SOFEW stewardship outreach fellowship education worship

SOFEW

click on a word below for a sermon on that topic by Rev. Dr. Lawrence Jameson
STEWARDSHIP, OUTREACH , FELLOWSHIP,
EDUCATION, WORSHIP

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SOFEW is a handy acronym you can use as a planning tool
to help you with the daily disciplines of the Christian life,
and to help you organize your congregation and small groups
more effectively.

Every individual believer, and every Christian group,
both large and small, needs to address the areas of discipleship
the term SOFEW describes.

Planning for Small Groups?
Here are five questions
to ask your small group
to help make plans.

STEWARDSHIP
What can we do to honor God
with our time, talent, and treasure?

OUTREACH
What can we do to honor God
in the areas of missions, witnessing,
evangelism, ministries of mercy, and social justice?

FELLOWSHIP
What can we do to honor God
in the areas of fellowship, friendship,
pastoral care, and mutual encouragement?

EDUCATION
What can we do to honor God
through Bible study, spiritual gift discovery,
and nurturing stronger disciples?

WORSHIP
What can we do to honor God
through prayer, praise, preaching, song, and sacraments
in the beauty of holiness?

Here is a look at
the organization of our local churches
using SOFEW categories

STEWARDSHIP (true blue for faithfulness)
Charge Conference (yearly goalsetting)
Administrative Board (program and decision making)
Pastor Parish Relations Committee (vision team)
Trustees (property management)
Finance (budget and stewardship planning)
Committee on Lay Leadership (formerly Nominations - leadership development)
Church Office (printing & communications)
Newsletter
Church Web Page
Pastor's Pics (ministry in photos)

OUTREACH (orange for warm hearts and willing hands)
Good Samaritan (emergency assistance in Cecil & Kent Counties)
MAM (Mission Area Ministry - working with other local churches)
Missions (local, national, & world)
Evangelism
Social Justice

FELLOWSHIP (gold for the precious value of friends)
UMM (United Methodist Men)
UMW (United Methodist Women)
UMYF (United Methodist Youth Fellowship)
Cub Scout Pack 154
Girl Scout Troop 285

EDUCATION (green for growth & nurture)
Sunday School
Confirmation Class
New Member Orientation Dinners
Alpha Bible Study in local restaurants

WORSHIP (red for passion & sacrifice)
Worship Arts Team
Ushers
Acolytes
Choir
Organist/Pianist
Praise Team

Here are some
practical leadership tips for your small group
using the SOFEW concept.

1) Always start with a devotional. (WORSHIP)

2) Plan at least one outreach activity a year. (OUTREACH)

3) Include something educational in every meeting. (EDUCATION)

4) Want to build relationships? Food works wonders. So do field trips. (FELLOWSHIP)

5) Meeting time is precious. Always plan an agenda. Start and end on time. (STEWARDSHIP)

Here are some
theological descriptions
of SOFEW ministries for our church

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY
We are generous with our time, talents, and treasures because God has been good to us. We use what we have to help others, knowing that we cannot out-give God. As we are faithful to use God's gifts wisely, people come to know Jesus, the Steward.

OUTREACH MINISTRY
We care about our community and we get involved because God first reached out to us. That's why we extend ourselves beyond the church in social action, ministries of mercy, and personal witness. As we stand up for God in the public forum, people come to know Jesus, the Servant.

FELLOWSHIP MINISTRY
We love one another in practical ways because God first loved us. Friendship, listening, and care act like magnets to draw people into our fellowship. As our integrity is proven over and over again, people come to know Jesus, the Friend.

EDUCATION MINISTRY
We study the Bible because it contains God's Word given to us. Christian disciples are students who love to learn and grow. As we nurture one another in wisdom, people come to know Jesus, the Teacher.

WORSHIP MINISTRY
We gather together every week because God meets with us as we worship. Our prayers, songs, offerings, and lessons are shared with Jesus who reveals his majesty to us. As we open our hearts to God, people come to know Jesus, the LORD.