Servecalled to

ContentsIntroduction Where Shall I Serve? On Team

CelebrationWelcoming Hospitality Connect Point Sunday Coffee Rota Freedom Kids Youth Ministry Special Occasions Tech Team Worship Team

LinksOutreachFreedom Street

EventsSpecial Events

SupportPrayer Ministry Support Getting Involved in Prayer Supporting Others

Growth & DevelopmentDiscover Your Strengths Courses on Offer Life Groups (Insert)

Count Me InCalled to Serve Financial Giving Thank You!

Introduction

If you have been a part of Freedom Church for some time, or if you are new to Church, we want to extend a warm welcome to you and hope that this booklet will help you to find out more about us, helping you to get involved and to find your place in serving in the Church. As you can see there is a lot going on to get involved with.

We believe that each person has a unique part to play within the particular Church that God has

called them to belong to and that everyone has something to contribute when it comes

to serving, growing in their faith and helping and encouraging others.

This booklet will also help you to see what courses are available at Freedom Church, so that you are able to grow and develop as a Christian, eventually becoming a fully committed and functioning member of the Church.

There is a list of leaders available at the Connect Point, to help you contact the correct leader for each area.

Where Shall I Serve?

Firstly, we encourage you to find out which area or areas that you would like to serve in at Church, as the best way to grow as a Christian is to serve alongside others and contribute towards the areas of Church life that are best suited to your strengths and talents.

The desired areas that you choose to serve in might depend on your particular skills and talents, however, more importantly God wants you to have a willing heart. You will notice that on a Sunday there are numerous people serving in a wide variety of different areas, the Church could not function without them. In order to make your and our Church experience enjoyable, it is important that the workload is shared equally and that everyone is prepared to serve in some way.

On Team

We encourage all those who are part of Freedom Church to be prepared to serve on team on at least one occasion each month.

The Sunday teams are listed in this booklet and there is a brief explanation about each, in

order to help you to choose which area is best suited to you.

There is something for everyone and as you catch a heart to serve, if you are not already doing so, you will begin to feel

that you really belong and are making a difference!

Serving also enables the Church to run smoothly, as we develop and grow in numbers and also in involvement with one another.

Welcoming

Being part of the welcome team involves meeting and greeting people as they arrive at Church. It also includes the duty of stewarding and showing people to their seats in the main hall, collecting the tithes and offerings and helping with set up and set down.

Welcoming involves engaging with newcomers, making them feel welcome and looking out for those sitting alone.

It is also important that we are looking out for those who may need help, such as wheelchair users or mums with buggies.

Serving would require you to serve on one Sunday per month and on one 5th Sunday per year. You will

need to arrive by 9:30am and help with set down until 1pm.

When you have decided which area you might like to serve in, then please contact the relevant leader for that area. You can easily make contact with them via The City, our Church social network site, or alternatively speak to the person responsible on a Sunday.

Visit the ‘Connect Point’ on Sundays to see a list of leaders for each area, and to help you get connected to your friends at Freedom.

Hospitality

Serving in the hospitality team varies from helping to serve teas and coffees for various meetings that are held, to serving drinks and cakes at the Collas Crill Island Walk.

Those on the team can choose to help as much or as little as they wish but hopefully the great time you will spend with the rest of the team will encourage you to want to serve as much as possible. The events we serve at vary from meetings at ICC to various locations around the Island. Sometimes it might be for a couple of hours at a meeting, or at other times for a longer period of time during the course of an event.

Full training will be offered, as we aim to serve with excellence! No one will be left in charge until they fully understand what is required of them.

Connect Point

The Connect Point operates at Hautlieu on Sunday mornings and provides Church members and visitors with help and advice about a wide range of practical aspects of Church life, including: Life Groups; Service Teams; information about events and conferences; our social network, The City; as well as answering general questions and helping people to connect with one another.

If you would like to serve in this area, training and support will be provided.

Volunteers would be expected to serve once a month, arriving at 9:45am to set up,

and stay until 1:30pm to pack away.The Connect Point is staffed

on Sundays between 10–10:25am and 12–1:15pm.

