As
this year has progressed I have come to see more and more that caring ministry
is a ministry of the whole congregation.
In other words, it is not only a function of pastoral care and of
specific groups in the church, such as Stephen Ministers and Church Deacons,
but it is a ministry of every member of
Bethel as the Body of Christ in their care and concern for others,
including family members, neighbors and friends, contacts at work and in the
community and other members of Bethel.
And members of Bethel are giving caring ministry all the time to
people around them in quiet, unannounced, and faithful service.
It
has become my goal this year to try and recognize and support these ministries
that are taking place through all the members of Bethel as a natural expression
of the love they have in Jesus Christ.
We have just made a beginning in this as I have tried to give pastoral
support to individual ministries that I have become aware of, in forming “Partners in Caring,” in working with
Stephen Ministry, and as we have begun to have educational forums that are also
designed to give support to all of these ministries to others given by the
members of Bethel. The first example of
the educational support sessions was the forum we gave on the topic, “What do
you say or do when?” to which all members were invited and to which over 20
members came.
Since
my employment at Bethel as Care and Visitation Minister is part time, this year
I have also developed the “Partners in Caring” ministry. Partners in Caring are volunteer members who
help to supplement and extend the ministry of calling and visitation done by
myself and the other pastors of Bethel.
The volunteers are assigned people to call and visit, such as the
elderly and shut-ins, in between the times of regular pastoral visits. The partners are assigned one individual or
couple to visit on a continuing basis so that a meaningful relationship can
develop. Besides supplementing the
ministry of the pastors, this service also enables more contact and caring
communication between members of the congregation as well as outreach to
others. So far, ten members of Bethel
are involved with “Partners in Caring,” and they are all reaching out in caring
ministry to others in Bethel and in the community.
It
is our goal to train both Partners in Caring and some of the Bethel Deacons to
become Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEM’s), bringing communion out to those who
are unable to come to church services.
And this coming year we plan to have an initial commissioning service of
those trained to be LEM’s. Following
this, we will have a “sending out” each month of those who are currently going
out to bring communion and support to people.
We
will do this as a part of our regular Sunday services to help both the “LEMS”
and the members of the congregation see and recognize this ministry of the
eucharist as an extension of the congregation’s communion worship, support and
service.
Stephen
Ministry is a program at Bethel where members are trained to give one to one
care and support to others with specific needs. Stephen Ministry at Bethel has grown in the sense that nearly all
of our Stephen Ministers now have care receivers assigned to them. A year ago only about half of the Stephen
Ministers had assignments, while the others were waiting to be assigned. This growth in care receivers came about as
we developed relationships with Sunny View Lutheran Home and with the Cupertino
Senior Center. The chaplains of Sunny
View and the social worker at the senior center refer people to us who can
benefit by having a Stephen Minister.
Also some people from Bethel have asked to have Stephen Ministers. Now, we have a shortage of Stephen Ministers
(a much healthier situation), and plans are being made to have Stephen Ministry
Training at Bethel again this coming year.
This
has been a good year of pastoral ministry to members of Bethel and others. In 2003 I made 143 visits and, altogether,
over 200 contacts with people including the elderly, shut-ins, those in the
hospital, and others with special needs.
In 2004, with God’s help, it is my goal to encourage and support the
expansion of lay caring ministry at Bethel while I continue to provide pastoral
care to all who need this kind of support.
Pastor Ken Bancroft