Our Organization

Every organization has to have order. The Methodists were first called "Methodists" because they were so ordered in their faith lives. We took the name, not as an insult, but with pride.

Today, we Methodists are organized into a world-wide church that is connected in such a way that enables every congregation to do ministry around the world, no matter where they are located or their size and ability.

The local church is the basic unit of the United Methodist Church. Local churches are grouped into districts. Districts are grouped into Annual Conferences, which may or may not match a state boundary. Annual conferences are grouped into geographic jurisdictions, which when added to the Central conferences of Europe, Asia and Africa, form the General Conference.

Beymer Memorial is a part of the South Central District of the Florida Annual Conference in the Southeastern Jurisdiction.

Representatives from around the world meet at the general conference once every four years to worship, plan ministry and modify the Book of Discipline, which is the Methodist book of law.

How Beymer is Organized

Every Methodist church has a basic organization that is consistent from church to church. Then each church is given the freedom to organize from their to best provide for its individual ministries.

• Church Council - Representatives from the various Administrative committees and the program and ministry committees and councils form the church council. The church council is responsible for approving the church's annual plan and budget for ministry, regularly receiving reports and overseeing the ministries. The council elects the church officers and leaders.
• Lay Leadership Development Committee - Chaired by the senior pastor of the church, this committee identifies, develops, trains, and nominates for consideration by the Church Council persons for leadership positions in the church, district, and conference.
• Finance Committee - The finance committee oversees the general finances for the church, and works to provide the needed resources to accomplish the ministries approved by the church council.
• Board of Trustees - The board of trustees is responsible for overseeing and protecting the assets of the church. This includes the land, buildings, and furnishings for the church and the parsonage. The trustees are the legal organization of the corporation and administer any contracts the church may have with vendors, and deeds for any property.
• Staff/Parish Relations Committee - This is the personnel committee of the church for hired staff, and relates to the pastoral leadership and the congregation for evaluation and recommendation for pastoral changes.
• Education Committee - This committee oversees all education programs in the church including Sunday school, Beymer Bash, Disciple Bible Studies, and youth and children ministries.
• Worship Committee - The worship committee plans, coordinates with the senior minister and the music minister, and provides needed back ground help for all of the worship services in the church. This includes regular Sunday morning services, Advent and Lenten service, weddings, funerals, and special services throughout the year. The committee also provides for ushers, acolytes, liturgists, and other assistance and help that makes worship the work of all the people of the church.
• Missions Committee - Plans, coordinates and oversees all of the activities of the church which reach out to the community and the world in efforts to relieve human suffering. This includes local partnerships with the Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries, Inwood Elementary School, as well as long distance disaster relief and oversees missions.
• Family Life Committee - This committee plans activities for adults and families. Examples are the Saturday Beymer Bikers which ride the Winter Haven bike trail to Lake Alfred on the first Saturday of each month. The committee also plans family dinners once a month and other family activities like bowling, camping, etc.
• Evangelism - The evangelism team plans and coordinates activities that reach out to the local community with programs that meet spiritual needs of children, youth and families.
• Archives & History Committee - Beymer has a long and proud history of serving Christ in the Winter Haven community. The archives and history committee work to preserve vital historical documents and pictures. They periodically produce histories of the church and maintain the "Lore Room" which houses important historical artifacts and records.

 

Meetings Schedule

• First Tuesday of each month - 6:30 pm - Staff/Parish Relations Committee
• Second Tuesday of each month - 6:00 pm - Family Life Committee
• Second Tuesday of each month - 6:30 pm - Education, Evangelism, Missions, Worship Committees
• Second Tuesday of each month - 7:45 pm - Ministry Leadership Team Meeting
• Third Tuesday of each month - 5:00 pm - Board of Trustees
• Third Tuesday of each month - 6:30 pm - Finance Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related resources

• For information about the Florida Annual Conference go to www.flumc.org

• For information about the Southeast Jurisdiction go to www.sejumc.org.
• For information about the United Methodist Church go to www.umc.org.
• For more information about the South Central District go to www.flumc-scdist.org
• Find A Church  More about Beymer Memorial
• More about us www.10thousanddoors.org

 

Rev. Sharon Austin, South Central District Superintendent

 

 

 

Rev. Meredith McMillan, Senior Pastor, Beymer Memorial

 

 

 

 Beymer Memorial United Methodist Church Council

• Chair - Tamara Williams
• Church Treasurer - Rob Gibson
• Finance Director - Allie Fletcher (staff)
• Lay Member to Annual Conference - C.R. Hornback
• Lay Alternate to Annual Conference - Dorothy Hornback
• Lay Leader - Morita Hadlock
• Recording Secretary - Gerry Wilson
• Membership Secretary - Margie Anderson
• Trustees Chair - Sharon Bates
• Finance Chair - Rob Gibson
• Staff/Parish Chair - Morita Hadlock
• Archives & History Chair - Gundy Costello
• Education Chair - Robert Cox (staff)
• Evangelism Chair - Bill Clark
• Family Life Chairs - Tommy & Coe Ann Ashley
• Memorials Chair - JoAnn Murray
• Missions Chair - Kathryn Smith
• Pre-School Board Chair - Sandy Brown
• Worship Chair - Nancy Hallfin
• Children's Home Rep. - Patty Muller
• Boy Scout Rep. - Marion McMillan
• Girl Scout Rep.  - Jeannette Baker
• Higher Education & Campus Ministry - Susie Casey