Duties would include:

• Setting up and packing away Connect Point materials

• Answering questions and making introductions

• Directing people to applicable resources

• Helping with sign-up for events and The City

• Dealing with lost property enquiries

Sunday Coffee Rota

Serving in the tea and coffee team involves: being part of the team that prepares and pours the tea and coffee and serves cakes / biscuits when available. It also involves clearing up after folk have left, making sure the place is clean and tidy both in the kitchen and the dining hall.

Most of all it involves smiling and making folk feel at ease. The team leader is in charge of the smooth running of the team. When there are larger

gatherings e.g. family services, then more help might be needed, so pitching in at short notice is also involved!

Most people serve on a team once a month and depending on the number of people to be served we normally finish around 12:45–1pm.

The only qualification required is a smile, some patience and a pair of hands that can hold a cup, it really is that easy, and a lot of fun!

Freedom Kids

Our Freedom Kids teams are split into three areas, Tots (0–2 years), Stars (Age 3 to School Reception) and Champions (School Years 1 to 5).

We meet on Sunday mornings for a special time of learning and connecting with God together.

Tots

Tots is all about playing, toys, stories and song times, as we learn about God through Bible stories and simple worship.

Stars

Stars is about growing in God together through stories, activities, song and role play, lots of colouring, sticking, singing and fun!

Champions

Champions learn about God and connecting with Him, through talk times, games, activities and small group discussion.

To serve in Freedom Kids you need to love children and commit to serving one Sunday a month. Serving involves drawing alongside our children, playing games, joining in with activities, songs and prayer. Core team need to arrive by 9:30am on Sundays to help set up and prepare for the session, and stay for 20 minutes afterwards, to help with set down.

There is also a need for parent support helpers in Freedom Kids from 11:10am until 12pm.

Serving in Freedom Kids requires a commitment of at least once a month, and also the completion of a DBS check, which we will organise for you.

Youth Ministry

Our youth ministry is made up of Evolve (school years 6–8) and 180° (school year 9 to age 18).

We meet on Sunday mornings and mid-week to hang out, worship God, learn together and have fun. We also run extra events, like movie nights, bowling, beach BBQs, night hikes and sleep overs.

To be on team you need to love young people, have good interpersonal skills and a

great sense of humour! The role includes tidying, cleaning, washing up, serving food, playing games, praying, worshipping, small group talks and Bible study.

Being involved means committing to serve on team either, once a month on a Sunday morning, or at

our mid-week evening meeting (ideally each week but we can be flexible!). You’ll find us at Hautlieu on Sundays or on Thursday evenings

at ICC in Victoria Street, where we have a dedicated youth floor.

You will also need to complete an enhanced DBS

check which we will organise for you.

evolve

Special Occasions

Getting BaptisedWe take seriously the command of Jesus to repent, believe and be baptised in water. Regular opportunity is given for those who have not been baptised as believers to do so.

Children’s dedications also form an important part of our Sunday services. Should you wish to be baptised or to have your child dedicated, then please let one of the leaders know.

CamerasOur camera team are responsible for ensuring the preacher can be clearly seen on a Sunday morning.

What’s involved? If you are well organised, you may wish to work with the team to ensure the service runs smoothly by liaising with the MC and the technicians. If you are musical and would like to balance the mix, running a sound desk and fading levels from several sources. Maybe you can work a laptop and control the lights or upload the sermon to the internet.

Perhaps you like working with cameras and would like to video the services. Video is broadcast live to the parents’ room, as well as back into the main hall.

What’s expected? It’s down to you! Some of the team serve most weeks, while others serve once a month. Everyone on team is asked to set a time commitment which is realistic for them.

Where and when? It depends on what you sign up for! We have some

Tech Team

The team is responsible for the technical production of Sunday services, mid-week meetings and special events. This includes the following areas:

SoundOur sound engineers mix the audio, a crucial role ensuring the Sunday message is heard, and produce the music that the worship band play.

Stage ManagementOur stage managers ensure the efficient and smooth running of a service or event.

AVOur AV team are responsible for the projection of song lyrics, slides, Bible verses and camera feeds.

LightingLighting is used to draw focus to the stage area.

