Erwin First Ministries

Music Ministry
The Music Ministry at Erwin First UMC is a large and diverse part of our worship.  While our choir is on hiatus during the Covid 19 crisis, there are still many ways of making music together safely.  Instrumentalists and singers are needed to lead worship,  as solos, as part of the band and in other worship music.  Handbells are starting up again and hope to be making music together soon. We’d love to have you join us in making music in praise of God.  All skill levels are welcome. 
Contact Pastor Karen at erwinfirstmusic@gmail.com.

Discipleship Team
The Discipleship Team works to define and implement an intentional plan for growing disciples at all stages of the faith journey. This includes helping those early in their journey to establish a faith walk as well as coming alongside all those who desire it to help build relationships and provide tools that will help us go deeper in faith and wider in mission.

Some of the initiatives of the Discipleship Team are Small Groups, God Moment Interviews, “Try Church” workshops, and the Spiritual Disciplines and Life In Community sermon series. Using the Spiritual Life Inventory process and other tools, we help folks sort out the next steps in their journey. Are you called to come alongside others on the Spiritual Journey?
Send an email to erwinoffice78@gmail.com to contact team leader Kristy B.

The Barnabas Team: Encouraging each other in Christian Community (In Development!)
The Barnabas Team supports members of the Erwin First community as makers of interpersonal and intrapersonal peace. We do this by helping to build relationship skills, resolving conflicts, and connecting people with each other and the resources they need. This team in development needs your help to figure out how to carry out its mission!
Send an email to erwinoffice78@gmail.com to contact team leader Kristy B. or email Pastor BJ at bjnorrix@gmail.com

Mission Team
The Missions Group of Erwin First UMC believes in building a supportive fellowship with our community. We hope to provide a helping hand to others whether it may be physical or spiritual, to encourage others to change their lives through hope, comfort and love. Some projects include a “peanut butter and jelly” drive to assist students who lose access to school meals during the pandemic; providing and cooking community dinners in a Syracuse West Side neighborhood; and both specialized fundraisers and an annual rummage sale that raises money for international missions, United Methodist Women’s missions and campership funds for underprivileged kids.
Send an email to erwinoffice78@gmail.com to contact team leader Dorcas.

Sunday School / Youth Ministry
Sunday School is dedicated to nurturing the spiritual growth of children, so they may know God, love God and know that God will always love them. We teach from the Bible and even if those events occurred far in the past, we show how relevant they are to the modern day and how to use those lessons in their lives. Sunday School is currently being held via Zoom.
Send an email to erwinoffice78@gmail.com to contact team leader Dorcas if you are interested in contributing or in getting your children involved.

Administrative Council
Council is an opportunity to work with a team of leaders to influence the spiritual and communal direction of the church as well as participate in decisions pertaining financial, mission, and ministry of the church.
Send an email to erwinoffice78@gmail.com to contact President Dave B.

Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committee (P/S-PRC)
The Pastor/Staff – Parish Relations Committee works to build a strong positive relationship between church staff and the congregation so that the mission of the church can be advanced.  The committee is responsible for recruiting of staff and retention and review of church pastors and staff. The P/S-PRC works to encourage, strengthen, nurture, support, and respect the pastor(s) and staff and their families. The committee welcomes persons who care about the well-being of church staff as an essential component of the church’s ministry, listen well to both staff and people of the congregation while keeping a focus on the mission of the church, and are able to maintain confidentiality. Experience in human resources management is welcome but not required.
Send an email to erwinoffice78@gmail.com to contact team leader Doug J.
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/pastor-staff-parish-relations-committee