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| Spiritual Gifts Study |
| This study may contain some questions adapted from the Serendipity Bible for Groups |
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| Session One |
| The Concept: God-given abilities used to build up Christ's Body (the church universal)…1 Corinthians 12 |
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| Have you ever wondered why some things you do just feel great-why you're better at some things than other folks, even in church? Why is it that some folks love teaching Sunday School, and others would rather get a root canal without anesthetics? Why is it that some folks love behind-the-scenes tasks while others long to preach or sing? Part of the answer lies in our God-given personalities. Another part of the answer is the fact that God gives every believer spiritual gifts: special talents or abilities that, when properly understood & used, make the body of Christ (the church) optimally effective. |
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| What are spiritual gifts? What are they for? How many of them are there? How do I find out what my spiritual gift-or gifts-are? Can they draw me closer to God? Can spiritual gifts help people in our church unite to draw non-believers to God, & help believers grow deeper in their faith? Over the next several weeks, we'll seek to answer these questions & more! We'll start by looking at 1 Corinthians 12, seeking answers to the 2 most basic questions: what are spiritual gifts? And, what is their purpose? |
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| Background: |
| Verses 1-11 |
| Read 1 Corinthians 12. Why doesn't Paul want the Corinthians to be ignorant about spiritual gifts (vs. 1)? How knowledgeable are you about spiritual gifts? |
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| Most people don't worship idols these days (vs. 2)-but what things do influence people to be led astray from worshipping God? What is Paul's point in verse 3? Why do you think he includes this at the beginning of a discussion on spiritual gifts? |
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| How does Paul describe the interaction between spiritual gifts & spiritual unity (verses 4-6)? |
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| Verses 7-11 includes specific spiritual gifts. In the final 2 weeks of this study, we'll have a more in-depth discussion of specific spiritual gifts, defining & describing each gift listed in the New Testament. For this week's study we want to focus on defining generally what spiritual gifts are, and specifically their purpose within Christianity. Why, according to verse 7, are gifts given? By or through whom are they given?
Since gifts aren't our own creation or decision, does anyone-regardless of gift-have any reason to have either pride or shame about their gifts? |
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| What do you think is the difference between a message of wisdom & one of knowledge? In both cases, who is the source? |
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| Believers all need to have faith; so how is the gift of faith different from the faith all believers have? What is the purpose of this gift? |
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| Notice the text says gifts (plural) of healing, suggesting that there may be different gifts to heal different illnesses & ailments. Is it possible that this gift extends beyond physical healing to emotional, psychological, & relational healing? |
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| The gifts listed in verse 10-miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits (a.k.a., discernment), speaking in tongues (literally, other languages), & interpreting tongues-are supernatural, somewhat mysterious, even frightening to some people. Why do you think God gives these gifts? If the gifts are given "for the common good" (verse 7), how do these gifts achieve the common good? |
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| Verses 12-31 |
| Having explained the basic concept of spiritual gifts, Paul goes on to share how the gifts are designed to work together to build up the body of Christ. In verses 12-13 he gives his premise: the church is one body comprised of many parts. Therefore, no part of the body is less important than another (14-20); and no part is more important than another (21-26). The point is obvious: Every part is necessary for the body to function the way it was created to. |
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| Read verse 26: how is that description of Christ's Body-the church like: a happy family? A winning team? A successful business? A healthy body? |
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| Application: |
| Commit yourself to pray for the next several weeks: |
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| 1.That God would reveal to you your gifts & calling |
| 2.That God would reveal to the others in this group their gifts & calling |
| 3.That God would use the people in this group-and throughout TCC-in to affirm one another's gifts & calling |
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| Session Two |
| The Context: Love |
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| 1 Corinthians 13 |
| Knowing what spiritual gifts are (special talents or abilities given by God to believers) and what they're for (building up Christ's body, the church) is just the beginning. In 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul gives us the context in which we can safely discover, develop, & deploy our spiritual gifts: Christian love! |
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| 1 Corinthians 13 |
| This chapter is best known as the "love chapter" so often read at weddings. However, in its original context, 1 Corinthians 13 was written to balance the Corinthian Christians' knowledge of gifts with a reminder of the love's importance. In other words, this chapter applies to all relationships among Christians (not just newlyweds!). Love, by the way is not a spiritual gift; it is rather one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5). Godly love-the 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love-grows within us as we choose to walk with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. |
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| Name a time in your life when you've felt truly loved. What made you feel so loved? How did that love affect your life? |
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| How does Paul set up chapter 13 with the last part of 12:31? As you read vs. 1-3, which holds a higher place: spiritual gifts or love? Why do you think that is so? |
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| Given the importance Paul gives spiritual gifts, how important must love be in God's eyes? |
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| Summarize verse 4-7 in one sentence, starting with "love is…":
Love is… |
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| How is the Christian ideal of love expressed in this chapter different from how people view love today? How is it similar? |
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| How do verses 8-10 bring spiritual gifts into proper perspective? |
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| How does it make you feel to know you'll someday face with God, with no more "unknowns"-no doubts, no questions, no misunderstandings? |
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| When everything else passes away, what remains? How can we keep that positive perspective in an often cynical & jaded world? |
