Congregational Care Ministry Core Team, Left to Right:
The Rev. Sandy Boyd, affiliate clergy |Greg Bell, vestry member and Eucharistic Visitor Ministry Leader | Bev White, M.A., long-time parishioner and professional counselor | Karin Elsen, Jr. Warden and Eucharistic Visitor, holding the “Hands Together” cross
One of the goals during transition is to revitalize the Congregation Care Ministry (CCM) at Good Shepherd. In this context, it is important for our congregation to understand itself as the body of Christ and to know that it is the people who do much of this ministry.
We’ve made a great start with steady pastoral visits by Fr. Gary - and by convening a dedicated CCM core team. This month, we’d like to introduce ourselves and give you a preview of what CCM could be at Good Shepherd, as well as to ask for your feedback.
Congregational Care Ministry is a big topic. We are so blessed to already have a baseline of care by our clergy, including church, home and hospital visits, and care by our laity with Eucharistic visits, prayer shawls, Healing Prayer, and prayer chain, to name a just a few ministries.
The CCM team, along with Fr. Gary, will develop more congregational care resources here at Good Shepherd, such as volunteer networks, illness, surgery and family support, spiritual companionship, and who to contact for help. We will invite and empower others across the congregation to do this ministry. We aim to meet immediate needs first while developing long-range plans to promote physical, emotional and spiritual health within the parish and community, while using our assets wisely.
As we formally organize the Congregational Care Ministry at Good Shepherd, we do so recognizing that God has already been working through many of you to care for others in our congregation. Our desire as a team is to enhance that kind of care, not replace it!
We want to connect: We hope to talk to as many of you as possible about your current or anticipated needs and also what you’d like to see in this ministry. The team will be at Summer Sunday Faith Forums at 9:00 am on June 23, July 28 and September 8 to receive your feedback. Anne McMahon will present some great practical tips on How to Navigate Downsizing and Relocation for Seniors on July 14.
Please look for our coming announcements and feel free to seek us out at church.