Group’s Groups!

Group works on a wide variety of experiences and resources for church ministry. Here are descriptions of each of our departments and how they serve the church (in alphabetical order).

Camps & Tours

Camps
The team designs and executes summer camps for children, youth, and adults. These camps are mission opportunities, providing churches with faith-building experiences by serving others. Thousands of youth and adults repair homes and provide service to people in need in communities across the United States and in international locations. Activities include finding communities to lodge and feed up to 500 people per camp, typically in high schools. All logistics are handled, purchasing of supplies, recruiting the participants and volunteers, providing registration functions, designing bible studies and evening programs, training staff and ensures camp participants have a wonderful adventure of service.

Currently the Camps works on behalf of the Group Workcamps Foundation. www.groupworkcamps.com

Tours
The team both creates and executes Lifetree Adventures -- a vacation and Christian service project where travelers directly help people in some pretty amazing corners of the world. Most are international locations where adults and families get the opportunity to travel and serve people in places such as Africa, Alaska, Australia, Israel, Latin America, Micronesia. Peru (Amazon), and more. Vacation and Christian service, all in one. For individual travelers and groups!

Lifetree Adventures is a part of the Group Workcamps Foundation. www.LifetreeAdventures.com

Champions
The purpose of the Champions team is to serve Group by providing V.I.P. leadership (Vision, Image, and Philosophy). The team consists of the Chief Creative Office (who leads the team), the children's ministry champion, pastoral ministry champion, youth ministry champion, and brand champion. They collaborate with each business unit in concept development of new products, services, and marketing. They provide quality assurance by reviewing and approving all products and marketing projects. And they provide training and leadership for all market areas, brand positioning, and Group's unique DNA.

Children's Ministry
Group offers a complete line of resources to equip churches in their children's ministry. Books, kits, and media can either serve as stand-alone solutions for Sunday school, children's church, midweek activities or can complement an existing curriculum. Group also offers Children's Ministry Magazine, Children's Ministry Professional Edition newsletter, and Parent Link: Children's e-newsletter to keep children's workers and parents abreast of current trends. And for those looking for training, Children's Ministry Magazine Live is a coast-to-coast training tour for children's ministry workers and volunteers.

Church Leadership
The mission of Church Leadership is to be the trusted source of integrated, easy effective solutions that equip churches to align mission and ministry support to fully achieve their potential. This team is responsible for Church Volunteer Central, SafeChurch and REV! magazine.

Corporate Sales
The Corporate Sales team is made up of sales representatives who sell our products directly to churches, bookstores, special markets, and international customers. Customer service, order entry, and inbound representatives provide outstanding customer support.

Curriculum
Curriculum is responsible for creating Sunday school curriculum, children's church and midweek programs and resources for church leaders seeking to help children, youth and adults grow in their relationship with Jesus. The cross-functional team develops each resource, from shaping new resource concepts, making writing assignments, editing content, designing interiors and packaging, acquiring art and photos, and producing finished files ready to be shipped to the printer.

Distribution
Our Distribution team is made up of four integrated workgroups: Assembly, Distribution, Order Management, and Customer Returns Processing. Assembly is responsible for production scheduling; assembling curriculum and VBS products; and performing other complementary assembly line processes. Distribution performs shipping, receiving, warehousing, transportation management, quality control, and inventory control functions. Order Management schedules and generates shipping orders for the distribution team, assigns order processing priorities, and entering "special handling required" orders. Customer Returns Processing handles customer returns, assigns returned material disposition, and issues credit for the returned material.

Finance
Finance is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, cost accounting, general ledger, financial reporting, and financial analysis. The Finance team is also responsible for 401(k)/profit-sharing plan and general business insurance.

Marketing Solutions
Marketing Solutions sets Group's overall marketing strategy and provides marketing services to the company's business units. Marketing Solutions is comprised of three teams: Online Services (develops & implements Internet technology for the company), Database & Research Services (manages Group's customer database & prospecting efforts and performs market research services), and Marketing Operations (responsible for increasing Internet sales for the company). Group's Web sites include group.com seven product-based sites, three portal sites and an e-commerce site.

Multimedia Services
The media teams develop concept and create audio and video resources for all Group's products and marketing pieces, as well as for other corporate projects.

Staff Services
Human Resources, Facilities and the Fireside Cafe make up the Staff Services team. Human Resources maintains Group's fun, friendly and mission-driven culture. We develop, recommend, and implement company policies in staff recruitment, employment, organizational planning, training, compensation and benefits administration, employee relations, workers' compensation and safety. The Facilities team maintains Group's inviting campus, including building maintenance, workspace management, and grounds up-keep. Group's Fireside Cafe is a down-to-earth, welcoming, and charming place to have breakfast, lunch, Starbucks® drinks, or a delicious midday snack. Our talented chefs, cooks, and baristas provide a wonderful cafe experience.

Supply Chain Management
The Supply Chain Management (SCM) team is primarily responsible for purchasing and materials management. Major duties include finding and qualifying suppliers, new product research, master scheduling, third-party production management and just-in-time material delivery. SCM is a strong partner with marketing and the new product development teams to discover the most innovative crafts, toys, print, media, and specialty items.

Technology
The Technology team is responsible for all computer systems including software, hardware, networks, telecommunications equipment and services, photocopiers, and fax machines. This department also coordinates computer training and implementation of new technology.

VBS & Women's Ministry
Vacation Bible School and Women's Ministry is a group of cross-functional teams responsible for the creation and implementation of plans addressing the direction, development, and sales & marketing of Vacation Bible School, Fall Festival, and Women's Ministry programs and products. Our programs provide churches with outstanding opportunities to conduct outreach efforts to women, children, and families as well as effectively minister to their members.

Youth Ministry
Group offers a complete line of resources to equip churches in their youth ministry. Books, kits, and media can either serve as stand-alone solutions or can complement an existing curriculum. Group also offers Group Magazine, Simply Junior High newsletter, and Parent Link: Youth e-newsletter to keep youth workers and parents abreast of current trends. And for those looking for training, the National Youth Ministry Conference is an annual event packed with great speakers, engaging workshops, and great entertainment.