Faith Luthern Church

Christian Education

Education is an essential part of a growing congregation. We provide learning opportunities for all ages. We remember babies in the congregation with prayers and a fine nursery program. Our younger members and youth receive instruction from those who have matured in the faith and can help them begin the energizing, yet serious, walk with Christ. Catechetical study is available for middle school children.

Our adults need the stimulation that comes from being able to discuss issues relevant to our Evangelical Lutheran Church as it moves into new decades with new insights and perplexing issues. We have the opportunity to become acquainted with the bible as mature adults and renew the freshness of our faith through adult Sunday School classes and weekly lectionary bible studies. We enjoy sharing ideas we have found relevant to our growth in faithfulness. Past classes have focused on Luther's Large and Small Catechisms, Christian art history, a comparative religious study of Christianity and Judaism -- whatever strengths various members of the congregation wish to share with others.

Classes need teachers. Everyone in the congregation has something to offer by sharing their faith and experiences. You have something you can share about your rich relationship with God. If you volunteer to teach, training, assistance and teaching materials -- media equipment, curriculum guides and arts and crafts supplies -- are ready for your use.

Faith has a marvelous 12 year-old church library containing over 800 books, videotapes, music compact discs and DVD motion pictures, all with spiritual and ethical themes. There is something for every member in our vibrant library: the latest religious and spiritual story books for toddlers and elementary school age children; novels, biographies and self-help books for middle-schoolers and teens; and a large adult section covering topics such as theology, Lutheran studies, comparative religion, family issues, parental challenges, and community activism. No dust gathers on these shelves as members regularly borrow learning materials for three weeks on the honor system. The volunteer librarian also acts as a reading advocate to the congregation, offering book lists for all ages, and a changing bulletin board in the library about books, reading, Luther, book issues and information, and so on. See the "Sponsor-a-Book" ministry below for additional information.

Evangelism

Our evangelism program reaches people who otherwise might not know the Lord. Our strong evangelism program helps members of our congregation to share their faith, mentor others, and create an inviting environment to all who enter the church or come in contact with members of the congregation.

Outreach to those who are not yet church members but who might benefit from a warm welcome can help the congregation grow and become even more dynamic. Special programs for new members will introduce them to the inner workings of the church and help them to become a part of the family of Faith more quickly. Newcomers to the area who sign our guest book in the narthex of our church will receive a warm welcome and goodie bag from evangelism committee members.

Social Ministry

The social ministry connects our congregation with the community in which we live. For each holiday, the doors of elderly residents at Olds Hall in Daytona Beach are decorated appropriately. Members of our congregation send greeting cards to residents whose world is one small room.

The clients are Halifax Urban Ministries are assisted by food that is donated by our church members. Each month the grocery cart in the narthex is filled with much-needed food for the homeless and hungry. Committee members seasonally decorate the cart each month. Faith volunteers also feed the homeless once a month, assisting with meal prep, serving and clean-up at H.U.M.

The social ministry finds ways to help our members become more activist in their homes and workplaces by volunteering for the annual Halifax River clean-up, building homes for Habitat for Humanity, by conserving electricity, by going green, by volunteering in our schools and at local animal shelters -- wherever there is a community need you will find Faith volunteers ready to serve others.

Adult members of Faith each receive a special birthday phone greeting, and children of Faith receive birthday, Christmas, Easter, Valentine's Day and graduation greeting cards. Nobody is forgotten, all are remembered.

Social ministry also sponsors various events to raise money for charitable causes. It is very satisfying to work with this ministry because it directly benefits so many. Whether you have lots of time or only an hour to contribute, there is useful work for you to do with this ministry.

Worship and Music

We take our worship seriously at Faith; therefore only live music enhances our worship services. The adult choir meets once a week for music practice and fellowship and we welcome anyone to join us. It is fun to sing on the choir, and it is good to do so, because Martin Luther said, "When you sing in church, you pray twice." Being able to read music is not a prerequisite, but being able to sing on key is helpful! We welcome anyone who is able to provide special music, both instrumental and vocal.

