Our Administration Team plays a vital behind-the-scenes role in keeping the church organized and running smoothly. We support the pastor and ministry leaders by reviewing and maintaining policies and procedures, ensuring everything aligns with our mission and values. With a heart for service and stewardship, we’re here to help create a strong foundation for ministry to thrive. Once policies are reviewed and amended, they go before the congregation council for review and approval at which time they become effective policy of Friendship. For a complete and up to date version of all of our church policies, constitution and bylaws, please contact the church office. If you’re interested in joining the team, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact Hannah Bostian or Pastor Josh.

The Learn Team at Friendship Lutheran Church is dedicated to nurturing faith formation for all ages through engaging, Christ-centered educational experiences. This team plays a vital role in planning, organizing, and supporting programs that help children, youth, adults, and families grow in their understanding of God’s Word and their walk with Christ. Key Responsibilities: • Vacation Bible School (VBS): Coordinate and support the planning, volunteer recruitment, and implementation of a fun, faith-filled summer program for children and adults. • Sunday School: Select and organize biblically grounded materials for Sunday School, ensuring alignment with Lutheran teachings and age-appropriate learning. • Children and Youth Ministries: Supporting ongoing programs that create spaces for connection, service, and spiritual exploration for kids and teens. • Children's Christmas Play: Lead and assist in the preparation and production of the annual children's Christmas program, celebrating the story of Christ’s birth. • Rally Day: Plan and host this annual event to kick off the new Sunday School year with energy, excitement, and church involvement. • Lutheroad: Promote participation in Lutheroad camp, helping provide opportunities for deeper spiritual connection and fellowship. The Learn Team works closely with church staff, volunteers, and families to provide a welcoming and inspiring environment where faith can flourish. Whether through creative storytelling, joyful music, hands-on learning, or community events, the Learn Team helps plant seeds of faith that will grow for a lifetime.

The CARE Team is committed to ministry & service in the community (outside the walls of the Church). This team strives tot share the love of God with members of the outlying community, serving as His hands, supporting needs & desires of both groups & individuals, whether they have experienced hard times, loss, need extra support, or simply to show appreciation for services they have given to others. The CARE Team plans events throughout the year, many recurring & some that are based on an immediate need when it arises. The following events have been executed: annual Emergency Services Appreciation meal, quarterly trash pick up to support Adopt a Highway (Friendship Church Road), The Alzheimer’s fundraising breakfast, annual Thanksgiving meals for unsheltered folks in the community & emergency personnel in service, food collection for the Christian Crisis Center & other food pantries in the county, quarterly Red Cross Blood Drives, monthly mobile café meal preparation, and other events as brought to attention. This Team welcomes volunteers & new members at any time throughout the year. Members of the congregation who have an interest in community outreach should see any member of the CARE Team to discuss service opportunities. Current members include: Chris Bowman, Wade & Debbie Cline, Donna Icard, Sue Bumgarner, Mary Icenhour, Jean Stafford, Wendelynne Pearson, Lorraine Hefner, Kittie Black & Tamara Stafford (also, council liaison). This team meets the second Monday of each month at 6pm at the Church. We keep in mind the call to service as we have each been blessed by grace in our own lives. 1 Peter 4:10 “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”

The Share Team’s mission is to share the impact stories of our ministry with others. They serve to promote the ministries of Friendship to church members, guests, and the broader community. They concentrate on two key areas: evangelism and marketing, along with discipleship integration. The Share Team utilizes various advertising methods, including slides for the church sign, social media, the radio station, and newspapers, to keep the community informed about church events and worship opportunities. They also plan how our church can be involved at community events such as parades and festivals to invite others to Friendship and spread the love of Christ. Currently, this team is focused on enhancing the welcome areas in both worship spaces, providing visitor bags for guests, and creating promotional items like Friendship Lutheran shirts. A partner ministry of the Share Team is the Event Team which is responsible for organizing and establishing guidelines for non-fundraising events at the church. Members of the team assist in planning and recruiting volunteers for various church events. Each member selects an event or events they are passionate about to coordinate. Additionally, the Event Team plans to create printed layouts of the Family Life Center and organize teams to prepare the center for these events. Both the Share Team and Event Team are actively looking for new members. If you feel called to join either team, please contact Kasi Sigmon or Amy Palmer

