Personal Ministries
Willow Hill offers several ways to put yourself in mission. These include Sunday morning opportunities as well as opportunities to go out into the community.
Spiritual Gifts Assessment
Have you ever wanted confirmation about your spiritual gifts? Have you ever wondered if you even have spiritual gifts? We want to invite you to take part in this spiritual gifts assessment, which will help you be more confident in your areas of gifting. Simply fill out the assessment, either online at https://forms.gle/ko7XDk6Bz17KrwKT8 or turn in a paper copy to Pastor Nicole. We will tally your survey and report your results back to you! Have questions? See Pastor Nicole.
Opportunities to Serve
Willow Hill offers many ways you can serve God and your community. We invite you to view our "Opportunities to Serve" Google form (link below) in order to find an area that fits with your interests, gifts, or skills. Select the opportunities where you might like to serve and a leader will contact you with more details.
Opportunities to Serve form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Gtr-sOWcGsjLVSadrszRc78UTMxw38IWRNF-ahEYq20/viewform
Prayer Ministry
Willow Hill’s Prayer Ministry is dedicated to building the church as a House of Prayer. It is designed to be the cornerstone for all other ministries and programs in our church.
We believe that everyone of all ages and circumstances, needs prayer in their lives, sometimes as the pray-er and in other circumstances as the beneficiary.
Our prayers focus on four purposes: 1) enhancing the prayer lives of all the Willow Hill congregation 2) offering prayers for those hurting or wandering 3) seeking support for the leadership and programs of the church and 4) prayers for all government servants: elected, appointed, employed.
Some members choose to gather twice monthly to lift up a wide variety of prayers, often spoken or thoughtfully offered in silence.
All participants receive lists, via email, of people who have requested prayers, prayers of support for staff and leaders, as well as daily prayers that are designed to increase their commitment to the process of praying.
We offer a wide variety of options for members – the privacy of your home, corporate prayer, or opportunities to pray in small groups for the Sunday services and various events.
Whatever your commitment and schedule allow, there is room in the circle. We would welcome you to……COME PRAY WITH US
Sunday Morning Opportunities
Acolyte
Acolytes are youth, typically in grades 3-8, that light the candles at the beginning of the Sunday morning worship services and extinguish them at the end. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Children's Church
Children's Church is offered during both Sunday morning worship services for children ages 3 through 4th grade. Children's Church teacher volunteers are provided with detailed lesson plans as well as all materials needed. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for more information.
Greeters & Ushers
Put yourself in ministry by greeting people on Sunday morning, distributing the bulletins and collecting the offering. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Liturgists
Liturgists say a short prayer, lead the congregation in the Lord's Prayer, and read the scripture during the Sunday morning worship. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Snyder Village Ministry Team
Willow Hill provides a special ministry to the residents of Snyder Village each Sunday morning by having a worship service on-site at their facility. You can help with this ministry in one of several ways. People are needed to provide a short message and prayer, to provide special music, and to assist in getting the residents to and from their rooms. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Sunday Morning Fellowship
These people prepare the refreshments for the fellowship time after the 8:45 service and clean up afterwards. All refreshments, as well as easy-to-follow directions, are in the church kitchen. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Sacred Grounds
These people prepare the specialty drinks for the 11:00 service and clean up afterwards. All beverages, as well as easy-to-follow directions, are in the church kitchen. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Tech Booth
These people run the audio and video systems during both services on Sunday mornings. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Music Ministry
Adult Choir
The adult choir sings for the early Sunday morning worship services during the school year. They also sing for a few special services throughout the year and for several Snyder Village Sunday services. The choir practices on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM during the school year and before church on mornings they sing.
Children’s Choir
Children’s grades 1st- 7th are invited to sing in the children’s choir. The children’s choir sings at a few Sunday morning services at Willow Hill and at Snyder Village. They also sing for the children’s Christmas program. The choir practices at 10:00AM on the first, third, and fifth Sunday during the school year.
Concert Band
The Willow Hill concert band plays occasionally during the 8:45 AM Sunday services and Snyder Village services. Adults must have tuned instruments and experience playing with a band, and youth must have at least two years of school band experience. Practices will be held a few times during the week prior to performing.
Handbell Choir
Adults and youth in fifth grade or above are welcome to join the handbell choir. Some music reading experience is helpful. The handbell choir provides music for occasional Sunday morning worship services. The handbell choir practices at 10 AM on the second and fourth Sundays during the school year.
Praise Band
Vocalists and instrumentalists play music for the 11:00 AM services on Sunday mornings throughout the entire year. The band practices once or twice a month in addition to Sunday mornings at 10:30 AM. Additions may be required.
Solo or Ensemble
Individuals and small groups are invited to share their vocal or instrumental talents by providing special music for Sunday morning services at Willow Hill during the summer and at Snyder Village throughout the year.
Snyder Village Keyboard
Adults with strong piano skills are invited to play the keyboard to accompany hymns during Snyder Village worship services on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM.
For more information about opportunities in the music ministry, please contact Rudy Higgins at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or the church office at 309–383–2700.
Other Opportunities
Care Basket Ministry Team
The members of this team deliver care baskets to those members of the congregation that have had a baby, lost a loved one or have had a serious illness or surgery. The baskets are prepared ahead of time and contain reading material and miscellaneous items to help the recipients through these times. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
ePrayer Chain Ministry Team
This team serves as an on-line prayer support group. When a prayer request comes into the church this team receives the information via email so they may add the person to their prayer list. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
College & Military Team
This group sends out cards, emails, and small gifts to our Willow Hill family that is in college. It also sends Christmas cards to those serving in the military. For more information on this team or if you would like to help out, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
United Methodist Women
UMW is open to all women of the congregation. They hold their business meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of the month and various other activities throughout the year. They host several fund-raisers during the year to support such outreach missions as Common Place and Heart House. For more information on United Methodist Women contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
United Methodist Men
Would you like to join other men in some form of mission, ministry or fellowship? Men of all ages are combining efforts to provide a variety of opportunities for men to serve and grow together. For more information on United Methodist Men’s Ministries contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Metamora & Spring Bay Food Pantries
You can put yourself in ministry by participating in Food on the Fifth and Souper-Bowl Sunday. On those months that have 5 Sundays in them you are invited to bring in canned good and paper products. All items from these 2 ministries go to the Metamora & Spring Bay food pantries to help feed the hungry. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Loaves and Fish
Several times a year members of the congregation are invited to put themselves in mission by serving the hungry. Every Saturday First United Methodist Church in Peoria hosts a soup kitchen. Volunteers from area churches and organizations come to help prepare, serve, and clean up. Watch the bulletin for information on the next time Willow Hill has this opportunity. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Women's Strength
You are invited to put yourself in mission by bringing hotel-sized toileteries to the church. These items will be donated to the Women Strength shelter in Peoria. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.