Pastoral Visiting
Where appropriate, members of the Ministry Team are happy to visit people at home as well as hospitals and nursing / care homes. Please let us know if you, or someone you know, is admitted to hospital or is unwell. A member of the team would be happy to visit you and can arrange contact with Chaplains were appropriate. The Minister is happy to arrange home Communion for those unable to attend public worship.
There is a team of Pastoral Elders and Specialist Elders who have undergone training in Pastoral Care and who are supervised and supported by the Ministry Team. Pastoral Elders, in consultation with the Ministry Team, visit people at home providing longer term friendship and support. Specialist Elders provide pastoral care in partnership with the Ministry Team to specific groups within the parish. The team includes Baptismal Elders, Children & Youth Elders and those who provide support within supported accommodation.
'Just Good Friends' is a group of volunteer visitors within the congregation that has been in existence for a number of years. The role of the visitor is to offer friendship and support to housebound people within the church community. Referrals can be passed to the Church Office as can offers of help with visiting. People recommended to receive visits are asked if they would like to receive this service and then they will be linked with an appropriate visitor. Volunteers offering to become visitors need to be prepared to be interviewed by the Pastoral Care Co-ordinator or by another member of the Ministry Team and to be available for training and supervision as deemed necessary.
Finally, Contact Elders seek to be the point of contact with individual members of the congregation. They keep members informed of developments and the wider activities of the congregation. Contact is made through visits or by telephone.