Altar care is a very spiritually satisfying position. Altar care volunteers prepare and clean communion and altar ware, prepare the wine and bread for weekly Holy Communion, provide clean paraments, prepare the baptismal font, prepare and replace altar and eternal candles. Training for this position is happily provided. There is a very real closeness to the Lord in this work and you serve the entire congregation.

Eucharistic ministers are prepared and trained by the pastor to go to the home- or hospital-bound each Sunday and give them communion. These ministers take turns and the time spent depends upon the number of people who cannot get to church but who request communion.

Ushers, lectors, acolytes, bible bearers, greeters, crucifers, assistant ministers, offering counters, and communion servers are scheduled each month in rotation. Training for all these jobs is cheerfully provided.

Property

Our church is very well-tended by a team of dedicated and skillful carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, air conditioning specialists, shrub and tree planters, weed-pullers, and lawn-mower members. We invite all members to join us on monthly church clean-up and work days that keep our church attractive and safe. Property committee members know all about "sweat equity" in our hot and humid Florida environment, and are proud of their results: a church befitting its role as a welcoming and beautiful house of God.

Like to get your hands dirty? Hammer a nail? Climb a ladder? Or could you bring water and victuals to those who do? Then there's a job for you on the property committee, and you "learn by doing" while you have a lot of fun and good fellowship. "Hands to work and hearts to God" is the property committee's credo.

Stewardship

This ministry is about discipleship. As followers of Christ our faith in the Lord should lead us to serve to our Savior, not just be a church member. As we grow and mature in our faith we become more motivated and committed to God in all aspects of our lives and then we become increasingly responsible for finding ways to serve, support and assist the church to grow with our time, talent and resources. All we are and all we have comes from God.

This committee works cooperatively with the Evangelism committee to develop a sense of belonging among members of our congregation as well as bringing in new families to share our dedication to Christ. Committee members plan the annual stewardship drive and give temple talks to encourage the congregation to become better disciples in Christ.

Fellowship

Fellowship is an important activity in all ELCA churches. Members of this ministry plan church events which help congregational members strengthen their ties with one another through food and good times such as our weekly coffee hours after worship, monthly pancake breakfasts, Advent and Lenten Soup 'n Sandwich suppers, and Thanksgiving, Christmas dinners and Easter brunch.

The committee needs your assistance in setting up, taking down, and otherwise preparing for these special events. This includes washing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. As with any big job, many hands make light, quick work. Advertising our events with announcements, posters and sign-up sheets, and decorations for our tables are also needed. The Fellowship Ministry also assists with food and parish hall preparations for weddings, funerals, and other special congregational events. If you love to cook, don't mind cleaning up, have a terrific special recipe, or know how to cook for crowds, this ministry has a place reserved just for you!

SPECIAL MINISTRY PROGRAMS

Fair Trade/Blood Pressure Sundays

Every fourth Sunday of the month, Faith members who are nurses do blood pressure checks for Faith members during Hospitality Hour after worship. At the same time, Fair Trade coffees, chocolates and dried fruits are sold to benefit emerging nations farmers.

Flower Ministry

Members of the congregation are able to honor events, loved ones, or friends by providing the funds to have flowers placed on the altar for worship services. See the sign-up sheet in the parish hall on the kiosk. Special flowers for Christmas and Easter are also available for sponsorship.

Bulletin Ministry

Weekly worship bulletins can be dedicated to friends, family members, or to memorialize special life events. See the sign-up sheet in the parish hall on the kiosk.

Eternal Candles

An Eternal candle burns constantly in the sanctuary to represent the true presence of God's spirit in our church. Candles can be dedicated by you to commemorate an event or loved one. The candles burn for one month. Call the church secretary if you are interested in funding this special program.