The Worship and Music Committee works directly with the Pastor, Director of Music and the Organist to provide meaningful, vibrant and reverent worship for the members and to ensure the Word of God is shared through sacrament, song and music. Additionally, we help our congregation celebrate their relationship with God and their relationships with one another through the many aspects of worship and music. We provide input in the planning and evaluation of worship services, select music, and coordinate with other committees as required. We meet quarterly to discuss needs of each choir/band, including but not limited to: ways to distribute communion, ways to introduce new ideas into each service, new music, new instruments, instruments that need repair, or new technology. Our plans for each church season can include joint services, music for these services, cantata’s, community services, invitations to other local church’s to join us in the services and invitations to other church choirs for these services. We also use opportunities to enrich our lives with others’ musical abilities and offer their talents to share with community. We have an evening with Tom Keesecker planned for Thursday, May 1st at Friendship. Mr. Keesecker is an accomplished musician and composer that has served the Lutheran church for over 40 years. If you are interested in serving on the Worship and Music committee, we would love for you to join us. Please see a member of team. Current members are: Patsy Shealy, Lynn Jolly, Mary Ann Icenhour, Julia Rhyne, Brittany Greathouse, Monica Stafford, Kimberly Knowlton,

The BAG team’s general responsibility is to make sure our property is taken care of and maintenance is done. Our facility is large and has a lot of “equipment” that goes out over time and has to be fixed. The facility is just like an enormous house and there is always something needing attention. We look after the outside of the facility as well. Sometimes it seems like when we have reached the point to replace something, something else breaks down and takes precedence. Our team is grateful for the facility we have and want to keep it in good shape. We have been so blessed to have the facility that we have and be debt free for such a facility. Many groups use our facilities and so we are all called to help take care of it. The work of this team is important to the life of the church as we discern the best ways God calls us to steward our buildings and property for mission and ministry. If you see a need please feel free to reach out to a BAG team member, Guy Kerley, Mason Frye or Eric Frye with concerns.

The Cemetery Ministry Team is responsible for the faithful stewardship, care, and management of our congregation’s cemeteries. Guided by the mission and values of Friendship Lutheran Church, the team ensures that the cemeteries are maintained as a sacred, dignified place of rest, remembrance, and Christian witness. The Cemetery Ministry Team serves families during a great time of need in accordance with the bylaws of the cemeteries and any applicable local and state regulations. The ministry of this team is held accountable and regularly provides reports to the Congregational Council. Friendship is blessed to have ample cemetery space. The cemetery across Church Road to the east of Friendship is referred to as the “Old Cemetery”. This cemetery was filled to capacity in 2015 and is generally closed to future burials. Only in special situations where one spouse was buried, and an adjoining space was left open for the remaining spouse will burials be permitted in the old cemetery. The cemetery adjacent to the existing building is open to active members and their spouses as well as their dependent children at no charge. Non-active members, associate members or former members also have access to be interned in the Friendship cemetery at a fee per the cemetery bylaws. General upkeep of grave markers and burial plots are the responsibility of the family. Generally, the ministry team serves to: • Oversee the general care, appearance, and upkeep of cemetery grounds • Coordinate in conjunction with the Building and Grounds team mowing, landscaping, snow removal, and seasonal maintenance • Ensure monuments, markers, and plots are maintained in accordance with cemetery bylaws • Identify and coordinate with families the needed repairs or improvements, recommending any action to council as necessary • Manage the allocation and records of burial plots • Coordinate burials with the pastor, funeral directors, sexton/caretaker, and families • Ensure burials are conducted respectfully and in accordance with church and cemetery bylaws • Maintain accurate maps and records of graves, ownership, and interments • Develop, review, and recommend revisions to the cemetery bylaws • Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws governing cemeteries • Address questions, concerns, or disputes related to cemetery use and regulations We at Friendship are grateful for God’s blessing of beautiful land in which we can faithfully lay our loved ones to rest. Any questions or concerns regarding the cemeteries should be directed to the ministry team or council. If you are interested in serving on this ministry team, please see Pastor Josh.

