Pastoral Care Commission
Catherine Buckingham, Commission Head
Opportunities abound for service and for being served within the ministries of the Pastoral Care Commission. Our lay ministers and volunteers seek to be present to our parish family in times of illness, death, isolation, divorce, addiction and other life experiences of acute need.
PRAYER GROUPS
"All things whatsoever you desire, when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you shall have them." Mark 11:24
Prayer Requests are encouraged and will be kept confidential. You can submit a prayer request online by clicking here, or putting written requests in prayer boxes located in the chapel or church narthex, or by calling Estelle Williams, 387-1461 or Elizabeth Crosby, 388-2861.
Intercessory Prayer Group members pray alone daily and together weekly for immediate needs, concerns and requests. All prayer requests begin with this group.
Noonday Chapel Prayer Group members pray every day in the chapel, praying specifically for the needs of those in our parish.
Extended Intercessory Prayer Partners pray in their homes daily, praying for those outside our parish family.
HEALING AND SACRAMENTS
"Are any among you sick. They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up." James 5:14,15
Lay Eucharistic Visitors take the sacraments from the altar to those unable to attend church. They are trained by designated clergy and licensed by the Bishop.
Lay Healing Ministers are available every Sunday for healing or other needs for those who come to the Chapel during Eucharist. They have been trained by the clergy.
Alterra Sterling House of Merrimac, an assisted living facility, provides a meeting area for a monthly Eucharist on the third Sunday of each month at 11 a.m.
COMMUNITY, CARE AND SUPPORT In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Act 20:35
Pastoral Assistants are trained lay persons who visit parishioners regularly, providing care and support during hospitalization, extended illness, ongoing disability and nursing home living.
Hospital Visitors are trained lay persons who visit parishioners in hospitals and nursing homes.
Samaritans are on call one day a month to assist homebound or ill parishioners with transportation needs in the area, or by delivering a variety of pastoral offerings.
Soup Kitchen Cooks make and can homemade soups for those who are sick, homebound or in crisis.
Cooks on Call prepare and deliver meals for our St. Mark's families coping with illness, a personal crisis, or grief.
Special Friends Events provide occasions for renewed friendships and hospitality for our homebound parishioners. Typically, there is a festive luncheon in the spring and fall, fruit basket delivery just before Thanksgiving, and delivery of altar flowers after Christmas Day and Easter Day.
Grace House is the Pastoral Care Hospitality and Resource Center. It houses a small chapel for private prayer or Eucharist. There is an extensive research library of Health Resources, as well as a library on prayer, meditation, grief sharing and similar subjects. On Wednesdays, there's Grace House Lunch which gives us a chance to have fun getting together and serving others.
The Health Resources Team is pleased to offer the Computer Assisted Medical Information System for the parish as well as an updated extensive medical library. The team is available to help parishioners understand tests, diagnoses, and treatments that a doctor has prescribed. The team collects home medical equipment and assists parishioners in securing equipment.
Redeemed Caregivers is a ministry to benefit those giving care to loved ones. Too often, Caregivers will neglect their own needs in meeting the challenges of caring for someone who is suffering from challenging illnesses: depression, anxiety, aging disability, alzheimers, cancer, MS, etc. The purpose of this ministry is to give insight, tools for dealing with stress, strength, and support. As the Caregiver becomes more at peace, so does the loved one being cared for.
Funeral Reception Volunteers assist families who choose to greet friends in the parish hall following funerals or memorial services. The group strives to make these occasions as comfortable and home-like as possible. They serve on the Reception Guild.
Weekly Support Groups include Men's AA, Women's AA, Alanon, Open AA, and Food Addicts Anonymous.