Sponsor-a-Book Ministry

About every 18 months members are able to sponsor a book, compact disc, videotape or DVD from a list the church librarian provides for inclusion in our church library. Members can dedicate their sponsored item in honor or memory of a friend or loved one, or a special life event such as a wedding or anniversary. In the past 12 years the library has grown from 20 items to over 800 items. It serves as a source for religious education and enrichment, a place to find information about family challenges, and a place to find religious inspiration for our members of all ages.

Parishioners can also give monetary gifts or bequests to the library for materials such as library cards and book pockets, shelving, library furniture, and books. The library also accepts second-hand books. If they are unable to be used in the library they are placed on www.paperbackswap.com and swapped for books we want for our library. This is a green way to save trees and keep books out of land fills.

Fall Festival

In late autumn Faith holds a festival to raise funds to support a variety of missions and make the local community more aware of Faith Lutheran Church. Everyone in the congregation can find a part to play in the festival: baking goodies; buying, cooking, and selling lunch items; year 'round crafting; moving furniture; growing plants to sell; bringing good second-hand items to sell in "Granny's Attic"; being a booth sales attendant; or creating grand raffle prizes. Everyone pitches in for a memorable day that brings us all closer together as a church family, while raising money for worthy causes. Our fall festival is always memorable as we work together, cement friendships, and serve others.

Haiti Mission

This mission benefiting the emerging Lutheran Church in Haiti involves the entire congregation. The Pigs 'n Pastors Program gives everyone the opportunity to fill piggy banks with the funds that will be used in Haiti for theological and teacher training, for building churches and parsonages, for scholarships, and to cover emergency situations. Help is needed for preparing the pigs, emptying them, and developing brochures to distribute across the synod to encourage other ELCA churches to support this program. Several of our members go to Haiti on a regular basis to assist in developing the Haitian Lutheran Church.

From time to time special requests come from Haiti for assistance when there has been a disaster in one of the villages. Assistance is also provided by donating medical supplies for the Haiti-Med clinic in Port-au-Prince.

We support Livenson Lauvanus, a young Lutheran pastor in Haiti. Livenson is a native of Haiti. Now in his twenties, Livenson has worked with his father, a pastor, in Haiti since he was a child. Livenson has struggled to get an education because pastors in Haiti are not paid on a regular basis and the family did not have the money to support him completely. He has worked with FELD'HA, Federation Evangelique Lutherienne D'Haiti, the equivalent of a synod, since its inception in 1999. It was apparent to all who met and worked with him that he was an outstanding young man.

He graduated from the United Theological Seminary (UTC) in Kingston, Jamaica because one person in Florida pledged to pay all his fees. Livenson did admirably well in the Seminary, getting A's in Greek and Hebrew and doing excellently well in all his other course work. He came to the United States to study at Wartburg Seminary where he did an internship at a hospital. While stateside he was able to preach at several churches and received rave reviews. His abilities have been put to good use in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake. He has been the ELCA's point man in the struggle to house, clothe and feed those whose lives and livelihoods were destroyed. Those ELCA church buildings left standing in other parts of Haiti have become distribution points for care and support.

Montessori School

We are delighted that a Montessori School serving neighborhood children makes its home at Faith. This education ministry for our church allows local families to become familiar with our church and its members, while the school retains its secular tradition. The school children sing for the congregation during worship from time to time, and the school welcomes involvement by congregational members who wish to volunteer. Faith members are all invited to attend the school's graduation each June. We enjoy the vibrancy these energetic little ones bring to Faith.

ORGANIZATIONS

ECHO

ECHO began as Elder Christians Helping Others, but now all ages are invited to attend meetings of this organization. They plan luncheons, meals out, and fellowship events each month. Each February they give a Valentine's Day party to the residents of a local nursing home.

WELCA

This group is Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Faith has had a WELCA group for many years working on behalf of others. They prepare school and health kits, and gather Christmas gifts for disadvantaged children. Monthly meetings are held at Faith, and other meetings take place locally and statewide. An assembly retreat is planned each November at Lake Yale, Florida. All women in the congregation are invited to be a part of this group.