Sometime in the future, by the grace of God, Good Shepherd will undergo a “renewal” when we will be able to be together in-person indoors. For many, myself included, this event will usher in “old/new” feelings. I suspect that at first, after a time sitting before a computer screen, things like kneeling in a pew will seem strange. My muscles will be soft and my posture shaky. Then, with time, muscle memory will kick in, I’ll gain a bit of core strength, and I’ll refocus.
Like worship, many of our ministries will undergo a rebirth and renewal of purpose to regain steam. During Covid-time, some ministries have been sidelined or reduced in activity. How some will grow depends in part on their purpose.
Back in 2020, I spoke about Congregational Care’s importance at our Annual Meeting and pointed to the Acts of the Apostles, in particular, Paul’s address to the Ephesian elders. The following passage documents the early Church’s formation especially as congregational care became a foundation of the community’s structure and integral to its health. He said, Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God (Acts 20:28). By virtue of being a member of a congregation, we all share in the purpose and responsibility for care of each other.
I noted that although Paul was speaking to a certain assembly at a specific point in antiquity, today every member of the church is indeed an overseer and a shepherd. We have been given these gifts by the Holy Spirit. We are shepherds in the way that we nourish one another and supply care to others. Nourishment may be food or spiritual food such as spending precious time with another. Through this and other Scripture passages, God is telling us to live beyond our own lives in loving and caring acts for one another. But in order to do this, we must first tend to our own needs and feel confident to ask for help when necessary.
In the future, Congregational Care will continue its full ministry life, such as offering classes for healthy living, like tai chi. We would like to continue to offer meals or other simple services when these are requested. But we cannot without participation by members of Good Shepherd, given the small team, full-time clergy, and an aging population. Truthfully, in the past, we’ve had a disappointing response when we asked for volunteers.
We know and appreciate that sometimes information is communicated only within a person’s social group at church. We caution that a risk here is bypassing those in a pastoral role at the church. And, of course, many of our members are not part of a network at church, so a fear is that we are not aware of their needs.
Taking all this as a sign for ministry review and renewal, in the coming months Congregational Care will look at ways to inspire participation, sign up core volunteers, make it easier to connect, consult other Episcopal churches about how they are doing Congregational Care, and see what is appealing and what will work at Good Shepherd.
We also are planning for when we can restart socially distanced and safe in-home communion by our Diocesan trained and licensed Eucharistic Visitors. I would like to focus on this blessed ministry here because it continues to be one the lesser known at Good Shepherd:
As Episcopalians, we consider it vital to be fed with the spiritual food in the Sacrament each week if possible. At worship we pray for the congregation, for those who are present, and for those who are absent (POP Form V). Eucharistic Visits connect all of these desires and concerns. Any member or family of Good Shepherd who wishes to receive communion at home, a hospital or facility, for any reason of illness, incapacitation, recent childbirth, or being homebound, can schedule delivery with the church office or with Greg Bell, Eucharistic Visitor Ministry Leader. (gimbal1@juno.com) Greg consults with Fr. Gary on scheduling these visits which are coordinated with clergy visits.
The visit usually lasts about 20 minutes and is centered around a short service consisting of the appointed collect, Gospel reading, confession, sharing of the bread (and, when allowed, wine) with all present who wish to partake, and thanksgiving. There is human contact and healing prayer. The visitor often brings a copy and offers highlights of the Sunday sermon too. A gift of our virtual worship experience is that it has opened doors to new ideas and ways of sharing the Word. We hope in the future that Eucharistic Visitors will be able to share a video of the service from which they were just sent with the person receiving the communion.
The cup of blessing which we bless is a sharing in the Blood of Christ. The bread which we break is a sharing in the Body of Christ.