2nd Pres
LR AR
Care and Compassion
Compassion Care Skill Hope
Get Involved
Penpals and Phone Friends
Stay in touch with members of the church through this ministry of connection. Members are assigned to 1-5 penpals or phone friends, often our friends at home who cannot come to worship regularly. Monthly contact allows for meaningful connection. For more information, contact Linda Van Hook.
When
Ongoing
Monday Pastoral Care
This weekly care triage team meets with a pastor to determine how to provide care to members and friends in need. We send cards, make calls, deliver meals and more to share the compassion of Christ. For information, contact Alisa.
When
Mondays 1:30 p.m. in Second Hall and on Zoom
Peace & Possibilities Booklet
This booklet includes sections for recording your important personal information as well as guidance for planning a funeral or memorial service which best reflects your wishes. It is our prayer that you find comfort and peace in completing this wonderful gift for those you love.
As you reflect upon your life, may you embrace even more deeply the love of God we know in Jesus Christ. May the information recorded in the booklet be more than a catalog of facts. May it bear witness to your faith. There could be no greater gift to your family and friends than this.
Faith and Grief Support Group
This monthly support group strives to be a safe place to explore grief in the eyes of faith. Join with others in hearing a speaker’s grief journey, then responding in group according to your comfort level. When we meet in person, we offer a boxed lunch. To register, go to faithandgrief.org.
When
Third Tuesday of the month at Noon except for the summer when it takes a break.
Next events: May 20, Noon
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Do you knit or crochet? Add your skills and your prayers to those of this group to produce prayer shawls, baby blankets and other gifts.
When
Once a month
For information or to get onto the email list, contact Leah Shell.
Stephen Ministry
This one-to-one relationship brings the skilled, confidential, Christian care of trained laypersons with members and friends needing it. Stephen Ministers extend the compassionate reach of our pastoral care in loving, reliable ways. The prayers of the congregation accompany the faithful work of our Stephen Ministers. For more information about becoming a Stephen Minister, receiving a Stephen Minister or referring a care receiver, contact Alisa or see StephenMinistries.org. More information is here.
When
Ongoing
Stephen Ministers meet twice monthly on Monday nights for continuing education and peer supervision.
Meet our Staff
Prayer Requests
Prayer Knots volunteers pray for the joys, cares, and concerns of church members, their families, and friends. Prayer requests can be made for specific people or situations, or can be made confidentially without mention of names or situations. Prayer concerns are passed on by e-mail. If you are interested in helping others through the ministry of prayer, please join the Prayer Knots team by contacting Tracy May.
Our prayer teams are called Prayer Knots due to the Scottish heritage of the Presbyterian Church. Celtic knots date back to the 5th century and were used extensively by ancient monks in illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells and Book of Durrows. The knot work is an artistic impression of the continuity of God’s love, the binding together of persons in Christ, the binding together of heaven and earth through prayer, and the belief that there is no beginning or ending of God.
Stephen Ministry
Are you hurting, or do you know someone who is hurting?
There are times when each of us needs the care of another person. Stephen Ministry is a program that equips lay persons to provide confidential, Christian, one-to-one care to those who are experiencing all kinds of life needs and circumstances, both in our congregation, and in our community.
What is a Stephen Minister?
- A child of God who walks beside a person who is hurting;
- A congregation member with gifts for care giving, who was carefully selected to serve in this role;
- A lay person who received 50 hours of training in providing emotional and spiritual care;
- A caring, Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages;
- Someone who will “be there” for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully and dependably on a regular basis for as long as there is a need;
What does a Stephen Minister do?
Stephen Ministers care for people facing tough times. They are ready to provide the emotional and spiritual care needed when we are faced with one of life’s crises or difficulties, such as:
- Loss of a loved one
- Loneliness or discouragement
- Birth, adoption, miscarriage, or infertility
- Accident or accident recovery
- Chronic or terminal illness
- Unemployment or job crisis
- Divorce or separation
- Spiritual crises
- Aging
- Hospitalization
- Relocation
Upon completion of the training program, our Stephen Ministers work together with our pastors to reach more people with Christian care than the pastors can reach by themselves.
If you think you might need a Stephen Minister, please contact Alisa or any of our Stephen Leaders.
If you are interested in Stephen Ministry training, please contact Alisa or Kay Combs.
FAQ
-
No, our pastoral care system is there to provide support for cares and concerns of many sizes.
-
Yes, we maintain a “DO NOT ANNOUNCE” category for pastors and staff only. Pastors and staff can keep in prayer and/or provide support where needed.
-
Yes, to get involved, contact Alisa or Sharon. There are many ways you can plug into care.
