Pastoral Care Ministries

This area of ministry involves the caring that we all give each other as members of this community and not just the pastors caring for the community. Pastoral Care also involves helping each other learn more about health and self-care. Caring for one another is part of our vocation as Christians. This compassionate care is especially evidenced during times of crisis: a death in the family, an illness or hospitalization, a job loss. Celebrations and joys are also to be shared: a new marriage or a new baby, recovery from illness or surgery, a graduation – all of which are major turning points in our lives. This ministry can be invisible, as so much of our pastoral caring is done in our everyday conversations and attitudes towards each other. But there are more known and visible arenas as well, such as hosting funeral receptions, praying for others as a member of the parish prayer chain, offering healing ministry through St. Brigid’s Guild, providing meals to the homebound, providing information and education on recovery and addiction, as well as other aspects of physical and mental health.

Current Events and Information

Ten Days of Christmas, Saturday, December 15, 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Would you like to spread holiday cheer to those who are in need of a caring thought and gesture? Do you want to wrap presents and put together gift bags? Perhaps you enjoy shopping for small gifts? Or maybe you prefer driving around the neighborhoods to see festive holiday lights and delivering gift bags?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, please come join the Pastoral Care Committee and put together gift bags on Saturday, December 15, in the Parish Hall from 10:00 am until noon.  If you are able, please bring your own tape and scissors. If possible, please bring some small gifts ($1.00-$2.50 range).  We are hoping to put together 25 gift bags with ten gifts in each bag.  All donations are welcome. If you are not able to join us, feel free to drop the gifts off in the church office. Please label the gifts “10 Day of Christmas,” so there is no confusion. The gift bags will be given to individuals and families in our church. If you need additional information, please contact Jonelle Phelps at Jonelle@spiritone.com or 503/408-1758.

Honoring our Service Members
If you have a relative in the Armed Forces, please let me know so we may honor them in our display. Send a small photograph and information about where your loved one is stationed, with what unit, for how long, and anything else you’d like us to know. It would be helpful to have your name and relationship as well.
Our display presently resides on the east wall of the Nativity Hall. There may be some changes required in the display at present, so let me know about those as well.
Please drop off any information at the church office, or contact Lynn Baker at lm.rl.baker@comcast.net or 503/284-1011.

The Employment Network

This group was developed in early summer 2010 as a response to the ongoing unemployment crisis. For more than a year now,  a group of parishioners and others seeking employment has been meeting every Monday for a brown-bag lunch and time to network, share experiences, and improve skills necessary in obtaining a job in our current employment climate.

As of June 13, the structure of these meetings will be changing slightly. Our meetings will begin promptly at 12:00 noon. For approximately the first hour, we will be exploring various aspects of job-seeking and skills that are most beneficial and necessary in our individual search for employment. The topic for this portion of the gathering will be announced ahead of time, not only at the meetings but also in the Sunday bulletin and in weekly emails for those who would like to receive them. This portion of the meeting is facilitated by two human-resource professionals, Carol Ward and John Pedisich, who are members of the parish.

The second portion of the meetings will begin with group check-in and will then consider the personal needs of those attending that may have been expressed during that process. This will be a less structured time together, and attendees may stay for all or any part of this discussion as time or interest dictates.

Everyone is invited to attend both parts of our weekly meeting. Regardless of where you are in your journey to employment, there will definitely be something positive for you to take away from our time together in the coming weeks. We all have something to learn, and we all have something to give. We can’t do either if we are sitting alone at home. Together, each of us and all of us will succeed.

Pastoral Care Support Groups

Second Half of Life Discussion Group
This gathering is open to both women and men. We offer the opportunity to discuss some of the questions about life as an older adult for which there may not be another forum in your life. The group is respectful, and our conversation is confidential. We have discussed every thing from bucket lists to what is the best cream for skin that has changed. All topics are safe for discussion, and we welcome friends from inside or outside the parish to join us.  Please join us on the first Saturday in St. Michael’s House, from 10:00 to 11:30 am.

Pastoral Care Ministries

Eucharistic Visitors

Eucharistic Visitors take Holy Communion to homebound or hospitalized parishioners on Sundays immediately following the celebration of the Eucharist. This ministry requires vestry approval, SAFE Training, and a license from the Bishop. Because of the confidential and sacramental nature of this ministry, inquirers must have been active members of the parish for at least a year and undergo an interview with either the deacon or the rector. To learn more about this ministry, click here.

Funeral Receptions

Members of the Funeral Reception team lovingly prepare the Parish Hall for families when there is a funeral at the church. Team members help prepare and arrange the food, coffee and tea, and help with clean up afterward. To learn more about this ministry, click here.

Greeting Cards

Do you enjoy sending greeting cards to people who are ill, recovering from surgery, or homebound? How about to military personnel serving in far away lands? If so, this could be a ministry for you! Cards and postage are provided but you supply the compassion and words of hope.

Home Meal Preparation and Delivery

Can you provide a meal every once in a while to a family in the parish at a difficult time? Meals are delivered to families who have experienced a death or a hospitalization or the arrival of a new baby. To learn more about this ministry, click here.

Pastoral Visitors

These are parishioners who like to visit and enjoy hearing stories about what life was like 30, 40, 50 years ago. We have parishioners who would love to have a once- or twice-a-month visitor from the church. Requires an interview with the rector or deacon, attendance at a diocesan SAFE training, and a commitment to visit for at least six months.

Prayer Chain

Members of the prayer chain commit to praying regularly for the persons for whom prayers have been requested. Because of the confidential nature of this ministry, an orientation is required. To learn more about this ministry, click here.

Prayer Shawls

Members of this ministry use their gifts of prayer and creativity to knit and crochet shawls and baby blankets that carry the loving prayers of the entire worshiping community to those who need them. To learn more about this ministry, click here.

Recovery Ministry

Members of this ministry hope to educate the parish regarding recovery and addiction issues. They bring a caring attitude grounded in the knowledge that addiction and recovery are medical issues, not character flaws or moral faults. To learn more about this ministry, click here.

St. Brigid’s Guild for Healing

Members of the St. Brigid’s Guild commit to faithfully studying and continuing the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. The Guild meets monthly for reflection, study, and prayer, and offers healing prayer in the chapel on the second Sunday of each month. Because of the confidential and sacramental nature