The Elders of Bay Area Church of Christ sought to answer questions about whether women should take on certain responsibilities. On August 23, 2020, after many weeks of prayer, study, and discussion, the Elders have discerned practices to be followed by our congregation based on four main considerations:

• In keeping with 1st Timothy 2:11-12

• In recognition of headship and submission as expressed in 1st Corinthians 11:2-16

• In seeking to use the wonderful gifts distributed by the Spirit, consistent with these scriptures

• In hopes of avoiding offense to individual consciences as we bring our collective understanding more in line with Scripture.

The Scriptures have much to say about how men and women can best reflect the heart of God as they serve Him in the home and in the church.

This is not meant to be a complete guide. Instead, after exhaustive study, we see a need to identify certain activities from which women need not be restricted and should be fully utilized. Therefore, here is a list of responsibilities that women may certainly accept at Bay Area Church of Christ:

• Make announcements for church related activities in which they are responsible. (e.g., announce upcoming children’s education activities or report on past activities, announce Youth Group promotions, announce Ladies' Days/workshops/retreats, report on missionary activities, etc.)

• In a family-oriented, mixed-generational devotional, facilitate group thoughts, give direction, share reports, and participate in the planning of these activities.

• As part of a mixed-gender group, in a devotional prayer activity, participate by offering prayers or reading scripture. Likewise, in mixed-gender Lifegroups, offer prayer, or read scriptures.

• Serve on committees to provide necessary insight and perspective. (e.g., security planning, curriculum planning, debriefing of committee, decorating, etc.)

• Share personal testimonies, when appropriate and without teaching, to demonstrate how an experience, or specific scripture passage, helped them in their Christian life.

• Lead singing or teach in mixed-gender classes in Faith Lane or the Youth Group, under the direction of a staff member/Deacon/or Elder. (This would include baptized male class members under age 18.)

• Train and teach other women on how to lead small gender specific groups or Bible studies.

• Welcome members and guests prior to the beginning of organized services. (examples: Sunday Worship, Devotionals, Special Programs, etc.)

• Serve as Greeters at the foyer entrance or interior doors and distribute necessary materials to those people who are attending.

• Participate in elder meetings for the purpose of making requests or providing input for a particular event/program/etc.

• Plan and coordinate special hospitality events. (e.g., dinners-on-the-ground, Fall Festival, community outreach programs, showers, weddings, funerals, etc.)

• Plan/oversee the production/design of advertising newsletters and other such media, under the direction of the Elders.

• Oversee or coordinate certain functions of vendors, contractors, etc., under the direction of the elders.

• Give technical assistance or leadership (non-doctrinal) in the audio-visual support used for worship or other church functions.

• Participate in class discussions by asking/answering questions relating to the subject that is being taught/discussed.