Program of Ministry
The Gause Methodist Church program of ministry is a wide-ranging set of programs which enable our church to have an impact in our community. We have a variety of activities, worship services, and programs in which people can participate. Below is a listing of the primary ministries of our church...
Worship Services– we conduct weekly Sunday services in our sanctuary. As a part of the Worship Service, we also conduct a special Children’s Time ministry aimed at the younger children in the congregation. This is enormously popular with the children and serves as an excellent vehicle to expand their horizons and get them started on their faith walks.
Sunday School– this ministry is conducted for adults each Sunday morning prior to worship services and is held in our Fellowship Hall.
Bible Studies– we conduct a regular Bible Study in our Fellowship Hall each Sunday afternoon. In addition, we conduct special studies at various times of the year when volunteers are available to teach. For example, we have conducted Lenten studies in the Lent period. We have conducted a Ladies Bible Study. This ministry is ongoing and is flexible to meet the needs of both our volunteer leaders as well as participants. Normally they are held in the Fellowship Hall.
Prayer Blanket Ministry– this is a program whereby anyone can request, whether a member or not, a prayer blanket for someone enduring hard times, medical issues, personal or family problems, etc. For each request we provide a blanket square made by the ladies of our church. Each blanket is held in the center aisle of our sanctuary during a regular Sunday worship service and our congregation either places their hand on the blanket or on someone else and, thus, we are all connected via the power of prayer to that blanket. Upon completion of the service, the blanket is delivered to the recipient.
We have received many letters of appreciation and testimony regarding the power of those blankets.
Bereavement Meals– our church provides bereavement meals for anyone whose family requests that ministry. We are limited to the number of people we can serve, but we conduct 5 or 6 every year. In many cases it will be for a family not connected with our church and is a great way to express Christian love and set an example of Christian support during tough times.
Special Needs Outreach– this ministry is conducted to assist those in need who are unable to provide the services needed on their own. This varies depending on the circumstance and involves a team of people going to the person or families needing help and performing whatever service we either have the skills to do or can find someone who does.
For example, we have an elderly man in our church who is unable to take care of odd jobs and repairs around his home. We have a team of people who has been out to his home in coordination with his wife to accomplish such things as shredding a 5-acre pasture, repairing a broken fence, replacing about 20 fence posts, repaired water lines and outdoor faucet lines, replaced a water catchment cistern that had rusted through, roof repairs, mowing a 3-acre yard, repairing holes in the yard, leveling the refrigerator, and many other similar tasks.
Another example is that we recently took two teams of people to Franklin Texas to assist with clean up and roof repairs in an area hard hit by a tornado.
Other examples are mowing a lady’s yard because she is not able to do so, repairing a drive way damaged by rain storms, helping someone with animals needing a home, driving people to appointments, etc.
Missions & Benevolence– this is the most extensive of our outreach missions whereby we help people with non-physical labor requirements. We have provided funding for eyeglasses to a special needs lady. We have funded eyeglasses for school children. Every year we provide either toys or funding for needy children during Christmas; we have provided Thanksgiving and or Christmas meals to shut ins or people unable to provide for themselves; We provide funding to a number of different charitable agencies and efforts.
There is not a month when we do not conduct some sort of mission outreach or provide support to someone or to an organization in need.
Special Meals and Observances– this ministry involves volunteers providing, cooking, serving, and managing meals in our fellowship hall for various events such as a Valentine’s Day meal, a men’s breakfast, a men’s steak dinner. We provided a meal for a church picnic for fellowship of our church members. We conduct several of these each year and try to invite community members by invitation because we do not have the space for an open invitation to all.
Special Worship Observances– this is a special ministry we do each year to attract as many people to our church as possible. It involves a series of special church services such as Maundy Thursday Service, Good Friday Service, and Easter Worship Service. At Easter we also have a community Easter egg hunt and we take Easter lilies to either the Gause Cemetery or to Hearne Texas nursing homes.
During Christmas we conduct Christmas Eve worship and candlelight services.
We often focus on All Saints Day, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and July 4thwith special activities during our normal Sunday Service. These observances recognize different groups of people and or open to the community. We believe that by getting people into our doors, they become more comfortable in a church, albeit not necessarily a specific religious program, then they are more comfortable returning here for a religious service. It also provides us an opportunity to invite them so that they know they are wanted and welcome.
Teacher Recognition– we annually provide a luncheon for Gause ISD teachers and staff. We host them in our Fellowship Hall and conduct a short recognition service. Not only do they greatly appreciate the attention and the meal, it is just another way of exposing the community to Christ and Christianity.
Adopt-a-Highway– we have entered into an agreement with the TXDOT to adopt a 2 mile stretch of highway centered on Gause, TX. This is just one more way for us to provide community support and become more visible in the community. We will clean the highway four times a year.
Amazing Grace of Gause - The church has entered into an agreement of support with the Amazing Grace of Gause program located across the street from the church. Through this program, people can donate funds or items to Amazing Grace to help needy families in the Gause area and receive receipts for those donations from the church.
Summary– We are a small church with a small facility, but we try to do what we can to fellowship and worship together in meaningful ways that expand our individual faith walks. Simultaneously, we try to intersperse special events and services to bring the community to faith. We do what we can to serve those in need and to help those needing assistance. Our members are incredibly generous with their time and money and we extend our reach worldwide.
