by Alyssa Coleman
The St James Methodist Church hallways were filled with many parishioners who recruited for their ministries on Sunday. There are lots of ministries available to choose from including the greeters/ushers, refugee ministry, the international college student ministry, seekers and truth seekers classes, children’s ministries, and family ministries. In addition, other ministries include the food pantry, the Congregational Care Ministry, the prayer shawl ministry, and the XYZ Ministry.
One of my favorite ministries is the greeter/usher ministry. It has truly been a wonderful new experience for me. I enjoy saying hello to people and passing out programs. I also love passing the offering basket among the parishioners. I enjoy this because it is a way of helping others by making their day brighter and enjoyable.
The refuge ministry is another great ministry. Volunteers from this ministry help tutor immigrant children with speaking English and other school subjects. The volunteers also drive immigrants of all ages to doctors’ appointments. They help unpack their belongings at their new homes. If you have a love for Spanish or any other Foreign language, and/or learning about other cultures, then this is a great opportunity for you! Teachers of all levels can also feel at home in this ministry by playing, tutoring, and interacting with the immigrant children.
Another ministry is the international college student ministry. Volunteers also can help by providing food for college students on Free Food Mondays. Free Food Mondays are chances that college students from America and other countries can meet other students in friendship. Another opportunity for college students to make new friends is Game Night.--- College students come from two campus ministries Greenville Wesley and UKirk. They come to this event for free food and fellowship with other college students.
Volunteers from the international college student ministry also invite international students into their homes and play games like Uno with them. Finally, volunteers can help bring refreshments to international student concerts on the East Carolina University (ECU) campus and St. James. There are also international student concerts at St. James. For example, Worldwide Worship is the second Saturday of each month such as September 14th, October 12th, and November 9th.
Truth Seekers meet on Friday mornings at 10 am. They read books and watch movies on religious topics like The Gospel and the Person Who Has Everything by William Henry Willimon and Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This ministry is a great opportunity for members to meet other members with a love for literature and religion. Members of St. James can also join a similar group called the Seekers who meet on Sunday mornings at 10 am. They also study different religious topics and have watched movies like The Cure and It’s Not About Me.
The Childrens’ Ministry and Family Ministries are vital to this church. How could a church survive without children? Children are the future of St. James. There were three opportunities to sign-up for this ministry at the ministries fair. They were leading a Sunday School class, providing food at youth events, and building relationships with children through the youth group. Some future family events are scheduled for September 22nd, October 27th, and November 24th. One example of a family event is Messy Church. Messy Church services are great opportunities for St. James members of all ages enjoy arts and crafts while learning about scripture.
There are many more ministries available where you can help others. It may be hard at first deciding what to choose! But you will love it! Once you find the perfect ministry, it will feel like God has opened a door for you. It is a door full of love and compassion where you will stay loved forever. Inside the door are parishioners, like you, who will embrace you as your new friends and new family.
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