Pastoral Care at St. Luke's
Bethany Guild
Purpose: The Bethany Guild is available to host receptions in the Parlors after funerals or memorial services at St. Luke’s. Donations are always appreciated to help with expenses.
Requirements to get involved: A willingness to participate and be part of a much needed ministry whether in person or by helping prepare menu items. The Guild is organized into teams, which rotate the hosting of receptions. For a reception, members of the team prepare a set menu and then assist in hosting the reception.
Time commitment: Each person serves on a team as a team member or as a captain. Teams prepare the food before the reception and then act as hosts during the reception, setting up and then working with the building staff during clean-up afterward.
Contact person: Carol McGanity, csmcganity@gmail.com
Community of Hope International
Purpose: The Community of Hope International was founded to form praying communities, to encourage each other in love, and to serve others through compassionate listening. COHI is steeped in Benedictine Spirituality, which emphasizes caring for others and growing each member spiritually through a nurturing community.
We are a group of parishioners trained as pastoral care givers, sharing with the clergy the important work of offering pastoral care in various forms to the congregation. Pastoral care is when a person is “present” in a listening, compassionate, non-controlling manner to an individual or group for the purpose of representing God to them and seeking to respond to their spiritual needs. Through spiritual formation, practical lessons and the support, encouragement and insights of our members, lay chaplains deepen the roots of a caring community.
Requirements to get involved: Share your interest in becoming a Lay Pastoral Chaplain with a current COHI member, or Fr. Irv; train in 12 modules that cover both practical and theoretical topics; and be commissioned to represent God and St. Luke’s congregation to our care recipients.
Time commitment: Typically, you should plan on no more than about 4-10 hours per month. This includes:
- Monthly Circle of Care gatherings (about 90 minutes).
- Planned visits with parishioners in need (30 to 60 minutes).
- Quarterly Continuing Education with Speakers via video/Zoom (90 minutes).
Contact persons: Mary Tacy Young, marytyoung@gmail.com and Gretchen Bealer, grbealer@gmail.com
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Guild
Purpose: The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Guild is an outreach of our Pastoral Care ministry and acknowledges the deaths of our parishioners and parishioners’ loved ones. Over the course of the first year following the death of a spouse, child, parent, or sibling, condolence cards are mailed on significant dates in the life of the families. The artwork on these cards were very generously donated by members of our St. Luke’s family.
Requirements to get involved: A servant’s heart and a willingness to write and send cards with special messages throughout the year during this time of grief for our parishioners.
How often a person would serve, or the time commitment is:
The St Elizabeth Ann Seton Guild does not have regular meetings. Most of the communication is handled through phone calls and emails.
Contact person: Nancy Mortensen, nancimort@att.net
Eucharistic Visitors (EVs)
Each week, licensed members of our congregation take the Sacrament of Holy Communion to parishioners who for various reasons are unable to attend our Sunday morning worship services. Sharing from the same elements consecrated from the altar at St. Luke’s connects the Body of Christ together beyond the walls of our sanctuary. Eucharistic Visitors (EV’s) are trained and assigned to serve one Sunday a month as needed.
Contact person: Fr. Irv Cutter, rector@slecsa.org,
210-828-6425.