Service is the lifeblood of our church. Your talents are a gift. Find a group you would like to join and contact us.
Audio Ministry
Mission Statement : Our purpose is to monitor and maintain the Sanctuary sound system. We also record Sunday services as well as other significant events in CD format and have them available to purchase through the Book Store. We also forward the Sunday meditation and lesson to the Webmaster. They are available for listening through UCGR’s website.
Chairperson:
Committee: Volunteers are needed to help with the activities described above. Please contact Mary Ann Ruganis to learn more.
Beautification
Mission Statement: The Beautification ministry supports the “nurturing environment” of UCGR, as well as Unity principles, by maintaining conditions and standards of beauty and order in our physical environment. The Beautification Ministry has joined with Earthkeepers Ministry to be one group.
Chairperson:
Ministry: We meet frequently throughout the year to both plan and carry out tasks and projects that support our ministry goals.
Bookstore
Mission Statement: To make available for purchase, books and materials that reflects Unity’s teachings and principles. Also available for sale are The Daily Word, Unity Magazine and other New Thought journals.
Manager: Joan Miller
Committee: A small group of people is trained to handle sales and service on Sunday mornings, and other times as needed. To support the bookstore or get involved, see Joan Miller.
Bylaws Ministry
Mission Statement: The Bylaws committee is an adhoc committee whose mission is to review the bylaws and propose changes to the Board of Trustees and membership as needed but at least once every five years. Once changes are presented and voted on by the membership, the adhoc committee will no longer exist, until such time the Board of Trustees determines that changes are warranted at which point the Bylaws committee will be reactivated.
Chairperson: Larlene Fyles
Church Directory/Name Tags
Mission Statement: To make sure the information in the directory is kept current and requests for name tags are fulfilled on a regular basis.
Chairperson: Mary Ann Ruganis
Church Photographer
Mission Statement: To capture the beautiful moments of our church so that others may experience with their eyes what is felt in the heart.
Photographer: Mike Gacek
Earth Keepers
Mission Statement: This ministry serves UCGR by caring for the gardens and grounds.
Co-chairs:
Committee: Volunteers adopt gardens to plant, weed and tend. Clean up days are scheduled to address raking, trimming, and general grounds maintenance. The chairperson also manages our hired groundskeeper who mows and shovels snow. To help out, call the church office. The Beautification Ministry has joined with Earthkeepers Ministry to be one group.
Financial Prosperity
Mission Statement: The Financial Prosperity Ministry clarifies, teaches and implements financial stewardship practices which support the enfoldment of Unity Church of Greater Rochester as a divinely prosperous center inspiring human transformation.
Chairperson: Larlene Fyles
Committee: Meets monthly to develop the annual budget, investigate and develop our financial practices, explore fund raising, etc. To get involved, see Leslie Wright.
Greeters
Mission Statement: To welcome, provide hospitality, and directions to all who enter Unity Church of Greater Rochester.
Chair person:
Committee: The Greeting committee at UCGR has the honor of greeting each person as they come in the door on Sunday morning. We offer you a warm smile and warm hug or handshake. We answer questions and when there are new people we have them put their names and contact information in the registration book and give them a nametag so others can address them by name. We help them find their way around and answer questions about Unity and our church. Greeters sign up for particular Sundays and work as a pair.
Historian
Mission Statement: To maintain records of our church so that future generations may enjoy, be inspired by and learn from the legacy of Unity in Rochester. The Historian also works with the Church Photographer to amplify printed sources with photos of church events. The Historian position is now open.
Lending Library
Mission Statement: To provide materials on Unity, New Thought and New Age philosophy and history for free circulation.
Librarian: Barbara Boyce
Church members may sign out materials and are asked to return them in a timely fashion. Donations to the library can be made through Barbara.
Music Committee
Mission Statement: Our mission is to bring spiritually uplifting music to the congregation. The church has a song leader, who joyfully leads the congregation in hymns.
Our goal is to expand our Music Ministry. Music resounds in the souls of us all.
Chairperson: Jane Faust
Committee: Meets periodically, as needed. To get involved, please see Jane.
Newsletter
Mission Statement: To communicate with our membership and friends the joy, happenings, inspiration, and teachings of our church.
Editor: Bernie Bowie
Nominating Committee
Mission Statement: A Nominating Committee, formed at least three months prior to the Annual Membership Meeting, shall initiate a search for at least two qualified candidates for the Board of Trustees. The committee consists of the Minister, three active members selected at the Annual Meeting by the membership, and a representative of the current Board of Trustees.
2017-2018 Chairperson: Open; member, Donna Ries; Alternate, Open
Platform Assistant
Mission Statement: To serve the congregation at Sunday Service by providing concise announcements regarding church activities in an inviting and connected manner.
We have worked to streamline the announcements while maintaining the key elements in sharing vital information of church activities.
Chairperson: Donna Ries
Team: Volunteers are trained and scheduled by Donna. To be a platform assistant, please contact her. The group meets on an as needed basis.
