Asbury United Methodist Church, Traverse City

New 8:30 a.m. weekly communion service

As of December 3^rd (the first Sunday in the Christian year, and the beginning of our spiritual preparation for Christmas), we have three worship services every Sunday. The 9:30 service remains a traditional service with communion on the first Sunday, and songs from the hymnal, choir, and organ. The 11:00 remains a mix of new and old, with a band playing both new worship music and old hymns with new beats (also communion once monthly).

The new worship opportunity will offer communion every week at 8:30, and will probably only be thirty to forty minutes in length, with a shorter message and less singing. We’re excited about bringing back to the church’s life every week the gift that Christ gave us for worship: communion. We’ll be trying out lots of different approaches to communion, some modern, some ancient, some formal, some informal.

2006: the year of mission trips

Traverse Bay Church is deeply committed to service. Serving others is at the heart of our youth program, and of what it means to be United Methodists. Our congregation is known all over West Michigan as a leader in mission giving and commitment. In 2006 we sent lots of people out to do service, and everyone who went came back changed.

In February our Haiti team went again to work on the completion of a church and school building in Thomas. We are nearing the completion of a task that has taken many years. In September, we hope to send a couple of people back again, to attend the dedication of the finished church building on Ile a Vache, a small island off the south of Haiti.

August was crazy: we sent three separate mission trips! Pastor Jeremy led a team of eight people to Latvia, in eastern Europe. They went at the request of the church there, to bring music, dance, and drama to children at camp, and to churches and other institutions in Latvia. Four of the people were from our congregation (read more).

Pastor Devon and several adults went with a group of high school youth to Gautier, Mississippi, to work on continuing hurricane relief. This was a first-time cooperative trip with the Central United Methodist Church, and it was a great experience in giving and serving together.

A week after she got back, Pastor Devon also led our church’s first junior high mission trip, to work on fixing up and repainting the children’s space of a small United Methodist congregation in Luther, Michigan. The youth did a great job, and truly connected to one another as a group, while serving.

2007 mission trips

We’re still in planning stages for all our 2007 trips. The Haiti team expects to go again this year. We’re also working on another adult mission trip, perhaps to Central America this time. We also expect to be sending both the junior and senior highs out again. Stay tuned for more details.

Volunteer Job postings

Here is a posting of current needs for service around the church. Some of these require specialized skills. If you are called to help, please contact the church office at 946-5323. Talk to Amanda Harding, our Adult Ministries Coordinator, about other ministry opportunities you want to share.
Audiovisual technology	Requires willingness to learn from lay leadership, being present when on schedule to run sound, lights, and/or projection computer. Hearing is important.
Worship setup and teardown	Requires physical ability and willingness to move folding chairs and tables, either before or after (or between) worship services.
Webpage maintenance	Requires knowledge of basic web design software, visual creativity, and regular commitment.
Coordinator of visitation volunteers	Requires organizational and phone skills.
Choir members	Normally requires ability to read music at a basic level, and the ability to be at practice on time most Wednesday evenings, and at early worship (9:30 during the school year).
Praise band musicians	Requires instrumental or vocal skills, the ability to read or otherwise learn contemporary Christian music, and the willingness to play on a regular basis on Saturday evenings and / or Sunday mornings. Basic instruments are keyboard, drums, guitar, bass, and vocals. Other appropriate instruments are welcome. It is important that those in worship leadership demonstrate commitment to the Christian faith and community.
Outreach workers	Requires willingness to engage the public in informal ways, such as handing out free gifts on the beach, or running a carwash.
Road cleanup helpers	Requires physical ability to walk on uneven ground, and commitment to three short work mornings per year.
Minor building maintenance & repairs	Requires the ability to repair what needs it, and a willingness to work with the Trustees to agree on goals.
Dinner preparation and serving helper, and kitchen safety coordinator.	The kitchen safety coordinator is responsible for learning the relevant safety expectations involved in keeping our commercial kitchen license, and in making sure that appropriate procedures are followed in the kitchen. This is a good job for someone who is skilled in delegating and training other volunteers.
Special note on children’s and youth ministries: Any volunteer work with children or youth connected with Traverse Bay Church will require a police background check, a sworn affidavit, and approval from the pastor or Christian education staff person. No positions involving direct work with youth will be listed here.