Our purpose: The Technology Ministry Team supports the mission of Friendship by using technology to help people encounter the Gospel with clarity, accessibility, and hospitality. This ministry ensures that worship—both in-person and online—is presented with excellence, and that the church’s digital communication and tools strengthen the life of the congregation. As Lutherans, we value the proclamation of God’s Word, welcoming all people, and equipping disciples for service. In a digital age, technology becomes one of the ways we extend that welcome, proclaim the Gospel, and stay connected as the Body of Christ. The Technology Ministry Team helps create a worship environment where people can hear, see, and participate fully—whether they are physical present in worship or joining from home. Ministry Responsibilities We provide technological support for worship and various ministry in the following ways: provide audio, visual, and lighting support during worship services; manage livestreaming, recording, and the digital presence of worship; prepare slides, videos, and digital elements used during services, receptions and special ministries; and troubleshoot issues quickly and calmly during live worship. We strive to be digitally hospitable by: creating a welcoming and accessible experience for online worshipers; ensuring that worship streams, recordings, and digital resources reflect the warmth and care of the church and align with our vision/mission; and maintaining consistency and quality across all digital platforms. We serve to be good stewards of our technological resources by: maintaining equipment such as soundboards, tablets, microphones, cameras, computers, and projectors; helping to evaluate and recommend upgrades as the ministry grows; and practicing faithful stewardship of our resources— balancing quality with cost-effectiveness. Other important aspects of the work of this team is to recruit, train, and support volunteers who assist with worship technology; create clear instructions and user-friendly guides for all equipment and tasks; and encourage teamwork, spiritual growth, and a supportive ministry environment. Through the faithful work of the Technology Ministry Team, God’s Word is heard clearly, the congregation is connected in new ways, and people near and far are welcomed into the worshiping community of Christ. If you are interested in technology and would like to serve in this area of ministry please reach out.

The Rusha Austin Scholarship Fund was established in the year 2000 with $50,000 provided by Ms. Austin. This fund was designed to reward college bound high school students and current college students, who are members of Friendship Lutheran Church. Rusha was a faithful member of Friendship. She always attended church as a loyal servant and Sunday school teacher. She attended college at Lenoir Rhyne where she received a degree in education. Ms. Rusha Austin dedicated her life to teaching students. Her strong belief that everyone deserved the opportunity to further their education was her inspiration for starting the Rusha Austin Scholarship Fund. After she formally retired from teaching, Ms. Austin tutored students as well as taught Sunday school. Ms. Austin would always keep up with when students should be receiving their report cards. If the students’ grades met her satisfaction, she might give them a dollar or piece of gum. The Rusha Austin Scholarship team meets annually after scholarship applications are due to make sure all of the requirements are being met. The scholarship is awarded annually to students who have the desire to further their education. Students have the opportunity to apply for this scholarship for up to 4 consecutive years. This year we were able to award 6 applicants with $1000 to pursue higher educational studies or trades. The Rusha Austin Scholarship team consists of Cathy Carroll, Starr Lynn Smith, Michelle Bowman and Angie Mooney (council liaison). Friendship is so appreciative of Rusha’s scholarship and we know she would be proud of the wonderful ways the recipients are using education to benefit others. We are thankful for the stewardship of Ms. Austin and the ongoing generosity of donors who continue to fund this scholarship.

Our Preschool Ministry Team - The Preschool Ministry Team provides a loving, Christ- centered environment where our youngest children can begin to experience the love of God in age-appropriate ways. Through hands-on activities, songs, play and storytellings from the bible, we lay the spiritual foundation for children ages three and four, helping them take their first steps in faith. Our team works closely with the Preschool Director and assistant by offering prayerful, practical, and organizational support. This includes listening ears when hearing our director share her curriculum plans, organizing supplies and helping to obtain them when in need, assisting with events, and being a sounding board for new ideas and challenges. We value collaboration and believe that a strong support system enables the director and team to focus on what matters most—ministering and loving the children and families that grace our preschool doors. We are very thankful and blessed to have Mrs. Lori Overcash (Director) and Mrs. Olivia Brookshire (Assistant) to lead Friendship Preschool where they spread God’s love to each and every child. Some of our key goals as a preschool include: maintaining a safe and welcoming space for children, equipping volunteers with the tools and training they need, and ensuring that every child hears the message that they are loved by God. We foster strong communication between the preschool team and church leadership, and continually look for ways to improve both our spiritual and practical impressions. We see the preschool as an extension of the church’s mission to nurture faith at every stage of life. The relationship between the church and the preschool is vital—each supports the other in creating a community where families feel connected, supported, and encouraged in their faith journey. Whether a family is deeply rooted in the church or just beginning to explore faith, the preschool is often their first meaningful point of contact, and we steward that opportunity with great care.