Session & Teams

The Session

FPCD is led by a session, a governing board made up of 10 ruling elders and moderated by the pastors. Ruling elders are those elders currently serving on session. Elders are mature believers called by God and elected by the congregation to serve on session for three year terms but remain elders for life. The session oversees all ministries, provide spiritual leadership and nurture spiritual growth. The session is called to represent the congregation to God and represent God to the congregation. Our session meets monthly to seek God’s direction for the church through study, worship, prayer and discussion.

According to the ECO Constitution the responsibilities of the session are:

  1. to provide Leadership & Mission;
  2. to oversee the sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism;
  3. to plan and provide for disciple-making and ministry oversight;
  4. to participate in presbytery (our regional governing body);
  5. to keep records;
  6. to administer the budget, insurance and employee benefits;
  7. to conduct audits;
  8. to evaluate ministry and mission.

Other responsibilities of our elders include: serving communion, interviewing prospective covenant partners, and the laying on of hands at healing and other services, representing our congregation at presbytery meetings and occasional hospital visitation.

Session-Teams

At FPCD there are 5 Session-Teams that oversee all ministries and functions of the church. Each elder serving on session co-leads a Session-Team with 1 other elder from session. The Session-Team is made up of all the leaders of the various ministries and sub-teams under it’s ministry area. All Session-Teams meet about 6 times per year for prayer, bible-study, training, visioning, ministry health assessment, communication, reporting & problem-solving. Session-Teams are bi-lingual & multi-cultural, and work together to better align & integrate English and Spanish ministry and build a flourishing church. The 5 Session-Teams are: 

worship

Worshiping Team Making flourishing disciples of Jesus who worship & pray daily, powerfully & persistently. We Seek to be aligned, purposeful, prayerful and prepared.

The Worshiping Team oversees all our regular worship & prayer services as well as all-church and holiday worship services. The The team's co-leaders are 2 elders currently on the session and includes the pastors, music director, worship leaders, lead ushers, the deacon overseeing communion preparation, flower/decorations coordinator, audio/visual ministry representative, liturgical dance group leader and prayer ministry leaders. 

disciples2

Discipling Team Making flourishing disciples of Jesus Christ in everything we do who obey, trust, believe and increasingly resemble Jesus in everything they do. We Seek to be aligned, purposeful, prayerful and prepared.

The Discipling Team oversees all fellowship and teaching ministries as well as all events for all ages. This team is where events and ministries are organized, birthed, regulated, directed, supported and supplied. The Discipling team is purposefully coordinating the alignment of Spanish and English ministries to work together and support each other. The team's co-leaders are 2 elders currently on the session and includes the pastors, youth director, women’s and men’s ministry leaders, Bible Study coordinators, children’s ministry leaders, adult teaching coordinators, retreat and event coordinators as well as the VBS director. 

sending

Sending Team Mobilize God’s people to bring the Good News of Jesus to Dunellen, to NJ & to the ends of the Earth by both supporting & engaging in global missions, evangelism, justice & service and by reaching-out through our website, social-media & advertising.

The Sending Team oversees all mission, outreach & evangelism, as well as our advertising, social media & church website. This team includes the mission committee who designates which missionaries, outreach and justice organizations our church supports. The Sending Team leads our church in connecting with, supporting and reaching out to our local community.  The team's co-leaders are 2 elders currently on the session and includes the pastors, evangelism coordinators, mission committee, community outreach coordinators and our website coordinator.

equipping

Equipping Team Raising up, training, encouraging and empowering leaders from among our congregation who equip God’s people for ministry as pastors, staff, elders, deacons & ministry leaders and overseeing & training Covenant Partners.

The Equipping Team oversees all of our training ministries that equip people to become who God is making them to be as individuals, parents, teachers, youth & children’s ministry leaders, covenant partners, worship leaders, elders, deacons, evangelists, pastors and other leaders. The team includes three sub-teams: the nominating team chosen by the session and congregation to nominate elders and deacons for election; the personnel team that oversees our paid staff in conjunction with the Pastor (Head of Staff) and the covenant partner team which oversees our rolls and new covenant partner training. The Equipping Team's co-leaders are 2 elders currently on the session and includes the pastors, personnel team, nominating team leaders, covenant partner team leader, the ministry-connection team, and various training coordinators.

resourcing

Resourcing Team Stewarding the Resources God Supplies in order to effectively mobilize & supply God’s people to be worshiping, discipling, sending & equipping for God’s glory.

The Resourcing Team oversees all of our physical and financial resources. The Facilities sub-team directs the maintenance, improvement and usage of our facilities. The Finance sub-team manages church finances, oversees and develops the budget. The Resourcing Team's co-leaders are 2 elders currently on the session and includes the pastors, sexton, treasurer, assistant treasurers, insurance coordinator, finance sub-team, and facilities sub-team.

"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always."

1 Chronicles 16:11