This team is established by the Methodist Book of Discipline “to assist the pastor and staff in assessing their gifts, maintaining health holistically and work-life balance, and setting priorities for leadership and service.” The SPRC creates job descriptions, hires staff, and has liaisons from the team for each staff member. These liaisons check in regularly and help to provide guidance where needed. SPRC also coordinates with the Green Mountain District Superintendent.

This team, led by our Outreach Coordinator, Phyllis Azotea, helps our church family create and sustain all of the amazing outreach ministries that we offer to our neighbors who are struggling. Together they create new ways of serving as well as updating and managing all of the ministries that we’ve been offering for many years. This team also helps to create and coordinate holiday meals, fundraising events, and donation drives to support our outreach ministries.

Disaster Relief in Vermont – in the wake of the 2023 flooding in Barre and surrounding areas, our church stepped up to be a hub for UMCOR to deliver supplies which we then helped to distribute. Further flooding in 2024 solidified the fact that we needed a team to help us respond in times of disaster in our community while at the same time Hedding was tapped by the New England Annual Conference to be an official UMCOR Hub for Vermont.

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) was originally founded in 1940 in response to displaced and vulnerable populations in the wake of World War II, UMCOR assists the most vulnerable people affected by crisis or chronic need without regard to their race, religion or status. UMCOR’s work is carried out by providing relief and assistance in response to natural and human-made disasters and supporting programs in the areas of migration, health, food security and environmental sustainability.

This team helps our church prepare for and respond to natural disasters in our area as well as creating more opportunities for our church family to help others around our state, nation, and world through UMCOR Kit creation events.

Educates and coordinates opportunities for social justice work in our city and state. While our Outreach Ministries work to help people who are in crisis, the Social Action Team works to advocate for healthier systems so that fewer people end up in a crisis. They do this by educating our congregation about legislation that is being debated and offering ways to hold accountable elected representatives commissioned to create healthier systems. The Social Action Team works with Vermont Interfaith Action and encourages participation in postcard campaigns, letter writing and phone calls to representatives, and public demonstrations.

Creates and supports programming to deepen discipleship. The ministries under this umbrella include children, youth, and young adult ministries for education and community building, as well as adult education, like bible study and book groups. Events, like the Annual Easter Egg Hunt (including a special egg hunt for neurodivergent kids) and the Barre Heritage Fest activities for children on the front lawn of the church, have also been organized by this team.

Creates and Supports Worship for our church family.

Hedding strives to be a welcoming and hospitable congregation. This team helps us with that by creating a welcoming atmosphere on Sundays and for other events that happen in the life of the congregation. This team oversees everything from greeters & ushers to welcoming visitors to fellowship time & funeral luncheons.

This team supports our Pastor and Pastoral Care Support staff, Kelly DeFelice, in caring for and visiting with those in our church family who are sick, in the hospital, or homebound. This team also cares for the Prayer Team, who receive prayer requests sent via email, our Meal Train ministry, and our prayer card and birthday card ministry.

Planning fun fellowship opportunities for our congregation and wider community. This team brings in musical performances, created our monthly Sunday potlucks, and imagines new ways to invite people into community with one another. No set schedule for meetings at this time.

Makes sure our worship and office technology is fully functioning and trouble shoots as needed. 

Creates and implements procedures to help us be a safe place for everyone.