Technical Production This involves helping with setup, communicating with the stage manager to enable smooth running during the service, and publishing our podcast.

jobs that start Sunday at 9am, whilst others mean setting up rehearsals on a Friday. It depends on what you are interested in doing. Mid-week meetings are often at ICC or the Freedom Centre and mean turning up an hour or two beforehand to get set up. A special event might need a whole day.

The emphasis is on finding a balance that works for you. Whatever your skills, if you are enthusiastic about Church and keen to make Church happen, then there is probably a part for you to play in the Tech Team that suits your talents.

Worship Team

Our skillful musicians carry a lifestyle of worship into our meetings, to lead the Church in lifting up Jesus’ name with enthusiasm and excellence.

Each member of the team commits to growing continually in their art as well as

rehearsing and playing on two Fridays and two Sundays every month.

Sunday meetings occur each week in the Main Hall.

We also hold a monthly mid-week worship evening at the Freedom Centre, with

a focus on worship and prayer.

Outreach

Outreach further afield includes trips and support for the ministry to children in Samuel Yeldia’s care in Burkina Faso West Africa, and also John Rajiah’s work at Eternal Word Ministries in India and Nepal.

Opportunities exist to join an overseas trip for those who wish to.

Many of our congregation also take part in ministry to the prison with Freedom for Life Ministries, and also form part of the Street Pastors, Grace Trust, and Healing on the Streets teams which are inter-Church support groups.

Freedom Street

Freedom Street works to support young people, through the provision of street-based youth work in St Helier on Saturday nights and at other times when needed. The work of Freedom Street involves connecting and building relationships with young people, with the aim of bringing support and keeping young people safe and informed. Volunteers need to have good interpersonal skills, be approachable and understanding, with a good sense of humour. You will need to complete a couple of evenings of training, be First Aid qualified and have an enhanced DBS check (all of which we can arrange for you).

Burkina Faso, Africa. EWM, India.

Special Events

During the year, the Church hosts various public events that are a great opportunity to serve the wider community.

The events are often hosted outside the Church and teams of willing helpers to set up and set down are always in high demand. Those with a more creative eye are needed to transform the interiors into stylish and welcoming environments.

These are the least glamorous, but most essential ministry teams, often involving early starts and late finishes with heavy lifting involved, but without our willing helpers these events could not happen. Serving on these teams is a great way to meet other Church members, is extremely rewarding, and really knits you into the fabric of the Church.

Expressions in the Royal Square.

Jam on the Grass. Collas Crill Island Walk.

Our calendar centres around a number of key events, kicking off in June with the Collas Crill Island Walk, when we provide a rest stop halfway around the gruelling 48 mile challenge. This is a great event to serve at, as your presence encouraging and serving the walkers is key to its success.

Many of our ladies serve at our outreach to the Women’s Refuge.

On GCSE results night in August, our Freedom Street team offer support to those receiving their results.

During the Easter and Christmas seasons, we love to hold church family events to which the community are invited.

With so much going on there is a place for everyone to serve and demonstrate an expression of God’s love.

Prayer Ministry Support

Every believer has the authority to pray for the sick and to expect to see God bring healing.

We are delighted that we see God do this on a frequent basis and opportunity is given for prayer ministry whenever we meet. As well as being healed of physical sickness, we also see God bring relief to those who are broken hearted, worried or bound up in some way. If you believe that God is calling you to this area of ministry please speak to those in charge.

Full training is given beforehand and all new members will be teamed up initially with someone who is more experienced.

Prayer ministry lasts approximately one hour after the Sunday meeting. Members are called to serve

on one Sunday each month, when we pray with people at the end of the main meeting.

We also encourage members to join the prayer gathering before each Sunday meeting, particularly when they are on duty, to pray with one another.

Getting Involved in Prayer

Pastor Yonggi Cho says, little prayer – little power, more prayer – more power, much prayer – much power. Jesus is our model for prayer, making time to spend with His Father and seeking always to do His Father’s will.

Between 9:30–10:15am each Sunday morning, we gather to seek God, upstairs at Hautlieu. Worship and prayer is our focus and God usually blesses us with prophetic words and words of knowledge to share during the main meeting.

We also pray for the various ministries and for the speaker that day.

circumstances. Our aim is to help wherever and whenever help is needed.

