Ministry Groups for the Life of the Church
There are many ways to connect, serve, and grow together at Grace. Explore the groups below — newcomers are always welcome.
Fellowship
Groups that gather for friendship, creativity, and shared time together.
Grace Quilters
Our Grace Quilters make quilts for St. Joseph Hospital’s littlest babies. No experience necessary — you’ll learn to cut, pin, tie, and talk all at the same time.
Grace Girlfriends
This group meets for a time of caring and sharing around a seasonal topic. The hostess provides a light meal, with participants contributing an appetizer or dessert.
Grace Gathered
This group is for women navigating the middle seasons of life — whether you’re raising kids, launching kids, building a career, changing careers, caring for parents, starting something new, or simply figuring out what’s next.
Ages 30–60 or so, but no one will be carded at the door!
Hand N’ Foot
Are you looking for fellowship? Do you like to play cards for fun? This is a lively group of ladies who play Hand N’ Foot — similar to Canasta. Cards are provided and instruction is given.
History In the Making
This committee was formed to research, review, and archive the history of Grace.
SALT Senior Adults Living Triumphantly
SALT brings the seniors of Grace together for fellowship, laughter, and friendships that run deep.
Our gatherings center on the table. Members bring a dish to pass, share favorite recipes, and bond over good food, often with a game or seasonal theme to round out the day.
Next gathering: Friday, November 20, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, here at Grace. Seniors Bingo with a fall theme. Bring a dish to pass!
Dads’ Group
Our Dads’ Group is a wonderful small group of men who get together regularly, essentially for two reasons. First, we want to be amazing fathers in our families. We know we can always do better toward that goal, so we get together to intentionally discuss various parenting topics and challenges.
Second, we form deeper, truer friendships with each other over time. By getting together with other men who prioritize fathering, family, and faith, we deepen connection to others with similar values (and have a great time doing so!).
Outreach
Serving our neighbors across Hillsborough County and beyond.
Homeless in the Community
This committee collects, sorts, and distributes donations to neighbors in need across Hillsborough County through a handful of year-round efforts. Every one of them is open to anyone who wants to help.
- Teal Bag Sundays. Bags go out the first Sunday of the month and come back the third, filled with non-perishable food, school supplies, socks, children’s underwear, gently used clothing and shoes, travel toiletries, and baby items.
- Food drives. Held at our local Publix, with contributions going to Feeding Tampa Bay and our partner organizations — more than 6,000 meals for families in need.
- Pecan Sale. Each November we sell flavored nuts from our source in Vienna, Georgia. Proceeds go to a local non-profit serving the homeless.
- Christmas adoptions. The committee adopts children from Miles Elementary identified by the school’s social workers, providing clothes, personal items, and toys.
- Manna Bags. Snacks, water, and toiletries kept on hand for anyone who comes to the church in need.
Where donations go: homeless veterans at New Beginnings; Miles and Alexander Elementary Schools; Oasis Opportunities; Oasis Pregnancy Care Center; the Kaye Prox Food Pantry at Lutheran Church of Our Savior.
Care & Prayer
Walking alongside one another through prayer and Christian care.
Prayer Shawl Knit / Crochet
Do you work with your hands? Do you pray with your hands? Why not put the two together to knit or crochet prayer shawls for our ill or hurting members? We also knit and crochet hats and scarves donated to various groups. All skill levels are welcome, and yarn and patterns can be provided.
Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry is a national, non-denominational Christian care-giving organization. A Stephen Minister completes an extensive series of training modules and is equipped to provide one-on-one Christian care to those going through life’s difficult times, in a confidential and accepting environment.
Grace Health Ministry Parish Nurses
Our Parish Nurses care for the whole person — mind, body, and spirit — through education, support, and compassion. Their ministry puts Christ’s call to love and serve our neighbors into everyday practice.
Worship
Serving alongside the Pastor to lead our worship each Sunday morning.
Worship Leaders
Members of the congregation serve in a number of roles each Sunday morning.
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Acolytes & Crucifers
Children and youth in grades 1 through 12 are invited to help lead worship as acolytes, who light the altar candles, and crucifers, who carry the processional cross. Training and a review session are held each fall, and if your family is new to Grace, a separate training can be arranged for your child.