Policy & Procedure Manual
Mission Statement: To ensure that all facets of the church are nurtured and implemented with clarity, consistency, understanding and love.
Secretary: Board Secretary
Prayer Chaplaincy
Mission Statement: To bring prayer to the people.
Chairperson: Jane Faust
Chaplains: Our Prayer Chaplains visit members in their homes, hospitals, or other settings to provide prayer and spiritual support. Chaplains must receive extensive training. If interested, please see Jane Faust.
Prayer Team and Chaplains
Mission Statement: Awakening to the Christ within ourselves through prayer, we affirm the Divine Identity in others, so they can see it in themselves and receive its blessings.
Prayer Chaplain Coordinators: Katherine DaCosta and Jane Faust
Prayer Team Coordinators: Jean Marie Bianco and Liesl Gasser
Team: Volunteers are available each Sunday after the service to provide one-on-one prayer. The team meets regularly to pray and plan activities that support the prayer life and spiritual well being of the congregation. To get involved, please see one of the coordinators.
Publicity Committee
Mission Statement: To reach out to the community and publicize our church teachings, activities, and events.
Chairperson:
This committee is in the early stages of development and welcomes new people to give ideas and help.
Remembrance
Mission Statement: The Remembrance Ministry contributes to creating a nurturing environment at Unity Church of Greater Rochester by reaching out with expressions of love and support to our congregation in times of joys and challenges.
Chairperson: Mary Ann Ruganis
Committee: Meets as needed to plan and implement initiatives to meet the needs of our homebound members as well as general congregation.
Sign Ministry Team
Mission Statement: Our purpose is to change the message on the sign in the parking lot each week as an effective way to communicate with passersby. Weekly changing of the message causes more people to look at our sign each week. We are looking for messages that serve to awaken people to their Divine Identity. This is our opportunity to be of service to the Vision Statement of Unity Church of Greater Rochester.
Chairperson: Mike Gacek
Committee: A small group of volunteers works with Mike to schedule weekly message changes.
Special Events Social Committee
Mission Statement: To plan and implement social events, involving set-up, food preparation and serving. Love offerings from the congregation for refreshments supplement the church’s budget for the Social Fund which helps to pay for large events such as our Thanksgiving Dinner and Summer Picnic. The Social Committee organizes a number of holiday events each year, and also assists with occasional luncheons after Sunday service before Congregational meetings or special events.
Chairperson: Larlene Fyles
Committee: Volunteers work with Larlene to support a variety of events. See Larlene to be involved.
Social Media Ministry
The purpose of the Social Media Ministry is to: (1) Shine the light of Unity and Unity Church of Greater Rochester as far as possible in the world; and (2) Foster communication among members in their personal spiritual journey.
Chairperson: Barbara Boyce
Sunday Offering Counters
Mission Statement: To oversee the inflow of love and prosperity that our church brings forth when we gather as one.
Chairperson: Board Treasurer
Volunteers: Our counters work in pairs and are scheduled by Marilyn Hampton. To become a counter, contact the church office.
Sunday Service Special Roles:
On the display table in the lobby there are folders where you may sign up to read the Daily Word during our Sunday services, or to provide flowers for the sanctuary. We welcome more people in these roles.
Usher Team
Mission Statement: The ushers provide a welcoming and facilitating presence during worship and special services.
Chairperson:
Volunteers: The ushers are to make sure the sanctuary is warm and welcoming looking. The lights are adjusted during the meditation. They welcome congregants as they come into the sanctuary with a warm smile and perhaps a hug as they present them with a bulletin. They take up the Sunday offering at the end of the service. Most importantly, the ushers are part of a team with the greeters to welcome people to a spiritual experience at Unity Church of Greater Rochester. Volunteers are trained and work in pairs. They are scheduled through a coordinator. To become an usher, please call the church office.
Website
Mission Statement: To greet all those who seek out our church on the internet with information about us, and what we stand for; to provide resources such as audio files of our Sunday messages, prayers and related links.
Webmaster: Emily Carpenter
Welcoming Ministry
Mission Statement: The mission of the Welcoming Ministry is to reach out to visitors and new congregants, offering a warm welcome to our services, facilitating the growth of relationships and offering the opportunity for deepening involvement in church life. The Welcoming Ministry works in concert with the ministers and other church volunteer ministries, including Greeters, Ushers, Platform Assistants, Publicity, etc.
Chair:
Youth Education
Mission Statement: Provide a caring, nurturing, friendly, welcoming environment for children of all ages and teens. Help our youth develop by teaching Unity principles and curriculum through prayer and the arts: story, drama, puppets, and visual arts. Help teens grow through discussion and study with peers.
Youth Ed Director and Lead Teacher: Liz Santa Maria
Volunteers Assistants: Volunteers assist Marna in the Sunday School on an as needed basis. To get involved, see Liz or contact the church office.
