Shepherding Program

Shepherding Program Ministry Committee

Ministry Purpose

1. To demonstrate love, encouragement, hospitality, and service to members.

2.  To provide members with an opportunity to directly serve and bless others.

3.  To provide an opportunity for members and friends to know and serve each other better  

Committee Setup 

1.  Membership is 1 or 2 members serving each district along with the deacon and elder. The shepherds will choose one of their members to serve as the chair and another to serve as secretary. As the program develops, a chair may be appointed by the Council to oversee the program. 

2.  Shepherds will ordinarily serve for a 2-year term. When 2 members are working with a district, the terms will stagger for continuity of service in the districts. 

3.  The Council Executive Committee will recruit members who will serve as shepherds and assign them to the various districts. Two consecutive terms are possible depending on the number of members willing to serve. Shepherds will be asked to submit a suggested list of new shepherds to replace those whose terms are ending. 

4.   Shepherds may submit expense receipts to the Treasurer for reimbursement. Once the council has a general idea of the costs involved, an annual budget line can be added for the Shepherding program.  

Duties and Responsibilities 

1.  Assist the Council in promoting God’s love through encouragement and care for members of their district.

2.  Express compassion in times of need and joy including but not limited to the following: visits, cards, meals and/or treats, gifts for special occasions.

3.  Welcoming and enfolding visitors and new members.

4.  Assisting the deacon and elder with annual district meal or activity.

5.  Coordinate meal ministry with deacons.

6.  Collaborating with other ministry committees to remember specific groups (like the elderly, shut-ins, college students) at different times of the year.

Meetings

1.  Meet with the Council every other month for devotions and a short meeting with the district elder/deacon team. 

2.  Meet together as shepherds at the conclusion of the district team meeting to share needs, ideas, and plans.  

* Consider purchasing resources to help the committee serve. An example: The Compassionate Congregation: A Handbook for People Who Care (2002) by Karen Mulder and Ginger Jurries from Faith Alive.

Ideas for the Immanuel Shepherds to consider: 

1.  Shepherds should choose a chair/leader and secretary to help with organization and record keeping.  

2.  Consider compiling a notebook of information for the shepherds which can be passed along to incoming/new members. 

3.  Recruiting a second shepherd or shepherd couple in each district should be one of the first tasks.  

4.  TRIP cards from deacons can be distributed among the shepherds to share when appropriate. Discussing this with the deacons would be helpful. 

5.  7 districts and 2 shepherds per group/district

     2 shepherds, elder and deacon per district 

     An annual social event per district per year led by the shepherds, elder, and deacon.

Priorities and possibilities: 

a.  Meal ministry; consider making meals, buying meals, or cooking and freezing meals together.  

b.  Baby showers; we can continue with our tradition or start a new tradition.

c.  Death ministry: Helping families with this challenging situation may be one of the most important ways to minister to members. Consider how we can serve well and if/how to organize a ministry to families. It will take some time to know how to personalize to individualize this type of support.  

d.  Rides, TRIP cards, meals, cards, weddings, meetings in nursing homes for members, care packages for college students.

e.  Invite congregation to donate items for the various ministries with collection points and Dove announcements 

Shepherd Committee For 2022-2023

District 1: Lyle Vande Griend and Andrew Nieuwendorp; Shepherds Steve & Jackie De Groot and Gary & Carla Van Kalsbeek

District 2: Dan Schiebout and Dave Driesen; Shepherds Lyle & Lois Van De Griend and Mary Goslinga

District 3: Ver Westra and Joel Van Dyke; Shepherds Kay Kleinhesselink and Tyler & Kristin Wassenaar 

District 4: Jamie Nibbelink and Rob Kroeze; Shepherds Kay Van Der Schaaf and Linda Huizenga

District 5: Randy Jeltema and Tony De Groot; Shepherds Dawn Clemens and Betty Int Veld  

District 6: Brad Goslinga and Jake Harmeklink; Shepherds Gina Poppema and Angie Bouma 

District 7: Vern Dykstra and Charlie Zomermaand; Shepherds Stef Lefever and Vern Dykstra