Contact the Director of Youth and Family or call the church office at 813-961-8747.
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Communion Assistants
Communion assistants are volunteers who help the Pastor serve communion, sharing the bread, wine, and grape juice with worshippers as they come forward.
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Assisting Ministers
Assisting ministers are volunteers who help the Pastor lead worship. On most Sundays the assisting minister sings the Kyrie, helps lead the prayers, speaks a few other parts of the liturgy, and helps distribute communion.
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Lectors
Lectors, or readers, are needed each week to read the lessons and Psalm chosen for the worship service. The schedule is created around volunteers’ availability.
Readings are provided by Thursday afternoon, so you have a chance to review them before Sunday.
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Greeters & Ushers
Greeting members and visitors is an area of pride for Grace Lutheran. Greeters offer a friendly smile and warm welcome as friends and members enter Connections or the east narthex for worship. Just as important, greeters help identify visitors and make sure someone connects with them before or after the service.
Ushers assist during worship by passing the offering plates and guiding worshippers during communion. Ushers also typically hand out bulletins as worshippers enter the sanctuary. Hands-on training is offered for both roles.
Music
Music is an essential component of worship at Grace Lutheran of Carrollwood. We affirm what Martin Luther expressed over 500 years ago — that music has great power to move the hearts and minds of people, and that intertwining song with the word of God in worship is “the living voice of the Gospel.”
Like Luther, the Music Ministry at Grace believes music brings richness and depth to our weekly worship together, from the simplest hymn to the most sophisticated anthem. All are encouraged to participate fully with their musical gifts, and we have several opportunities for those who want to be part of an ensemble. Middle schoolers through adults are welcome, and no audition is required.
Choir
Our SATB singing group prepares varied choral anthems spanning many centuries, styles, and sources.
The Choir also presents special events through the year, including the popular Lessons and Carols service with chamber orchestra.
Joyringers Handbell Choir
Our handbell choir prepares Level 2–3 anthems on five octaves of English handbells and choir chimes.
There is also an outreach Bell Quartet, which frequently visits assisted living facilities and other community venues to give mini-concerts.
United Adoration Worship Band
Our worship band plays and sings Christian contemporary music and folk hymns, curated to reflect the message of the Gospel for the day.
Serving
Volunteers who prepare our worship space, support Sunday worship behind the scenes, and keep the work of the church running through the week.
Altar Guild
The Altar Guild is a ministry of hospitality and service, helping prepare our worship space so that our community can gather to praise God. Through faithful care and attention to detail, our volunteers create a beautiful, welcoming, and reverent setting for worship.
Members care for the chancel and its furnishings, communion vessels and linens, and vestments and robes, and make sure communion bread, wine, and other supplies are ready for each service. Much of this ministry happens quietly behind the scenes, but it plays an important role in preparing for worship and helping each service run smoothly.
Volunteers typically serve alongside one or two others for one or two months each year. No special experience is needed — only a willing heart and a desire to serve God and our church family.
CAVE Volunteers Committed Audio Visual Enthusiasts
These volunteers are the team that lets us offer our worship service live every Sunday. The schedule is built around each volunteer’s availability.
Positions
- Live-stream Technician
- Sound Technician
- PowerPoint Technician
Office Volunteers
This ministry was formed to assist the office staff with daily and weekly tasks, so that they may better serve the members and visitors of Grace.
Volunteer opportunities
- Answering telephones when staff members are out
- Printing, folding, and assembling weekly, Easter, Christmas, and other special service bulletins
- Assisting with mass mailings to the congregation
- Pew Angels
- Counters and Depositors
Pew Angels
This group of volunteers is key to keeping our sanctuary in order. Restocking the pews with envelopes, pencils, prayer cards, and Stephen Ministry cards are the main responsibilities of this ministry, along with picking up bulletins left behind and straightening the hymnals.
Once a team is in place, the schedule will rotate. These duties can be done after worship on Sunday or during regular office hours.
Counters / Depositors
- Depositors. Two depositors are needed each Sunday to retrieve the offering and prepare it to be secured in the safe. Training is provided by the office manager.
- Counters. Two volunteers are needed each week to count and record our Sunday offering. Counting takes place Monday morning alongside another trained person. Training is provided by the office manager and head counters.