Deacons

Continue to serve the members of the congregation with meals, etc. as we are made aware of them. Explore the need to establish and maintain a transportation service ministry.

Walking Beside Ministry

Members: Barbara Conti, Laurann Cook, Joe Gilleland, Steve Haver, Moon Kahn, Beverley Keele, Shirley Klein, Kurt Koch, Marsha Lindquist, Chris McQueen, Thea Miller, Kathy Rogers, Sara Sebransky

Purpose: To minister to people with life issues, challenges, and transitions by walking alongside them during tough times to provide encouragement, inspire hope, and promote healing.

2022 Accomplishments

Delivered 56 Easter and 23 Christmas gift bags to shut-ins, surviving spouses, and sick.

Sent 836 Cards - get well, sympathy, birthday, Valentine, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

Delivered 12 Spirit Bags to those hospitalized.

Mailed 59 grief books to those who lost loved ones.

Made 224 visits.

Sent 738 letters, emails, texts.

Made 876 calls.

168 coffee or lunches with care receivers.

Conducted a new training program for team members.

Presented two “Surviving the Holidays” seminars for our church and community.

Presented The Longest Night Service and a light supper for our church and community.

2023 Goals

Increase visitation to shut-ins and those living alone in partnership with Parish Shepherds, Deacons, and Parish Nurses. Develop and deliver skills training to team members.

Design and implement a Caregiving Review Process.

Document Walking Beside Ministry procedures.

FAITH-BASED GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP

Facilitator: Pat Nichols

Purpose: To provide opportunities for attendees to share their loss and grief with others who have experienced similar feelings. To offer ways of increasing socialization to improve self-esteem and overcome loneliness.

2022 Accomplishments

The Grief Group completed its sixth year of meeting regularly. We have added new people from the community and from our church who have lost loved ones not just recently but for a few years past. Loneliness has no timeline and word has spread about our group and our activities. Currently we have 20 members. We do not focus on having bigger numbers and 8-12 members are perfect for discussions. Some members of our group have come regularly for over five years and share from their experiences, showing that life does go on and one can find happiness again with a new partner or alone with new friends. Special thanks to Pastor Brett for covering the group on occasion.

2023 Goals

Continue to meet weekly and to have social activities where we share and support each other.

Congregational Nurses

Nurses: Cyndi Moulton, RN BSN and Mary Kay Thurston, RN

Purpose: We strive to reach out with loving, compassionate hearts, give others our “presence” and remind them of God and Jesus’ Presence while helping with the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the Desert Hills Presbyterian Community.

2022 Goals

Continue seeking ways to help with the holistic, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the DHPC Community joining with Fitness at the Rocks to create new medical teaching classes.

Missions

Foothills Foodbank: In 2022, DHPC supported the local Foothills Food Bank by preparing Christmas Joy boxes. This also served as a joint service project that was completed alongside our Leupp friends when they visited DHPC for the Clan of Christ celebration in October. Approximately 600 boxes were distributed to families in need during December.

Foothills Caring Corps (FCC): The mission is to “help older adults and individuals with disabling conditions who reside in the Northeast Valley – Foothills Community to remain living independently in their own homes for as long as possible. This is done through a force of volunteers and staff who provide in-home services, transportation services, community services and support. These services provide access to activities that promote physical, mental and emotional health.” Services consist of friendly visits and phone calling, pet visits, medical transportation, group van trips, mobile meals, shopping assistance, caregiver relief, minor home repair, business correspondence and computer help, health advocacy and mobility equipment loans. If you would like to volunteer for or receive services from FCC, please visit the website at Contact (foothillscaringcorps.com)

Neighbors in Need (NIN): A collaboration of area churches and agencies working to bring connections to our neighbors in need and the agencies that provide services. NIN helps the agencies to meet needs that are not currently being met. These are challenges facing youth/ families, veterans, working adults and the elderly in our community, and ways are found to address these challenges. DHPC has also partnered with NIN to launch the BrainSavers program at DHPC. https://neighborsinneedaz.org.

Troop Care Ministry (TCM): The mission of the TCM is “to provide troop care support, from a faith-based perspective to the local community, DHPC, and Leupp Presbyterian Church.” This mission is carried out by the TCM Team with the help of many DHPC volunteers. TCM sent care packages to activeduty personnel and purchased gift cards for the Air Force Aid Society for emergency assis- tance at Luke Air Force Base. Throughout the year, on patriotic holidays, TCM lined the church driveway with flags. With the help of many volunteers, TCM hosted a Veterans Day Celebration in November. Signed Christmas cards with handwritten messages were sent to United Soldiers and Sailors of America for them to distribute the cards to military bases and hospitals around the world.

Sister Church Relationships

Mandeville Jamaica, Ebenezer United Church: Pastor Khereen

DHPC has shared a bond with our sister church in Jamaica since 2007 when we went looking for a “Church of Peace” with which to build a relationship. During 2022, Ebenezer and the Island of Jamaica continued to struggle both physically and financially with COVID; however, Ebenezer continued to minister to their community. Ebenezer appreciates the relationship our churches share and the financial support DHPC provides. Ebenezer will be celebrating their 185th anniversary in July 2023 and members of DHPC and Leupp Presbyterian Church will be attending their celebration and doing mission projects.

Leupp, Arizona, Leupp Presbyterian Church: Pastor Calvin and Native American Ministry

We have been the Clan of Christ with Leupp for 40 years and continue to keep our relationship strong in faith and friendship.

The Navajo Nation has suffered the loss of many of its elderly people with COVID and other complications of aging. Paster Calvin has been in high demand to officiate at funerals and comfort the grieving families.

The First Presbyterian Church of Leupp hosted a well-attended Grieving Seminar led by Raymond Long for families who have lost loved ones during the COVID pandemic. Natalie Begay, Eunice Kelly’s mother, was among those passing to life eternal. Pastor Calvin’s live stream services continue to reach the unchurched in several states in addition to his local congregation. Streaming services have been enhanced with new mu-