Deacons
According to our Book of Order, "The office of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of sympathy, witness and service after the example of Jesus Christ...It is the duty of deacons, first of all, to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress both within and beyond the community of faith."
Ministry Teams help us in our efforts to be faithful to this charge:
- The Death and Grieving team supports those who have suffered a loss.
- The Flower Delivery team organizes the delivery of Sunday bouquets to those who are ill, are grieving, or celebrating.
- The Helpline team delivers meals, provides transportation, or arranges child care for those who need these services.
- The Illness and Hospitalization team visits those who are ill and helps coordinate meals and transportation with Helpline.
- The Memorial Receptions team organizes and hosts receptions for the families of members who have died.
- The New Parent Celebrations team delivers a meal to new parents and provides information about life at Northminster for the newborn and his/her parents.
- The Presbyterian Homes Support team organizes events such as a summer cook-out and a Christmas carol sing for our Presbyterian Homes members.
- The Publicity team lets the church know what we are doing and can do for our members.
Another way to be faithful to our charge is to match Deacons with Northminster members who are elderly or shut-in, whom we call our Visitees. The Deacon's responsibility is to visit his/her visitee once a month, remember special occasions with a card or Sunday flower delivery, procure special services for the visitee, and share concerns with the pastor.
One way to be faithful to our charge to reach out to the larger community is for Deacon volunteers to serve with Faith in Action Evanston, an interfaith volunteer program. FIA-trained volunteers provide free supportive services such as visits, shopping assistance, light housework and chores, transportation, telephone reassurance, reading, and listening to frail, chronically ill, disabled, and lonely individuals of any age or economic status.
Our monthly meetings include the business of the Deacons, as well as hands-on activities such as soup-making for the Hemenway Soup Kitchen, the assembling of Care Packages for our college students, and sorting for RummageFest. We also plan programs designed to help us in our work -- how to pray with visitees, how to support that who are dying and their families, how to get extra support for a member. We care for each other as we share both our joys and our concerns.
Deacons are elected by the congregation and serve three-year terms.
Deacons may report Pastoral Care Activity online.