Pastoral Care during Covid was very challenging, but the members of St. Mark’s continued to demonstrate love and care for their parish family.
Pastoral Care is dependent on building relationships. A call list was created early in 2020 that included every member of St. Mark’s – active or not. The names were distributed among a team of volunteers who called the names on their list at least once a month. If there were any spiritual or medical concerns, the information was forwarded on to clergy or parish nurse. Once the pandemic started to ease the call list team was advised they could stop calling, some members continue to call, they have built a relationship with “their people.”
The Pastoral Care Team meets monthly, during the peak of the pandemic the meetings took place using Zoom. We are grateful to be able to meet in person once again. During the period when it was not possible to visit in person, calls were made monthly and often more frequently to those most fragile in our parish. Referrals are assigned to the member of the team who is best able to meet their needs, developing a relationship with them. Recently, a member of our team has been able to visit a member of our parish in long term care, it was not known how this person was managing due to privacy guidelines in the facility. It has been an exciting time for both as they have reconnected.
Other ministries such as the Card, Prayer Shawls and Flowers were also very active during the past two years- more about them next month.
Our sincere thank you and gratitude to all of those who have supported pastoral care during this time.
God bless.
Debbie Belowitz, St. Mark’s Parish Nurse