Indicate your interest in our Committees, Ministry Teams, and Ministries. Scroll Down for Committee Descriptions.
FUMC Ministry Areas
Fort Smith First United Methodist Church is a grace-filled community that serves neighbors with compassion, welcomes all with open hearts and minds, and grows disciples of Jesus Christ. To embody this purpose, all ministries are organized into three Ministry Areas:
Within each area, specific Ministry Teams carry out the work. Teams may be ongoing or project-based, and their leadership and membership are shaped by gifts, passions, and calling rather than election or fixed terms. Teams are created or retired as ministry needs change, ensuring flexibility and responsiveness to God’s mission.
While administrative committees and boards (as defined by the Book of Discipline) are elected and serve set terms, Ministry Teams are appointed and shepherded in collaboration with the Pastor and Church Council. Ministry Areas provide accountability, a clear flow of responsibility, and a connection of resources, ensuring that funding, communication, and leadership support all reflect the church's purpose and mission.
- Serving Neighbors – sharing Christ’s love through missions, service, and community partnerships.
- Welcoming All – extending hospitality, care, and belonging to members, guests, and neighbors.
- Growing Disciples – nurturing faith through worship, teaching, and spiritual growth.
Within each area, specific Ministry Teams carry out the work. Teams may be ongoing or project-based, and their leadership and membership are shaped by gifts, passions, and calling rather than election or fixed terms. Teams are created or retired as ministry needs change, ensuring flexibility and responsiveness to God’s mission.
While administrative committees and boards (as defined by the Book of Discipline) are elected and serve set terms, Ministry Teams are appointed and shepherded in collaboration with the Pastor and Church Council. Ministry Areas provide accountability, a clear flow of responsibility, and a connection of resources, ensuring that funding, communication, and leadership support all reflect the church's purpose and mission.
UMC Committee Job Descriptions
(Quarterly; Oversight and Connecting Link to the Arkansas Conference)
AD BOARD:
The Administrative Board meets quarterly and, when appropriately authorized by the District Superintendent, also serves as the Charge Conference. The Administrative Board/Charge Conference is the connecting link between the local church and the Arkansas Conference of the UMC. It is responsible for reviewing and evaluating the church's total mission and ministry (¶120-124), receiving reports, and adopting objectives and goals recommended by the executive church council that are in keeping with the objectives of the United Methodist Church (¶247.3).
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:
In order to provide ongoing collaborative oversight and leadership throughout the year, the Executive Council serves as our Ad Board/ Church Conference’s executive committee (Church Council) by providing ongoing accountability on ministry progress, enacting policy, and prayerfully discerning strategic matters. The Council’s primary duties include collaborating with the lead pastor and others to set the strategic direction for the church, overseeing the church’s governance and administration, and ensuring that our ministries align with the church’s purpose, vision, and plans. The Executive Council is amenable to the Administrative Board/Charge Conference.
AD BOARD:
The Administrative Board meets quarterly and, when appropriately authorized by the District Superintendent, also serves as the Charge Conference. The Administrative Board/Charge Conference is the connecting link between the local church and the Arkansas Conference of the UMC. It is responsible for reviewing and evaluating the church's total mission and ministry (¶120-124), receiving reports, and adopting objectives and goals recommended by the executive church council that are in keeping with the objectives of the United Methodist Church (¶247.3).
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:
In order to provide ongoing collaborative oversight and leadership throughout the year, the Executive Council serves as our Ad Board/ Church Conference’s executive committee (Church Council) by providing ongoing accountability on ministry progress, enacting policy, and prayerfully discerning strategic matters. The Council’s primary duties include collaborating with the lead pastor and others to set the strategic direction for the church, overseeing the church’s governance and administration, and ensuring that our ministries align with the church’s purpose, vision, and plans. The Executive Council is amenable to the Administrative Board/Charge Conference.
(Quarterly or Bi-monthly, Property and Fiduciary Work)
This Board is charged with caring for and maintaining church property and holds title to the church’s property, buildings, vehicles, and equipment. As the legal board of directors of a nonprofit corporation with fiduciary responsibilities, trustees must be at least eighteen years old. Key responsibilities include establishing policies and practices regarding maintenance and equipment, church property, safe gatherings, accessibility, disaster planning, land acquisition and construction planning, and insurance.
This Board is charged with caring for and maintaining church property and holds title to the church’s property, buildings, vehicles, and equipment. As the legal board of directors of a nonprofit corporation with fiduciary responsibilities, trustees must be at least eighteen years old. Key responsibilities include establishing policies and practices regarding maintenance and equipment, church property, safe gatherings, accessibility, disaster planning, land acquisition and construction planning, and insurance.