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| Application: |
| Why must we always use spiritual gifts within the church in a loving way? |
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| Think of one "good deed" you can do this week to express God's love: |
| 1. To your spouse (if married) or a friend (if single)? |
| 2. To the kids in your life? |
| 3. To someone in the church? |
| 4. To a non-churchgoing neighbor or co-worker? |
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| Close by spending time praising God for the love he shows us through his Son, Jesus Christ. |
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| Session Three |
| The Community: Romans 12:1-8 |
| In Romans 12:1-8 Paul shows us how properly deployed spiritual gifts help to build a Christ-honoring faith community. |
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| Vs. 1-2 |
| How is worship defined in verse one? |
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| So then…when & where should we "worship"? Is it a one-time thing, a some-time thing, or an all-the-time thing? |
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| How should that affect the way you think, speak, & act: at home? At work? In your neighborhood? |
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| The "you's" in verses 1 & 2 are plural (it's not, you alone; it's you all together). How does that influence your understanding of how God's will can be known? |
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| If tomorrow someone asked you what God's will for them was, what would you say? |
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| Vs. 3-5 |
| How should we to think of ourselves? How do you tend to think of yourself: too highly? Not highly enough? A little of both? |
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| How should we think of others within the Body of Christ? What would the effect on our church be if we all thought of one another with "sober judgment"? |
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| Vs. 6-8 |
| What would happen if someone whose gift was teaching only wanted to serve? Or if their gift was serving but they only wanted to teach? Or if someone whose gift was leadership was unwilling to lead? |
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| How effective in ministry would that church be? How spiritually satisfied & fulfilled would the people in that church be? |
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| By contrast, in a church where people discover, develop and deploy their gifts-where they're freed up to minister where they excel-how effective in ministry would that church be? How spiritually satisfied & fulfilled would the people in that church be? |
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| How important is the concept of spiritual gifts to: personal spiritual satisfaction? Relational harmony in the church? Mutual ministry effectiveness? |
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| Application: |
| In what ways do you tend to "conform to the pattern of this world"? |
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| What would help you "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" in those areas? |
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| Currently in the church-in terms of using your spiritual gifts-are you: |
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| 1. Sitting on the sidelines (not actively serving yet)? |
| 2. Playing out of position (serving in a ministry that doesn't fit your gifts)? |
| 3. In the game, happy & productive (serving where your gifts fit well)? |
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| Session Four |
| The Calling: Ephesians 4:1-17 |
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| To understand the role of spiritual gifts in our life and the lives of the church, We must understand that we each have a calling from God; the goal is to find & fulfill that calling while helping others do the same… |
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| Have you ever felt "called" to anything-professionally, spiritually, or otherwise? What was it? How did you know you'd been called? Did you get to the point you'd felt that you'd fulfilled the call? Or not? |
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| Read Ephesians 4:1-16. Paul's calling was to be a prisoner for the Lord; the Ephesians' calling as followers of Jesus was to make known God's wisdom (3:10). That is our calling too! Why do you think Paul placed such importance on believers leading a life worthy of their calling (4:1)? |
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| How can believers today lead a life worthy of their calling? |
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| What word or phrase would summarize Paul's instructions in vs. 2, 3? |
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| What produced the unity mentioned in vs. 3? Are you glad that we only have to keep it, not create it? |
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| In verses 4-6 there are 7 "ones"-please list them: |
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| What point(s) is Paul trying to make with all those "ones"? |
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| Verse 11 talks about 5 categories of leadership-oriented spiritual gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors & teachers. What does verse 12 say is the purpose of these gifts? |
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| There are 2 ways to "build up" the body of Christ: by strengthening the body through helping people to grow in their faith, and by increasing the number of people in the body. How can the 5 leadership gifts help to accomplish both of these ends? |
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| How should that purpose-building up the body-affect what TCC's leaders do? How should it effect what TCC members do? |
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| How do we grow and become spiritually mature (13-16; cf. 3:17 & 1:18)? What is the result of spiritual maturity? |
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| What does it mean to "speak the truth in love"? How do you discern: 1, when is the right time to speak, 2, when is the right time to be silent, and 3, how to say something lovingly? |
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| Application |
| Are you leading a life worthy of the calling you've received: in your marriage? In your parenting? In your workplace? In the church? |
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| Session Five |
| Discovering, Developing, & Deploying Your Gifts Part I: How can I discover & develop my spiritual gifts? |
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| There are several different ways to go about discovering your spiritual gifts: Some churches use personality inventory-like tests that help you discover your personality type & skills; there are churches where leaders simply tell you what your gifts are (they think); there are churches that ignore the issue altogether. |
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| My thinking is that Paul & the other early leaders of the Christian Church didn't have personality inventory tests or other quantifiable means to discover their gifts. Nor did leaders seem to simply tell believers "this is your gift". In reading the New Testament-especially the Book of Acts-it seems that spiritual gifts were discovered in a process, over time. This process involved the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the desires & inclinations & aptitudes of the individual, and the affirmation of the Body of Christ (the church). It's a more time-consuming process than the other methods. But it seems to follow the model found of the New Testament, which is the goal of TCC. |
