Gail Pflederer

Board of Deaconess Chair

The women who faithfully serve as deaconesses have opportunities to discover the joys, sorrows and challenges facing our church community and witness God’s people lifting each other up through caring acts of service and prayer. Although much of their work is happily accomplished in the background, these women generously share their time, skills and gifts to build up the church and glorify our Lord. It has been an honor to serve with the following women during the 2019-2020 fiscal year: Karen Bagge, Vicky Bailey, Joleen Billingham, Allison Bonga, Barb DeLew, Becky Garrett, Linda Gulbransen, Heidi Johanik, Betsy Love, Shirley Mathews, Mary Nellessen, Vanessa Roth, Nancy Taylor and Sarah Tews.

All deaconesses assist with communion each month and have the joy of getting to know some of our homebound congregants through bi-monthly visits. In addition, each deaconess serves our congregation on two of the following sub-committees, which allows them to work as small teams to support our pastors, church staff and congregants.

Baptism

The Baptism Committee assisted with 17 baptisms during the past nine months, celebrating with those who through repentance and faith chose to publicly acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Care & Share

The Care & Share Committee prayerfully disbursed over $200,000 to nearly 100 College Church individuals and families, Outreach Community Center and Churches United for Hardship Assistance. Care & Share also provided funds to alleviate expenses with back-to-school gift cards, Christmas gift cards, counseling, medical expenses, housing and home/auto repairs. This is made possible through the benevolent funds received from caring and generous congregants.

Communion

The Communion Committee manages the purchase of communion elements and supplies as well as communion preparation, transition and clean-up each month for three services. All deaconesses assist this committee for the monthly serving of communion. This year the Communion Committee completed extensive research on how to diminish the spread of germs during communion services and implemented new procedures to accomplish this goal.

Correspondence

Each month the Correspondence Committee demonstrates the love of the body of Christ through handwritten cards and notes to encourage those who are weary, rejoice with those who rejoice and comfort those who are in the middle of grief and loss. During the past nine months, 194 cards have been mailed out to congregants and those serving in the military.

Funerals

With little notice, the Funeral Committee serves bereaved families with kindness and care through the planning, preparation and service of a light luncheon or reception after a funeral or memorial service. In the past nine months, this committee has lovingly served nine funeral luncheons.

Helping Hands

The Helping Hands Committee very practically meets various physical, non-financial needs in our church community. It is encouraging to observe firsthand how our church community rallies around those who could use home-cooked meals or rides to and from doctor appointments. We praise God for our generous and caring volunteers. During the past nine months, the committee has secured volunteers to provide 83 meals and 24 rides for 29 individuals/families.

Visitation

The Visitation Committee works with the church staff to connect our homebound congregants with a deaconess for regular visits. Each deaconess discovers new friendships with one or two homebound women for mutual encouragement. What a blessing to hear stories of God’s provision and faithfulness from these women of deep faith. This past year 33 poinsettias were delivered to 22 homebound congregants, four furloughing missionaries and seven grieving congregants. Spring plants are delivered in the days leading up to Easter.

To serve as a deaconess means to discover anew God’s faithfulness to his people. To serve as a deaconess is a means of serving our Lord, knowing that his Spirit is ever at work in the lives of those we serve, drawing their hearts toward himself, and shaping our hearts, too, as our faith in him grows deeper. May our service to his church have greater gospel impact as we encourage and uplift one another in prayer and practical means.