Committees

Faith, Hope, Love, Witness

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is governed by councils, which exist to help congregations and the church be more faithful participants in the mission of Christ. The session is the council for the congregation and is composed of ruling elders, elected by the congregation to active service, as well as all installed pastors and associate pastors.

The session is responsible for governing the congregation and guiding its witness to the activity of God in the world. The session leads the congregation as a community of faith, hope, love and witness. As it seeks to lead and guide the congregation, the session is to keep before it the Great Ends of the Church.

The session’s main responsibilities and powers fall within three broad categories:
Providing the word of God may be truly preached and heard;
Providing the Sacraments (Baptism and Communion) be rightly administered and received; and

Nurturing the community of Christ’s disciples.

Board of Deacons

The Deacons are called to model and extend the love of Jesus Christ. We do so in many ways: sending cards, visiting the sick, helping with rides, food, or errands and even emergency financial assistance.

To be a deacon involves becoming a servant to others - a role that may not seem very appealing. But this is exactly the role to which Jesus calls all who are truly committed to following him. The deacons are the compassionate, caring arm of the Christian mission.

Many of the deacons believe we are at our best when we are in service to others. It is the calling of a deacon to minister to those who are in need, to the sick and friendless, to those in prison and to anyone who is in distress.

On the second Sunday of each month, the deacons prepare and deliver a meal for the Midway Women's Shelter in Alameda. The deacons also set up communion for church service on the first Sunday of each month. We meet monthly on the second Saturday.

"Whoever serves me, follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." (John 12:26)

The people of First Pres Alameda are eager to engage in Bible Study and other means of spiritual growth. The sermons each Sunday are based on Bible passages. A small group meets on Tuesday mornings and is currently studying the New Testament book of Acts. Another meets every Sunday evening for Bible study. A prayer group meets every Tuesday. The pastor has led several short-term weekly studies. Most recently, a group of twelve participants gathered by Zoom every Wednesday evening for a deeply meaningful study of The Return of Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen

The Christian Ed/Spiritual Development Committee (CESD) was challenged by the pandemic, suddenly faced with the need to suspend in-person Sunday School classes and youth group gatherings. However, Zoom services provided a unique opportunity to introduce the entire congregation to our Godly Play curriculum. Our Sunday School teachers often use the Godly Play stories and manipulatives via Zoom for the Sunday worship service Children;s Message. This has introduced the adults to Godly Play and enables the entire congregation to wonder along with the children.

The CESD Committee continues to assist Bible Study groups with study materials, supplements fees for member seeking outside CE related training, and updating materials for youth and children's ministries.

Fellowship

The Fellowship Committee serves to coordinate church gatherings which are social in nature, but usually associated with a church worship service (e.g., Sunday Fellowship Time after worship, Worship in the Park, and Lenten Soup Suppers). The Fellowship Committee purchases supplies, food, and beverages; however, most fellowship events rely on church member food offerings.

Finance and Stewardship

House and Grounds

The House and Grounds Committee of First Pres Alameda endeavors to cost effectively maintain and repair the buildings and grounds, to improve utilization of space and equipment, and most importantly, to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. We expect to increase our social and spiritual relationships, while developing a team of disciples who are God-gifted with talents in these areas. We facilitate Work Parties about four times a year with church members as well as volunteers from the Scout Troops that use our building, reinforcing our interdependence. Please join us at one of these parties to get to know some of the youth of our community!

We continue to look to the congregation for guidance on how to fund the maintenance of the church. Many projects are deferred due to their significant cost. If you would like to contribute to some of these projects, please earmark your donations “Building Fund.” Some of the projects that are on our ‘to do’ list include repairing the front doors to the sanctuary, roof and siding repair at the education building, and exterior painting of the entire building.

Mission

The Mission Committee serves as a focus for people to live the gospel, contributing time and money to many charities, local and world-wide. While the pandemic has limited our in-person volunteer activities, we at First Pres Alameda have continued to reach out to the community by supporting the Alameda Food Bank and preparing meals for the Midway Shelter for women and children. We installed and maintain a Little Free Library for adults, and one for the many children walking by from Love Elementary School as well as children and families from the Small Size Big Mind preschool that meets in the church classrooms.

We donate to the Shower Program at Christ Church as well as Building Futures for Women and Children in San Leandro, both of which serve unhoused individuals in our community. We plan to continue to support Habitat for Humanity, Ploughshares, and MedShare where we help organize and package medical supplies for third world countries. Please stay tuned as we

become more able to volunteer with these ministries and more.

Music and Worship

The Music and Worship Committee of First Pres Alameda plans worship from the time you enter the sanctuary until you leave, demonstrating the love of Jesus through words, music and the visual environment. We strive to make sure there are no distractions so you can focus your attention on worship.

The work has evolved significantly since the start of the pandemic. For several months, we used pre-recorded music to enhance our virtual worship service. In the fall of 2020, we developed a way to make music videos to show on Zoom. We record individual voices and then mix all the voices as well as the piano organ onto a single track so that we can enjoy hearing our choir. During Advent 2021 we are delighted to again have our choir singling live in the sanctuary!

We now use Zoom, digital slides, and video technology to provide for hybrid in-person/remote attendance at the worship services. We will continue to pray about ways to improve our worship service as we move forward.

Wisdom Ministry

The Wisdom Ministry Committee meets monthly to share concerns and plan activities for our older adults. We stay in touch with seniors and try to nurture their spiritual needs. Events such as excursions, visits, entertainment, crafts, and fellowship enhance their lives and extend Christ’s love to them. Our events have waned during the pandemic, but we are learning to be flexible with plans that can accommodate non-strenuous outdoor trips. There is lots of fun ahead.