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The Witness Committee
is a session committee, and its chairman and vice chair-man are to
be members of the session. The
committee should have a minimum membership of 15 and may have
representatives from the session, board of deacons and at-large church
members.
The general responsibility
of the committee is to develop congregational support and involvement in
the witness mission of the church. This
mission is primarily global, but it also includes local evangelism and
missions as well as issues related to peacemaking and stewardship of the
environment. At the beginning
of the year the committee should evaluate the work done toward goals
established the previous year and set new goals.
The committee is to be
organized into subcommittees with the following responsibilities:
1.
Global Mission
- Responsible for the general oversight of the
church’s support of missionaries.
- Oversee budgeted benevolent giving and promote special
offerings and programs related to mission work.
- Correspond with the church’s missionary family at
least quarterly, and inform the congregation of special needs of the
missionary through the newsletters, programs and other appropriate
methods.
- Recommend to the session support of non-budgeted world
mission projects that are thought to be particularly important and
coordinate their administration when approved.
- Plan special programs and services during the Witness
season of January through March, using material provided by
Presbytery.
- Maintain contact with the Medical Benevolent
Foundation and seek ways to support its projects.
- Coordinate with the pastor dates for receiving
offerings for Pennies for Hunger in June and December.
- Maintain contact with Church World Service to receive
information on Blanket Sunday and coordinate with the pastor the
receipt of this special offering.
- See that the church obtains a copy of the Mission
yearbook.
- Bring to the congregation’s attention articles in
the Presbyterian Survey that are related to
international missions.
2.
Other Missions
- Oversee support for and the receipt of special
offerings for Barium Springs, Joy Gift, Great Hour of Sharing and
Presbyterian Home (Mother’s Day).
- Maintain an awareness of various mission needs in the
community and make recommendations to the session for the
implementation of non-budgeted local mission projects.
- Seek ways to strengthen the relationship with the
Stanley White church.
3.
Evangelism
- Seek ways to educate the congregation in what bearing
witness involves in diverse areas.
- Seek to develop strategies to implement a continuing
emphasis on witnessing.
- Provide spiritual renewal opportunities to the
congregation though special programs.
- Seek to adopt and carry out programs, for our church
and with other churches, to bear witness to the unchurched in our
community.
- Make contact / visit with prospective members.
4.
Peacemaking
- Oversee the continued emphasis on peacemaking with
special articles in the newsletter, special programs in church school
or church services and the planning and carrying out of special
projects or programs, including the annual Peacemaking offering.
5.
Stewardship of the Environment
- Oversee the continued emphasis on the stewardship of
the environment with special articles in the newsletter, special
programs in church school or church services and the planning and
carrying out of special projects or programs.
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