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HOW CAN I GET
INVOLVED
The Deacons have numerous
events and ministry activities going on throughout the
year where volunteers from the congregation are needed
and welcome. The activities marked below with the logo
are specific areas where you can get involved with the
Deacons and help out. (There may be others!) The Deacons
of the Month can point you in the right direction if you
would like to be involved with one of the Deacons'
Ministries.
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Christmas
Baskets -
The Deacons coordinate the donation of
Kroger food cards and Gift Baskets to needy families in
the area. Each year this church-wide project allows many
families and children, who would otherwise not
experience many of the joys of Christmas, to receive
food and gifts due to the generosity of Sycamore
members. It is a major Deacons' project with planning
beginning usually in September.
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Easter
Baskets –
Each year the Deacons coordinate the
collection, assembly, and donation of Easter Baskets to
Helping Hands Pantry families in the Peebles, OH area.
This event helps families served by the Helping Hands
organization to experience a Happy Easter. The preschool
and WINK groups often pitch in to help out making the
event more of a church-wide effort. Deacons organize a
delivery day and drive the baskets to Peebles for a
day-long outing prior to Easter.
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F.A.I.T.H
-
“Friends
Assisting Individuals Through Hope” is a coalition of
churches in Deerfield Township (Warren County). It is a
cooperative effort to provide short-term emergency
financial assistance and food vouchers to those
requesting help. The intent is to make available
resources reach more needy people and to reduce
duplication of effort. Coordination is arranged with
similar organizations such as N.E.E.D.S in Hamilton
County, L.I.F.E in Loveland, Kings Mills Food Pantry,
and Warren County Services. A Sycamore Deacon serves on
the F.A.I.T.H Board of Directors and helps to find
volunteers to participate in F.A.I.T.H functions.
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Help Fund -
The Deacons' Help Fund exists to help families within
the church, and the community, in time of need. The
program is designed to act in a quick and quiet manner
with high confidentiality. Each emergency is a situation
that is handled on an individual basis. The pastor and
specific other individuals have been given authority to
act on behalf of the Help Fund. The Deacons will also
supply information to those being helped about
additional outside help.
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N.E.E.D.S –
“North East Emergency Distribution
Services” is a cooperative group of concerned community
churches and civic organizations. It is their mission to
do God's work of caring for their neighbors by providing
basic emergency assistance in the form of food or
financial help with rent, utilities, or medical
expenses. N.E.E.D.S serves northeastern Hamilton County
and operates out of Kenwood Baptist Church on Kenwood
Road. A Sycamore Deacon serves on the N.E.E.D.S board
and helps with the various N.E.E.D.S activities. This
Deacon also seeks out volunteers from Sycamore to
participate in N.E.E.D.S activities as needed.
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Deacons' Closet - The Deacons' Closet is an area in the
church where members can drop off goods to be used by
someone in need. These items are picked up by someone
who ensures that the donations are directed to someone
who needs the item(s). If you would like to help with
the Closet or make a donation, contact the Deacons of
the Month.
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Deacon of the Month -
Each month two Deacons serve in the role of Deacon of
the Month to the congregation. They receive phone calls
from the church office personnel and/or congregation and
respond to questions as appropriate. They also
coordinate distribution of altar flowers to a
homebound/care facility member from the Sunday service
if the flowers are not taken by the donor. The Deacons
of the Month also coordinate distribution of the Baby
Rose for our new babies when they arrive.
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Cooks on Call -
The mission of this group is to coordinate meals for
Sycamore church members who have a need due to illness,
surgery, accident, or birth of a child. The Deacons are
notified via the pastor liaison to the Deacons' board
representative for "Cooks on Call". Volunteers are
organized who are willing to prepare and deliver a meal
occasionally to those who have a need.
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Funerals
- The Deacons help in a couple of ways with funerals.
The Deacons provide food after a funeral or memorial
service in order to create the opportunity for the
mourners and the family, who have been at the service,
to assemble in an atmosphere conducive for talking and
expressing their condolences and exchanging greetings
before returning to their individual lives. Usually this
is done in Harper Hall but occasionally the family will
ask that the food be provided at a home. Additionally,
the Deacons provide Greeters at a funeral or memorial
service. Greeters assist the family and visitors prior
to the beginning of a service with such things as
directions around the church, providing a drink or a box
of Kleenex, or holding a door open. Volunteers are
always needed to serve food or to be a Greeter.
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Recording
Services –
The Recording Ministry provides a permanent audio record
of regular worship services and special event programs.
