Gaithersburg Church of the Nazarene

Ministries at GCN

Children | Youth | Adults | Sports & Excerise

Overview

GCN provides a variety of ministries and activities for just about everyone.  Below is a description of many of our ministry activities.

At GCN we want to encourage our people in ministry and be open to God's leading. We also believe that God has given every church a mission to make disciples! We want to do our best to be intentional in our ministry and do our very best to see that what we do is accomplishing that mission in significant ways. So, what do you do if God seems to be laying a new ministry on your heart? You may contact one of our staff or ministry leaders. Provide them a Ministry Proposal Planning Sheet (download a Word or pdf version). Also, be sure to read this one page summary of Making Disciples of Jesus!

CHILDREN

In order to have an opportunity for children to share their faith, we provide a number of activities for children to minister to others. Sunday School classes are encouraged to do outreach projects as they fit into the lesson and as needs arise. We make Gospel Christmas cards for children at the Community of Hope, send Valentine cards to folks in our congregation, participate in Nazarene mission projects and other projects as needs are brought to us.

Our Mission at GCN for Children

Our Children's Staff has at the center of their ministry for children the following ABC’s for Children at GCN:

Accept Jesus as their Savior
Believe the Bible is God's Word
Copy Jesus' Example
Demonstrate God's love to others
Experience the Power of the Holy Spirit

Programs for Children:

Sunday Mornings

Nursery Ministry: Our desire is to provide a clean, safe, loving environment for babies and toddlers. It is also our desire to share the love of Jesus and an introduction to God's word through simple lessons by using curriculum, which is specifically designed to meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers.

Preschool Sunday School is provided for children ages 2 through 4.

Kids' Church: Children in grades K through 5 meet from 9:00 until 10:35 for our children's worship service. We meet in multipurpose room and go to the sanctuary to join in the praise time with the adults. After praise time, we return to mulitipurpose room to hear Bible stories and truths through puppets, skits, science experiments, music and games.

Sunday School: Classes are offered for each grade level from kindergarten through 5th grade from 10:40 until 12:00.

Wednesday Evenings

We offer preschool childcare and a Wednesday discipleship program for our elementary aged children. This is a Bible-based program which meets from 7:00 until 8:15. Our children discover the truths of God's word through Bible learning, crafts, snacks, and games. All children in grades K-6 are welcome.

Other Programs

Youth Music: Youth Music is done periodically throughout the year during Kids' Church and through other venues. Presently we are doing two musicals a year, one in the Spring and one at Christmas time. Open Houses: In order for parents to become familiar with the programs in which their children are involved, classes will have Open Houses. Parents will be invited to visit their child's class and see first-hand what their child is doing and learning at church.

Neighborhood Bible Clubs: Our hope is to have Vacation Bible School offered throughout our community through Neighborhood Bible Clubs. Each club will be hosted by a family from our congregation, taught by someone in our congregation and assisted by teens and other adults. These will be offered this year for two weeks at the end of July.

Summer Fun Days: Several fun events will be scheduled during the summer such as picnics with water slides.

Children's Summer Camp: Our children's camp provides an opportunity for children to go away for a week to beautiful Summit Lake where they can enjoy outdoor activities, great chapel times, and crafts.

Children's Safety

The safety of our children is a big concern for us. Because of this, we have instituted the following procedures for the safety of our children. All of our Children's Ministry Workers:

• Go through a Children's Worker Application process and background check.
• Participate in Training at least twice a year.
• Release children only to a parent or other designated adult.
• Teach/help in our classrooms with at least one other adult or qualified teen.
• Are aware of evacuation procedures and exits for the classroom in which they teach.

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YOUTH

• Youth Sunday School (Grades 6-12)
• Shift and Fusion (previously known as Deep Impact) on Sunday nights (includes Small Group Leaders, food preparation, support team, and game coordinators)
• Wednesday Night Bible Quizzing
• Wednesday Night Bible Study
• Special Events (coordinates special events and provides promotion/transportation for special events) Youth Ministry Council coordinates Youth Ministry

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ADULTS

Young Adult Ministry: Reaching out to young adults ages 18 to twenty something! We currently have a class for young adults meeting Sundays at 9:15 - 10:15 a.m.

