Highlight: Your Care Counts Thank you for Caring for Each other.... As The Body of Christ.
With Your Help, Some High Notes of our 2020 Ministries Include: • 310 notes were written to our members who have had illness, death of a loved one, birth of a baby or been home-bound by the Love Bearers. • 700 hours of listening and praying by Stephen Ministers (continued virtually) • 50 hours of visits by deacons and connection keepers (significantly lower due to pandemic) • 50 Vases of Care delivered as well as Easter Lilies and Pointsettias. • 12 Hats and scarves to Women’s Shelter in conjunction with EPW Joy Gift by the prayer shawl ministry. These women knitted less, but continued their ministry at home. • Pastoral care looked very different this year as pastors were not allowed in to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities or retirement communities. The phone and driveways became the link to our members in need of pastoral care. • All of our members were prayed for by the 40 members of the Prayer Matters Ministry. • About 100 letters went out to our military families throughout the year. • 224 Buddy Shepherd groups were formed to check on neighbors during the Covid pandemic. • A care line was established to provide members with the necessary help they might need in a time of isolation. • Food for the soul provided boxed lunches for families at the time of the funeral, who had experienced death of a loved one. The phrase for 2020 is “different.” This year has been one where Congregational Care had to think outside the box in order to provide care for our congregation members in need. We could no longer do much of our ministry in person due to close contact. Carol Byrd departed for Tampa, Florida, and we miss her and her ministry of care terribly. Even in the midst of this time of isolation and wonder, many of our people received calls, cards, and care from members and pastors. We even had a 90th Birthday Drive-by for Marilyn Stradtman (9/6) as we began celebrating EPC Nonagenarians (90+) in 2020. Congregational Care is looking forward to a new year of seeing people face-to-face and in-person.
Eastminster Annual Review - Page 31