These recordings are done as master CDs and then
duplicated as soon as possible for distribution to those
desiring a copy of the service. The Recording Ministry
receives little recognition but provides a great service
to those wishing a copy of a worship service or special
event.
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Cards –
The Cards ministry touches Sycamore members and friends
of the church by sending cards to individuals for
Valentine's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas,
birthdays, and at other times throughout the year as
appropriate. Cards are also sent to those that are on
the Homebound/Care Facility list.
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Church
Committees –
The Deacons support and attend several other church
committee meetings. These include the Nominating
Committee, Mission Committee, and the Adult Ministries
Committee. The Deacons are able to pass along our
activities to these committees as well as learn what
other related activities are going on in the church.
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Worship Greeters - The Greeter Program is a program designed
to help welcome members and non-members to our church
services. Greeters are provided at each church entrance
for each worship service and provide one of the first
impressions people get about Sycamore. The Deacons
coordinate volunteers from the congregation to serve as
Worship Greeters and are constantly seeking new
Greeters. Greeters typically will serve several times a
quarter.
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Homebound / Care
Facility Ministry –
There are a number of Sycamore members and friends of
the church who are homebound or reside in a care
facility. The Deacons try to pair up Deacons with each
of these individuals for several reasons. Visiting and
staying in touch with the homebound and care center
residents is one aspect of this ministry that the paired
up Deacons try to do. Deacons will also provide
Communion to these individuals if they desire it.
Sending cards and providing a gift at Christmas to our
homebound and care center residents is also done.
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Ministry Fair
–
Once a year the Deacons host the church wide Ministry
Fair. This is a great event where the congregation and
visitors can learn about Sycamore’s music programs,
Adult Ministry programs, Children’s programs, Deacons,
and many others. Harper Hall is lined with tables manned
by the various organizations, groups, and committees in
the church. After each service, members can come into
Harper Hall and speak with representatives of the
various areas and learn what they do. In some cases
members can even sign up to register their interest in
being involved with that area.
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Prayer Chain –
The Sycamore Prayer Chain is a group of caring members
who pray for those in need in our church and in our
community. The Prayer Chain has both an email and phone
path, both of which are generally initiated by the
office. The Prayer Chain falls under the Deacons'
umbrella of support but is self-sustaining due to
incredible dedication and care displayed by those that
are a part of the chain.
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Congregational
Care
- The Deacons are currently organizing a new ministry
called Congregational Care. Care teams will be formed
made up of Deacons and church volunteers to mobilize
when a church member or family has a short-term need and
needs help from their church family. These teams will be
used to help members who are struggling due to illness
or surgery, have lost a family member, are elderly and
unable to care for themselves, and other reasons. This
ministry will typically be used for short-term needs of
members with longer-term needs being taken care of by
the member’s extended family or a professional service.
The Deacons will be seeking volunteers to help with
meals, light house or yard work, visiting and talking,
and other minimal tasks that may be needed by a church
member or family in need.
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New Member Care
–
This ministry strives to welcome, support, and integrate
new members into the life of the church. This team of
Deacons contacts new members to help “break the ice”. We
want new members to look at Sycamore as their church
home so the Deacons get to know the new members and help
get them connected with the various happenings at
Sycamore. This could involve steering the new member
towards a desired area of interest, introducing them to
other people, and staying in touch during the early
months of their membership.
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Knitting Ministry
- The Knitting Ministry was started in 1998 by two women
from the Women's Leadership Institute at The Hartford
Seminary in Connecticut. Today there are many churches
and organizations involved, with Sycamore Presbyterian
forming a Knitting Ministry in 2006. These dedicated
knitters have produced a large number of items,
including prayer shawls, kids sweaters, baby caps and
booties, blankets, and military helmetliners. The
prayer shawls are delivered by Deacons and pastors to
church members in time of grief, surgery and illness,
and to nursing home residents. The shawls are knit with
prayers for comfort and healing and are blessed and
prayed for by the knitting group before being
distributed.
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Transportation –
The Deacons provide transportation
services for church members as needed so that members
are able to attend church, church-sponsored events,
doctor visits, or other visits necessary for their
well-being. The Deacons do not have large transportation
vehicles and typically bring a church member to church
with them in their own car when needed.
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Mailing Bulletins –
Worship bulletins for the upcoming
service are provided on a weekly basis to members whose
circumstances prevent their attendance at the Sunday
morning worship service. The
church office provides a list of persons to receive the
bulletins each week based on information they have from
the congregation.
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