DIACONATE The Diaconate consists of 16 members of the congregation who are elected to serve for a two-year term. One of the main tasks is to prepare and serve communion on the first Sunday of each month, and to find ushers and liturgists for all of the worship services. During the year, there are numerous social events hosted by the Diaconate such as Worship and Breakfast in the Park. One of the most important missions of the Diaconate is the Shepherd program. Currently there are 30 members of the Congregation who act as Shepherds, and of the 30 people serving, 11 of them also serve on the Diaconate. The purpose of the program is to be the eyes and ears of the church. Each person who serves as a Shepherd is expected to get to know the parishioners assigned to him/her, and attempt to contact a person if he or she is not in church for a while. A Shepherd works closely with the pastor, and alerts the pastor if someone has a personal problem that requires attention. The Pastor gives a high priority to the program. The Pastor is available to provide counsel, information, references and guidance to the program and its members. The people who have decided to work in this program are able to relate to persons of all ages in many diverse circumstances.  Persons who serve are expected to maintain confidentiality, be compassionate and possess good listening skills. Shepherds serve this ministry because they care about all members of the congregation, and receive on-going training, evaluation and encouragement from the staff and the Diaconate.