Small Group Ministry:

Our small group (or Life Groups) ministry desires to provide community for everyone so that no one stands alone. Small groups at GCN connect about 8 to 14 people together to encourage each other's walk with Christ as they...

1. Pray for each other,
2. Study God's word together and apply it to their lives,
3. Love and serve one another, and
4. Serve together.

We have a number of small groups that meet regularly at GCN or nearby. Each group is led by a small group leader. Following is a list of some of current small groups. The topics shown may change based on the needs of each group. Contact us to request more details.

Leader	Group Type	Meeting Schedule	Meeting Location	Study Topic
Mrs. Barwell	Teen Girls Accountability Group (TGAG)	2nd & 4th Thursdays of each month from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.	Schafer's home (Gaithersburg)	One Girl Can Change the World
Darrin Cave	Guys Small Group (SIC)	2nd & 4th Thursdays of each month from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.	GCN	Holding Teens Accountable
Heather and Jim Painter	Young Couples	2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month	Members' homes	Staying in Love
Open	Mostly couples with young children, but open to all	Every other Friday at 6:30 p.m.	Members' homes	tbd
Bill and Rhonda Watkins	Couples/Singles	1st and 3rd Sundays at 6:00 pm	GCN	Ray VanderLaan "With all your heart"
Ben & Kelly Spitler	Empty Nesters	Friday's at 7:00 (dates determined by group)	Spitler's home	various
Steve Zahm	Men	Wednesdays at 7:00 - 8:15 p.m.	GCN	Various topics
Rich & Chris DiMambro	Couples and Singles	Sunday, Twice a month, 6 to 8 pm	Various homes of group members	Crazy Love, Francis Chan
Lisa Baldridge	Adult Women, single or married	Every other Sunday evening, 6:30-8:00 pm	GCN	1 & 2 Thessalonians and Titus
Dee Neff and Pat Kane	Women	Every other Sunday after church services	Neff/Kane home	Prayer DVD/ Jim Cymbala

Last updated: September 26, 2011

Assimilation Ministry focuses on making GCN a warm, friendly place and includes greeters, ushers, and Welcome Wagon.

Church Fellowship Ministry provides opportunities for people to connect within our walls and includes Half Time coffee service as well as church dinners, picnics and Easter breakfast.

Nazarene Missions International (NMI) reaches out to our world with the goal of mobilizing the church in mission through prayer, education, giving and interactive experience. NMI also offers short term mission work through our work and witness outreach.

Stephen's Ministry provides support to our church family who are in need.

Visitation Ministry provides contract to those within the church family who are home bound and to those in need.

Prayer Ministry coordinates our Mighty Pray-ers, the National Day of Prayer, and our weekly Tuesday night prayer gathering.

Worship Ministry includes both music and drama ministry. Worship team, choirs and band are all part of our music ministry. Drama ministry is shared through skits and monologues during worship.

Adult Bible Fellowship Ministry provides classes on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings to adults of all ages.

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♦ ♦ ♦ Sports & Exercise ♦ ♦ ♦

GCN hosts a variety of physical activities for all ages.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:15 p.m., there is a women's exercise class in the multi-purpose room.

During the spring, GCN sponsors a softball team. All are welcome to play (or to come and cheer). This is slow-pitch softball; bring a glove if you have one.

Spring 2011 Softball Schedule

Games start about 6:45 pm unless otherwise noted; arrive about half an hour early to warm up. Printable schedule (pdf).

On Thanksgiving morning, GCN hosts a touch football game known as the "Turkey Bowl." Check back here as we get closer to Thanksgiving for the exact time and location of the game. This game is open to young and old, men and women, girls and boys, the athletic and the "I'm-going-to-regret-playing-this-in-the-morning".

Throughout the year, groups from GCN get involved in a variety of sports and activities. Below are some pictures from a kickball game in 2008 a Stewartown Park.

Click on picture to see full size image

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