JOB DESCRIPTIONS
I. Serving Funerals
A. What to Serve:
1. If the funeral is in the forenoon, hot dish or salad, buns, pickles, cake, cupcakes or bars and coffee will normally
be served by the work group. The work group may order the hot dish or salad from a vendor such as RBJ’s. If
the family wishes, sandwiches or filled buns may be substituted for a hot dish or salad and buns.
2. If the funeral is in the afternoon, sandwiches or filled buns, cake, cupcakes or bars and coffee will normally be
served.
B. Procedure:
1. The leaders of the work group are in charge of lining up the needed food, donations and workers. Members of
their own work group should be asked to bring food or give a donation toward expenses. Help from friends of the
family will be gladly received also. The leaders may need to solicit help from outside their work group in some
instances as needed. One member of the work group should be responsible for purchasing any necessary food
beyond what is donated.
C. Donations & Reimbursements:
1. Any money collected by the work group, including money from the family given through the funeral home, should
be turned over to the church treasurer (Caroline Tinkham) for deposit. Receipts and expenses should be turned in
to the treasurer for reimbursement. Hot dish and salad purchased from a vendor may be billed directly to the
church.
D. Instruction for Funeral Homes
1. The funeral home, in conversation with the family, estimates the number of guests expected and notifies the work
group of that number.
2. The funeral home may wish to remind the family that the cost to the church for serving a funeral increases
dramatically when food is purchased from a vendor and when a large number of guests are served. A gift for
serving reimburses the church’s out-of-pocket expenses and it also expresses appreciation to the church for serving.
3. Gifts from the family for serving a funeral should be made payable to Fisher Lutheran Church.
II. Greeters
The work groups will be responsible for providing two greeters for every worship service. Greeters will be especially
concerned to make all who attend feel welcome by greeting them, introducing themselves if appropriate, introducing visitors
and newcomers to others, providing assistance and information needed, inviting visitors to sign the guest book. Greeters
should inform the pastor of the names of visitors.
III. Lay Readers
The work group is responsible for providing lay readers for the worship service if the pastor or worship committee requests
lay readers. Lay readers will also be used if there are those in the work group who desire to volunteer. Lay readers should
contact the pastor at least one week in advance. The pastor will provide the lessons to be read and any other instructions.
V. Ushers
The work group is responsible for providing an usher for each service to assist the head usher. The assigned usher will
complete all duties with the head usher including: lighting the candles, distributing bulletins, collecting offering, ushering
parishioners to communion and following the service, counting the number of individuals attending service, cleaning and
organizing the pews following the service, counting the offering following the service, and all other duties as needed.
VI. Sunday Coffee Fellowship
Coffee, juice and something to eat, such as donuts or cookies, will be served after every early worship service throughout the
year. The work group is responsible for providing the food, serving it and bearing the cost of expenses. Those who serve
the coffee fellowship may retrieve their expenses from the donations before turning them over to the financial secretary for
deposit and use as the church council determines.
VII. Special Events
When arrangements are needed for a special event, the leaders of the work group will be notified as far in advance as
possible. Request for help for special events should normally be submitted to the church council for approval and referral to
the work group. The leaders will see that arrangements are made as needed. Such special events may include: serving
congregational pot luck meals, arranging receptions, providing babysitting for special church events, and assisting with gowns
for confirmation.
VIII. Nursery Care
Members of the work group will be responsible for providing nursery care every time there is a worship service. The leaders
will coordinate the scheduling of volunteers.
VIII. Communion Assistance
The work group will be responsible for providing a communion distribution assistant each time there is a communion
service. The assistant should consult the pastor for special instructions.
IX. Secretarial Assistance
The work group will be responsible for providing two volunteers each month whose names will be given to the parish
secretary at the beginning of the month. The parish secretary may call on these persons as needed for assistance with
sorting, folding, stapling, labeling, etc.
X. Canvassing Membership
There may be occasions when the entire membership of the congregation needs to be canvassed or contacted for special
reasons. Each work group may be asked by the church council at any time to canvass or contact their members.
XI. Duties of Group Leaders
A. Be responsible for securing from their work group the needed help for the various duties assigned to the work group.
B. As much as possible, allow work group members to choose their areas of service according to their particular interests,
abilities and availability.
C. Establish some system within their group for contacting all the members when necessary, such as a phone tree.
D. Meet with their work group sometime in advance of their assigned work month to divide responsibilities and make
necessary plans.
E. Be responsible for notifying the pastor or parish secretary or others of the names of volunteers if there is a need for them
to know.
F. Keep offering opportunities of service in the church to all work group members, bearing in mind that the involvement and
participation of everyone is the goal.
G. Foster a cooperative team spirit in the work group.
H. See that any funds collected at events of the work group are turned in to the financial secretary for proper deposit.
XII. Switching Months
Work groups will be responsible only once every 5 months according to the schedule in this handbook. However, if a
person is unable to serve in his/her appointed month, he/she may trade months with someone, being sure to inform the leaders
of those groups involved in the switch.
XIII. Church Christmas Tree
The work group responsible for serving in December will decorate the church and the Christmas tree in the church. The
work group responsible in Januarywill take down the Christmas tree and decorations as the church councildetermines.
XIV. Serving at the Annual Meeting
The work group serving in January will provide coffee and a treat, such as bars, cookies or popcorn for the annual meeting,
unless it is held following worship on a Sunday morning. In that case, a noon potluck of “finger food” will be served. The
work group will provide kitchen coordination as needed.
