry

The Children’s Ministry Team consists of adult volunteers who are dedicated to teaching the children of this community about God’s Word. It is our belief that the primary spiritual teaching in a child’s life should come from the parents and it is our goal to provide as many teaching resources for family spiritual growth as possible. Areas of service include but are not limited to:

• Nursery
• Sunday School (Toddler’s – 5th Grade)
• Children’s Church
• PrimeTime
• VBS
• CrossTraining
• Harvest Celebration
• Other special family events in coordination with the Christian Education Team

Contact Person:
Evan Sheckler
Phone Number: (309) 313-4213
Email Address: evansheckler@yahoo.com

Christian Education

Our purpose is to bring Christian education opportunities to all age groups and to promote the written inspired word of God to the congregation and community. We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and that we are to encourage everyone to seek God through his word. The Christian Education Team oversees the following areas of ministry:

• Adult Sunday School
• High School Youth Group
• Jr. High Youth Group
• Library
• Graduate meal
• Celebration of graduates
• Harvest Celebration
• Youth mission trips
• Sunday School Superintendent.

Contact Person:
Ted Sharpe
Phone Number: (217) 659-3261
Email Address: tedsharpe51@aim.com

College

The goal of the College Ministry Team is to encourage our youth to consider Bible College by planning visits to their campuses, promoting the colleges in our church, and providing awareness of financial support for those attending Bible College. We will also keep in contact with students in all colleges, encourage student involvement in campus ministries, and oversee the care packaged to our college students and armed forces personnel.

Contact Person:
Jeffery Butler
Phone Number: (309) 456-3972
Email Address: jmbutler2@winco.net

Hospitality

The goal of the Hospitality Ministry Team is to solicit for and host meals and fellowship times regarding special church events and activities. It includes the setting up, decorating, serving and cleaning up after such activities. Such activities are, but no limited to:

• Mother’s and Father’s Day
• Birthday Cake Night
• Fellowship/Pot Luck Meals
• Graduate Breakfast
• Caroling Supper
• Hanging of the Greens
• Men’s Fellowship dinners
• Harvest Festival
• Special Church Events

Contact Person:
Dede Beachy
Phone Number: (217) 659-3527
Email Address: ddbeachy5@winco.net

Missions

The purpose of the Missions/Ministry Team is to maintain a worldwide vision of participation in the spread of the Gospel. This ministry team shall strive to increase awareness of missions in the minds and hearts of the members of La Harpe Christian Church. The ministry team will educate the congregation in the missions we support and encourage support of missions in general. The team will be responsible for:

• The mission’s budget
• Communication with missionaries
• Selection of mission ambassadors
• Special mission appeals
• Mission of the month program
• Mission fair banquet
• Mission’s bulletin board
• Scheduling mission speakers
• The team may from time to time plan short term mission trips.

Contact Person:
Rick & Dianne Balmer
Phone Number: (217) 659-3929
Email Address: diannebalmer@hotmail.com

Multi-Media Team

The Multi-media Team supports and reinforces everything that goes forth from La Harpe Christian Church that requires or is enhanced by audio, video, lighting and/or graphics. We do this in a manner that is pleasing to God and provides for a better reception and understanding by all who are touched by our efforts.

The Multi-media team consists of two people each week –one sound and one computer person.

The sound person is responsible for setting up the mics, monitor speakers, connection of musical instruments, tapes and CDs and doing sound checks before the service begins. This person is also responsible for running the sound board and mixing for the correct volume blend and tones. The sound person is to serve the congregation and insure that the congregation can hear the service as well as possible.

The computer tech person gets music from the Praise Team Leader, obtains a agenda of what is to happen in worship so it can be prepared by the midweek practice. During the midweek practice the power point slides are checked for typos, the slides are prepared with announcements, communion and offering pictures, and backgrounds. It is also important that the order of the slides and any power point used in the sermon or song service is in the proper order.

The Multi-media team meets monthly at the Ministry Team Meeting night, held at the church.

Contact Person:
Mark Stokke
Phone Number: (217) 659-3797
Email Address: mark@laharpechristianchurch.com

Prayer

The Prayer Ministry Team will oversee the development of a prayerful congregation. It’s responsibilities shall include but not be limited to:

• Prayer and fasting
• Prayer vigils
• Special Prayer times
• Prayer needs of the congregation
• Prayer warriors
• Prayer and information chain by phone and e-mail

Contact Person:
Brett Cox
Phone Number: (217) 659-3722
Email Address: coxbmdm@winco.net

Stewardship

The purpose of the Stewardship Ministry Team is to develop within the congregation an understanding of the full meaning of Christian Stewardship and so to direct the financial program of the church that it will not only supply the financial needs but prove a means of spiritual enrichment and character building of each one participating.

The ministry team will be responsible for keeping alive in the congregation the realization of its stewardship obligations by promoting stewardship education and tithing.

In consolation with all other ministry teams this team will prepare and submit to leadership of approval an annual church budget. The team is to monitor the progress of the giving and expenditures of the church and prepare monthly reports to the leadership. The team is to keep the financial records of the church and perform the necessary accounting and paying of bills under the oversight of the elders.

Contact Person:
Eric Little
Phone Number: (217) 659-3287

Worship and Arts

The Worship Ministry Team is responsible for making sure the everything that happens in every worship service at La Harpe Christian Church is done to the glory and praise of our God! Our goal is to strive to insure that every person present, both believers and non-believers, is brought into the presence of God in a meaningful way! For this to happen, we need the help of many people to serve on a rotation basis as:

• Greeters
• Ushers
• Communion preparers and servers
• Collectors of the offering
• Multi-Media team
• Instrumentalists
• Meditations and Prayers
• Praise Teams
• Worship Leaders

We also need people willing to work behind the scenes to help develop each worship service to its fullest. These are the people whom God has gifted with the ability to help design and implement worship. The talents and spiritual gifts needed here are musical skills, creativity, patience, sensitivity, administration, as well as the willingness to meet regularly with the planning team!

Contact Person:
Bambi Moore
Phone Number: (309) 652-3193

Other Ministry Opportunities

Occasionally a need arises in the church for a special situation and/or event which would require a team of Christians to work together specifically for that need. There have been other ministries at one time. Any of these ministries could become active once again and /or begun when there is a number of interested members to serve on such ministries.

• Flowers and Decorating
• Minuteman Call
• Special Events (revivals, seminars, and leadership conferences)
• Discipleship
• Evangelism
• Widows’ Ministry
• Women’s Ministry
• Welcome Center
• Care Ministry

If you are interested in reviving or beginning any ministry please submit your ideas to the church office.

Office Phone Number: (217)-659-7813
Email Address: secretary@laharpechristianchurch.com