(Quarterly; Stewardship, Budgeting, and Financial Health)
The Finance and Stewardship Committee develops and administers a coordinated plan of fiscal and administrative policies and procedures for the church. It oversees financial health, the annual audit, provides financial direction, oversees the annual stewardship program, and communicates the church’s financial condition to the Charge Conference, Administrative Board, and Executive Council.
The Finance and Stewardship Committee develops and administers a coordinated plan of fiscal and administrative policies and procedures for the church. It oversees financial health, the annual audit, provides financial direction, oversees the annual stewardship program, and communicates the church’s financial condition to the Charge Conference, Administrative Board, and Executive Council.
(Bi-monthly, Personnel, Staff and Clergy Support)
The Staff Parish Committee governs policy for staff and clergy. The committee sets employment policy, guides the priorities of the pastoral and staff team, maintains oversight over personnel issues, and works to ensure that FUMC is a fulfilling workplace.
(Note: BOD requires that members of this committee cannot be related to a FUMC staff member)
The Staff Parish Committee governs policy for staff and clergy. The committee sets employment policy, guides the priorities of the pastoral and staff team, maintains oversight over personnel issues, and works to ensure that FUMC is a fulfilling workplace.
(Note: BOD requires that members of this committee cannot be related to a FUMC staff member)
(2x Year; identification and development of elected leaders)
The Nominations Committee oversees the identification, development, and care of First UMC's volunteer leaders. Key responsibilities include preparing the annual nomination slate and overseeing volunteer service and leadership development at the church.
The Nominations Committee oversees the identification, development, and care of First UMC's volunteer leaders. Key responsibilities include preparing the annual nomination slate and overseeing volunteer service and leadership development at the church.
Associated Nonprofits
The FUMC Foundation is incorporated and organized, functions in compliance with state law, and is subject to the provisions of the Book of Discipline. By Discipline, the Foundation shall not violate the rights of any other local church organization and is subject to the direction of the FUMC charge conference. The charge conference has delegated to the FUMC Foundation the power and authority to receive, invest, and administer in trust for the local church bequests, trusts, and trust funds upon notice to the board of trustees as provided in 2533.5, in which event the Foundation shall have the same investment and reporting duties as are imposed on the Board of Trustees. No such delegation of authority shall be construed to be a violation of the rights of any other local church organization. The Foundation’s purpose is to support and provide for the future needs of our church’s ministry by encouraging our members to remember FUMC in their planned giving, including wills, trusts, retirement accounts, and life insurance designations.
The FUMC Weekday School exists to provide high-quality early childhood education. Developmentally appropriate experiences are offered in our infant, toddler, preschool, and kindergarten classes to allow children to grow socially, emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually while being surrounded in a nurturing Christ-centered environment. As a separately incorporated non-profit licensed by the state of Arkansas, the programs are administered by their own Board of Directors. Vacancies on the board are filled by the program’s board of directors in accordance with the by-laws of the nonprofit corporation.
First United Methodist Church is governed according to the denomination’s prescribed structure as found in the United Methodist Book of Discipline. Committee nominations are approved at the annual Charge Conference, and most committees have a 3-year term of service that begins on January 1. All our church boards and committees are "working boards" with member expectations for project management, assignments, and work to be done between meetings.
The Nominations Committee’s aim is to match persons with open positions according to the following considerations:
● Alignment with the church’s disciple-making mission
● Length of membership tenure at FUMC and experience in other congregations
● Balance experience in leadership with welcoming and engaging new leaders
● Actively fulfilling member expectations (UM Discipline ¶217): prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness
● Past history of leadership in small groups, classes, ministry teams, and committees
● Balance and diversity of the committee, particularly with age, gender, race, membership tenure, and areas of involvement
● Ability to fulfill committee requirements and attend meetings
The Nominations Committee’s aim is to match persons with open positions according to the following considerations:
● Alignment with the church’s disciple-making mission
● Length of membership tenure at FUMC and experience in other congregations
● Balance experience in leadership with welcoming and engaging new leaders
● Actively fulfilling member expectations (UM Discipline ¶217): prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness
● Past history of leadership in small groups, classes, ministry teams, and committees
● Balance and diversity of the committee, particularly with age, gender, race, membership tenure, and areas of involvement
● Ability to fulfill committee requirements and attend meetings