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| The Holy Spirit's Guidance |
| When you were a child-or a teenager-what were you best at? How did it feel when you did whatever that was? How did it feel when people told you that you were good at it? |
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| Read Acts 13:1-3. How did the church at Antioch put into action the principles we've read about in this study? |
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| What were the believers in Antioch doing when the Holy Spirit set apart Paul & Barnabas? How do you think the Holy Spirit spoke to them: a voice from heaven? A silent impression on their heart? Through one of the people in the church? Or…what??? |
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| When you pray, do you ever ask the Holy Spirit to guide you? What happens when you do? Have you been praying, asking the Lord to reveal your spiritual gifts? What has been the response? |
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| Affirmation From The Body |
| What do other Christians say you're good at? Take a few moments, pass your booklet around the room, and let everyone write down the spiritual gifts they believe that you have: |
| This booklet belongs to (your name here): |
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| Spiritual Gifts people in this Small Group think that I may have: |
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| (One note of caution: beware of flattery, and be sure to
seek-and give-serious opinions) |
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| Are there gifts that are mentioned more than once? Which gifts? |
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| How do you feel about the gifts others see in you: they got it? They're not quite right, but they're giving me something to think about? They're just wrong-maybe I need some other opinions? |
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| Session Six |
| Discovering, Developing, & Deploying Your Gifts Part II: How can I effectively deploy my spiritual gifts in Templeton Community Church? |
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| Your desires, inclinations, & aptitudes |
| What do you like to do? |
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| What about the church:s |
| Excites you? |
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| Irritates you? |
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| Makes you say, "I could do that better!" ? |
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| Do you have a burning desire to be involved in? |
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| DEPLOYING MY SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN OUR CHURCH |
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| From last week, and the preceding studies, write down 3 spiritual gifts that you think you may have: |
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| Are you currently using those gifts? If so, in Worship Ministry what area of ministry? |
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| If you aren't yet using your gifts (or if you feel you're "under-using" them), what area of TCC ministry listed below would you like to "try out"? |
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| Try some things out! You find your ministry "niche" by praying, seeking, and trying out different areas ministry. Move around to some different TCC ministries, if necessary, to discover your gifts & calling. This is an active process that takes weeks, months, and sometimes years! |
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| Below is a chart with TCC's ministry broken into different areas; spiritual gifts are listed with X's in the ministries where those gifts might be utilized most effectively. |
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| Ministries-to right Gifts-down left column |
Worship Ministry |
Children's & Youth Ministry |
Small Groups |
Administration/Communication & Finance |
| Prophets |
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| Apostles |
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| Evangelists |
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| Pastors |
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| Teachers |
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| Service |
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| Encouragement |
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| Giving |
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| Leadership |
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| Showing Mercy |
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| Helping |
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| Message of Wisdom |
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| Message of Knowledge |
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| Faith |
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| Healing |
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| Miraculous Powers |
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| Distinguishing between Spirits |
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| Tongues |
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| Interpreting |
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| Administration |
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| The listings below are for events & programs currently in place or planned for in the future; many ministry positions are filled, but we can always use more help! |
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| Sunday Worship Celebration: |
| Logistics |
| Set-up/tear-down |
| Greeters/ushers |
| Refreshments |
| Music |
| Vocalists |
| Guitar Players |
| Bass Players |
| Percussionists |
| Keboard Players |
| Other instruments (mandolin, fiddle, sax, flute, trumpet, or???) |
| Choir |
| Vocalists |
| Piano Player |
| AV/Drama |
| Photographers/videographers to produce brief (3-5 minutes) video/slide presentations
Actors/writers/directors for brief (3-5 minutes) skits & announcements |
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| Administration, Communication & Finance: |
| Treasurer |
| Assistant Treasurer |
| Missions Treasurer |
| Office Volunteer Coordinator |
| Office (clerical) Volunteers |
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| Special Events & Outreach: |
| Outreach Coordinator & Planning Team for |
| Special Days |
| Christmas |
| Easter |
| July 4th |
| Other Special Events/Outreach Events |
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| Small Groups & Fellowship Groups: |
| Hosts |
| Leaders & Assistant Leaders |
| Babysitters |
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| Children's & Youth Ministries: |
| Sunday School |
| Sunday School Coordinator |
| Teachers |
| Aids |
| Planning & Supplies Coordinators |
| VBS & Christmas Camp |
| Coordinator |
| Rec Leaders |
| Craft Leaders |
| Music Leaders |
| Bible Teachers |
| Opening/Closing Ceremony Actors |
| Snack Coordinator |
| PR & Outreach Coordinator |
| Youth Group |
| Volunteer Staff |
| Refreshment Providers |
| Drivers |
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| www.templetoncommunitychurch.com | email: office@templetoncommunitychurch.com | ph:805.434.5040 |
