Congregational Care
“Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.
James 5:13-14
Broadly speaking, Westminster members and guests are gifted care-givers. You will see or learn of us visiting people in the hospital and other care facilities. We call on members in their homes, meet them for a cup of coffee or lunch, visit with them where they work, and on occasion join them in a foursome on the golf course, sit next to them at the symphony, or drop a line in the water with them…even if we’re not great fishermen!
Each of our Ruling Elders serves as a Shepherd to a flock of sheep (i.e. members and guests of our congregation). Throughout the year they visit with them at church, call them on the telephone, send them birthday and anniversary cards, and nurture a faithful commitment to get to know them. When one of their flock is ill or in the hospital, they check in with that individual to see if there is anything they or others in the church can do for them. If there is a birth, we celebrate. If there is a death, we mourn and comfort. If there are things they want to talk about, our Shepherds can refer that member or guest to one of our pastors, who may provide some counsel and comfort, or may refer them to a more qualified professional.
Our office maintains a list of those who request prayer. Each week an updated Prayer List is provided to the congregation and time is set aside in worship to lift these people and their concerns or celebrations up in prayer. On Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m., our Prayer Team meets in the parlor to go over our Prayer List and spend some time in prayer. Our pastors participate in this weekly meeting, offering a timely and thoughtful devotion and scripture. And a Prayer Booklet has been made available to those who might find it helpful, not only for personal use but when visiting others, as well.
We are also well-known for our casserole and meal deliveries! If we think you or your family could use a break during or following an illness or hospitalization, we will be there with a meal and a smile to comfort and strengthen you. When there is a death in your family, we are also prepared to gather our team of cooks and prepare a meal for you and your family following the funeral or memorial service.
There are also some administrative functions that our Congregational Care Committee is responsible for. Among them is checking in on those who have become inactive in the life of the church, welcoming those who are our guests, and assimilating those who have recently joined with us as active members. This committee is also responsible for helping the Session maintain records of our active membership. And, when members are transferred or move to a new area of the country, this committee, along with the pastoral staff, not only see to it that the congregation bids them a warm farewell and blessing, but also helps to oversee their transition to a new church in their new community.
Westminster publishes a Monthly Newsletter packed with information pertinent to the ministries and mission of the church. Articles are written by staff, elders, committee members and many from our congregation and they are due in our Administrative Office the last Sunday before a full week at the end of each month. This newsletter is now available on our weblog and we encourage you to go there and read it so that you will know all about what’s going on in the life of our church.
Weekly Bulletin announcements compliment the newsletter and keep you abreast of events, classes or information that is added or has changed since publication of the newsletter. Our weblog will carry all of this “late-breaking news” as well. Subscribe to it now and we will keep you informed on a regular basis of prayer requests, meeting time changes or cancellations, and news alerts.
We invite you to direct your questions regarding our Congregational Care Committee to:
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