Worship Services– we conduct weekly Sunday services in our sanctuary. As a part of the Worship Service, we also conduct a special Children’s Time ministry aimed at the younger children in the congregation. This is enormously popular with the children and serves as an excellent vehicle to expand their horizons and get them started on their faith walks.
Sunday School– this ministry is conducted for adults each Sunday morning prior to worship services and is held in our Fellowship Hall.
Bible Studies– we conduct a regular Bible Study in our Fellowship Hall each Sunday afternoon. In addition, we conduct special studies at various times of the year when volunteers are available to teach. For example, we have conducted Lenten studies in the Lent period. We have conducted a Ladies Bible Study. This ministry is ongoing and is flexible to meet the needs of both our volunteer leaders as well as participants. Normally they are held in the Fellowship Hall.
Prayer Blanket Ministry– this is a program whereby anyone can request, whether a member or not, a prayer blanket for someone enduring hard times, medical issues, personal or family problems, etc. For each request we provide a blanket square made by the ladies of our church. Each blanket is held in the center aisle of our sanctuary during a regular Sunday worship service and our congregation either places their hand on the blanket or on someone else and, thus, we are all connected via the power of prayer to that blanket. Upon completion of the service, the blanket is delivered to the recipient.
We have received many letters of appreciation and testimony regarding the power of those blankets.
Bereavement Meals– our church provides bereavement meals for anyone whose family requests that ministry. We are limited to the number of people we can serve, but we conduct 5 or 6 every year. In many cases it will be for a family not connected with our church and is a great way to express Christian love and set an example of Christian support during tough times.
Special Needs Outreach– this ministry is conducted to assist those in need who are unable to provide the services needed on their own. This varies depending on the circumstance and involves a team of people going to the person or families needing help and performing whatever service we either have the skills to do or can find someone who does.
For example, we have an elderly man in our church who is unable to take care of odd jobs and repairs around his home. We have a team of people who has been out to his home in coordination with his wife to accomplish such things as shredding a 5-acre pasture, repairing a broken fence, replacing about 20 fence posts, repaired water lines and outdoor faucet lines, replaced a water catchment cistern that had rusted through, roof repairs, mowing a 3-acre yard, repairing holes in the yard, leveling the refrigerator, and many other similar tasks.
Another example is that we recently took two teams of people to Franklin Texas to assist with clean up and roof repairs in an area hard hit by a tornado.
Other examples are mowing a lady’s yard because she is not able to do so, repairing a drive way damaged by rain storms, helping someone with animals needing a home, driving people to appointments, etc.
Missions & Benevolence– this is the most extensive of our outreach missions whereby we help people with non-physical labor requirements. We have provided funding for eyeglasses to a special needs lady. We have funded eyeglasses for school children. Every year we provide either toys or funding for needy children during Christmas; we have provided Thanksgiving and or Christmas meals to shut ins or people unable to provide for themselves; We provide funding to a number of different charitable agencies and efforts.
There is not a month when we do not conduct some sort of mission outreach or provide support to someone or to an organization in need.
Special Meals and Observances– this ministry involves volunteers providing, cooking, serving, and managing meals in our fellowship hall for various events such as a Valentine’s Day meal, a men’s breakfast, a men’s steak dinner. We provided a meal for a church picnic for fellowship of our church members. We conduct several of these each year and try to invite community members by invitation because we do not have the space for an open invitation to all.
Special Worship Observances– this is a special ministry we do each year to attract as many people to our church as possible. It involves a series of special church services such as Maundy Thursday Service, Good Friday Service, and Easter Worship Service. At Easter we also have a community Easter egg hunt and we take Easter lilies to either the Gause Cemetery or to Hearne Texas nursing homes.
During Christmas we conduct Christmas Eve worship and candlelight services.
We often focus on All Saints Day, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and July 4thwith special activities during our normal Sunday Service. These observances recognize different groups of people and or open to the community. We believe that by getting people into our doors, they become more comfortable in a church, albeit not necessarily a specific religious program, then they are more comfortable returning here for a religious service. It also provides us an opportunity to invite them so that they know they are wanted and welcome.
Teacher Recognition– we annually provide a luncheon for Gause ISD teachers and staff. We host them in our Fellowship Hall and conduct a short recognition service. Not only do they greatly appreciate the attention and the meal, it is just another way of exposing the community to Christ and Christianity.
Adopt-a-Highway– we have entered into an agreement with the TXDOT to adopt a 2 mile stretch of highway centered on Gause, TX. This is just one more way for us to provide community support and become more visible in the community. We will clean the highway four times a year.
Amazing Grace of Gause - The church has entered into an agreement of support with the Amazing Grace of Gause program located across the street from the church. Through this program, people can donate funds or items to Amazing Grace to help needy families in the Gause area and receive receipts for those donations from the church.
Summary– We are a small church with a small facility, but we try to do what we can to fellowship and worship together in meaningful ways that expand our individual faith walks. Simultaneously, we try to intersperse special events and services to bring the community to faith. We do what we can to serve those in need and to help those needing assistance. Our members are incredibly generous with their time and money and we extend our reach worldwide.