"...to equip God's people for works of service so the body of Christ may be built up..."
— Ephesians 4:11-12
 

Equipping Ministry Mission
To help each of us discover and develop our spiritual gifts and talents in order to serve and glorify God.  (Romans 12)

Equipping Ministry Vision
To be a unified church equipped to serve as ministers of Jesus Christ.

Talents Differ from Spiritual Gifts
A talent is a God-given natural ability and aptitude. A spiritual gift is a special role or gift that is received through the Holy Spirit.

To accomplish its mission and vision, the Equipping Ministry of Union United Methodist Church encourages each member to discern and acknowledge his or her talents and own, unique, spiritual gifts by participating in the six-session NETWORK study.

More than 100 Union UMC members have successfully completed the NETWORK study course. Many took it through their Seekers, Joy, New Life or Pathfinders adult Sunday school classes. Others participated in six-session studies set up by the Equipping Ministries at various times during the year. The study helps the class members discover their spiritual gifts, how their personality and temperament defines their personal style and their ministry passion. This knowledge is valuable in finding a personal comfort zone in fitting into the various ministries of service at Union UMC and in God's Kingdom. 

The Lay Leadership Development team has found it to be a very valuable tool in placing persons in appropriate roles within our church body. Network participants have been very complimentary and excited with the results they derived from taking the course.

Some comments of the past participants in the Network study:

“The spiritual gift that I found to be the most surprising was my gift of “apostleship.” However, after giving it some thought and looking up the word “apostle,” I can understand how this particular gift might suit me. I do feel that I am here for a specific mission or purpose and that it is my responsibility to figure this out. That is the reason I decided to take Network. I highly recommend the study.”
Dex-Ann Magyar

“The Network study opened doors for me and affirmed me. I had no idea there were so many gifts that God had given us. I found a few of mine that I knew but one I had no idea was a gift from God that I had been using. If you seriously want to serve in God’s kingdom, you need this study!”
Jan Buck

“Network helped me understand how I can serve God and others in areas that “fit” me best. It was interesting to see what others thought were my strong points. I learned new things about myself and to take a step back and reflect on areas about myself that I could improve upon. I thoroughly enjoyed the sessions.”
Lisa Anderson

“Network has helped me understand how important it is to know my spiritual gifts and my role in Union’s ministry. I pray that every person at Union will take the opportunity to attend these workshops and act upon their understanding of their own personal spiritual gifts and how they can enhance Union’s mission.”
Carol Sommers

“Perhaps, you already know your spiritual gifts. I thought I did. Through Network I verified a gift I had previously identified and discovered a new one. You see, I’m still growing in Christ. I guess I’m not “done” yet. It’s exciting to realize that God has additional plans for me!”
Jan Unrue

“The Network study offers valuable insights to any team leader who is committed to encouraging and empowering their team members both on their spiritual journey and
in their service to the church.”
Michael Byrnes, former Missions Team Leader

For more information, please contact any member of the Equipping Ministry Team... Ken Beale (team leader), Clay Anderson, Joy Bouknight, Larry Moshell, Buffy Murphy, Jan Unrue, Will Warwick and Brian Wisnewski.