Caring Ministries

Let us go out into the world—and share the good news with the whole creation…

There is certainly a great deal of good news to share through our Discipleship Ministries, which include: Caring Ministries (under the Board of Lay Life and Ministry); Adult Education; Christian Service; and Diversity.

Caring Ministries—good news!

The members of the Caring Ministries Task Force have explored and initiated new ways in which to build connections and strengthen relationships within our large church family.

1) Neighborhood Gatherings were held this past fall, with dessert and an informal discussion at the homes of four church members. Many thanks to these hosts for their hospitality. The Task Force plans to continue such gatherings, so that church members may get to know one another within their neighborhoods.

2) The Task Force has started to reorganize the geographic areas within which InReach Callers make contact with church members. These areas will be more like neighborhood “clusters,” with less than twenty households in each InReach area. Smaller areas will give Callers the opportunity to meet everyone in the neighborhood and bring people together more effectively.

Warmest thanks to the Task Force members for their enthusiasm and service: Charlene Dann, Sue Espenshade, Lois Harwick, Bob Johnson, and Charlotte Mowry. Good news! Our church is blessed with so many Caring Ministers who have shared their gifts, time, and love with others.

• InReach Callers who have contacted church members through cards, phone calls, and Christmas/ Easter plant delivery; Friendly Visitors, who have built relationships with individual members or couples through regular visits.

• Support Team Ministry:
1) Basic Support Team members, who provided care in a variety of ways for individuals and families;
2) Members of a Mission Support Team, the Transportation Team, which provided people with rides to medical appointments and Sunday Worship; and
3) Administrative Support Team members, who provided training for new Support Team members and organized the Appreciation Dinner in May.

• Members of the Flower Committee who created beautiful floral arrangements from the flowers at our Worship Services. These bouquets were given to members and friends as an expression of our loving support.

• Members of the Prayer Shawl Ministry, who have knit many shawls and given them to those who are going through a difficult time or transition, to those who are celebrating a special event, and to patients at Hartford Hospital.

• The Faith Community Nursing Team, who planned and led educational events on health issues, long with four Healing Services. I give thanks for this small and mighty team.

First Church Women—good news!

First Church women continued their partnership with “Watered Gardens” and the “Ladies International Fellowship for His Glory” in Hartford. Together they collected and purchased items to create 40 Giving Baskets at Easter and 40 Gift Bags at Christmas, all of which were given to women in Hartford shelters.

The Adult/Alumni Mission Trip—good news!

Members of the new Mission Trip Planning Team embodied cooperative teamwork and assumed responsibility for specific tasks, including awesome bookkeeping—thereby helping to make our experience at Back Bay Mission (Biloxi, MS) another success! Our group of 26 stayed in two trailers, where the fellowship was lively and the homemade meals delicious (Thanks, Heather Pulito!). Work on building houses was done at a variety of sites, where new skills were learned and our experienced workers greatly appreciated. This year, some of us also served lunch at the Loaves & Fishes soup kitchen near Back Bay Mission. Upon our return, we led a Sunday worship service with gospel singing and moving testimonials from trip participants. My warmest thanks to every participant for your generosity and hard work, your laughter and faithful service.

Report of the Flower Committee

As coordinator of the Flower Committee, I arrange for flowers to be in the sanctuary every Sunday. Members of the congregation pay for the arrangements, which are in memory of loved ones or to celebrate special occasions.

The flowers are sometimes taken by the donor, but most of the time they are left to be broken down into several smaller arrangements. The members of the committee areRoz Bennett, Marti Curtiss, Gloria Emanuelson, Sara Jane Munshower, Sally Whipple and Joyce Young. They commit for a month to rearrange the flowers after the Sunday services.

These arrangements are then available for Pastors and visitors to bring to church members or to nursing home facilities. During the summer months, we ask members to share their garden flowers in their own style.

At Christmas and Easter, I coordinate the purchase of plants with monies donated by members of the congregation. Some plants are taken after the services, but many are left and delivered by Inreach callers and Support Team members to selected parishioners. Thanks to the generosity of the congregation, our flower program is very successful.

Submitted by Pam St. Pierre

Caring Ministries Task Force
Lois Harwick
Forbes Warren
Charlotte Mowry
Charlene Dann
Bob Johnson

SOURCE:
Annual Report for First Church of Christ, Congregational, Glastonbury, Connecticut, April 2008