Support, care and concern for others is essential, so that members of Freedom Church feel cared for,

especially when someone has just come out of hospital or during times of illness or stressful

times. If you would like to be part of the pastoral team, who serve in

this way, which may involve shopping, general help,

transport to Church, visiting or praying with someone, then please make it known to one of the Pastoral Team

Leaders.

Supporting Others

Life Groups do a great job in organising support for members of their group when it is needed, so it is important to belong to a Life Group!

We have some members who are not in a group for a variety of different reasons and it is important that they are cared for too. We all have times in our life when circumstances may be difficult for us, and so we offer a range of support should it be needed, such as marriage support and guidance, financial advice, parenting support, and prayer for healing or personal

Discover Your Strengths

What are my Gifts and Talents?You may be unsure which is the best area for you to serve in. You may also be unsure what your natural strengths and talents are. If so, you may wish to complete the ‘StrengthsFinder’ exercise that comes with the book, ‘Now Discover Your Strengths’, by Marcus Buckingham.

Over 60 of our Church members at Freedom have completed the ‘StrengthsFinder’ exercise and have found it to be a really useful tool, enabling them to understand themselves and others a little better, giving them confidence in knowing their God given talents.

Please ask at the Connect Point on a Sunday if you wish to purchase one.

Courses on Offer

It is important that we grow and develop in our faith. Whether you are just enquiring about what it means to be a Christian or if you want to attend a course which will help you on your journey, then there are courses available.

Christianity Explored (CE) Christianity Explored courses will help you discover what it means to become a committed Christian, and are open to everyone who would like to find out more. Courses are held twice each year, usually meeting at Pizza Express in St Helier.

Marriage Preparation For those who are considering getting engaged or married, the marriage preparation course offers an ideal opportunity to talk through some of the important decisions that lie ahead.

Marriage Course The marriage course offers a lovely opportunity to spend an evening with your partner over a meal, talking through some of the challenges and ways of best communicating with each other. It is an excellent evening with great food as well!

There are other courses available to enable

Life Groups

Life Groups are our weekly or bi-weekly groups which meet together in people’s homes in order to study, pray and socialise and generally share life together.

We have numerous Life groups at Freedom Church and your spiritual growth and care is dependent on you being connected to a Life Group. You are most welcome to try out several groups until you find a group which will be ‘home for you’.

If you are unsure which group to try, please visit the Connect Point on a Sunday and we will help you find a group that is best for you.

Please ask for a copy of the ‘Life Groups’ leaflet which lists the available groups and will help you choose one that’s right for

you.

you to grow in your faith and understanding of Church, and the part you can play.

We thoroughly recommended these courses, so please speak to one of the leaders if you would like to attend.

Called to Serve

Church members are Called to ServeJesus sets us such a clear example of someone who was called to serve others.

As we serve others and give away what we have received, we will be greatly blessed. Serving on team helps us to grow in our faith and enables us to get to know many of the lovely people who make up our Church community. Serving does not mean committing to serve forever in one area. Try one area for now, and then change to another later on if you feel that it’s right.

You may wish to serve in an area for a year and then change and serve in some other way. This is perfectly okay.

You will grow as you serve in the many different areas of Church life, so please contact one of the

leaders if and when you believe that God is calling you to serve in a new area.

Financial Giving

We are all called to give financially towards the Church and its work.

Most of our members tithe regularly (contribute a tenth of their income to the Church), which enables the Church to function and also to bless others inside and outside the Christian community.

If you are a taxpayer and you complete the appropriate form, we are entitled to reclaim a 25% tax refund on your giving. Please ask if you wish to know more about this.

Thank You!

Finally, a huge thank you to those of you who serve week on week in a wide range of different areas of Church life. We could not function without you and we want you to know how grateful we are to you, you are amazing!

God has done so much in us and through us as He has been developing Freedom Church. We are so thankful to Him for calling us to be able to be part of what He is doing in our day. Thank you Lord!

Freedom ChurchImmanuel Christian Centre

Victoria StreetSt. Helier

Jersey JE2 4TG

Telephone: 01534 768957email: office@freedomchurch.je

www.freedomchurch.je