UUC Lay Pastoral Care - a Ministry of Caring Presence
What Is Lay Pastoral Care?
Sometimes, each of us needs
more than words of encouragement or a hug from a friend. Lay Pastoral Care
Associates are volunteers from our congregation who are selected, trained,
and supervised on a consistent basis by our minister.
Each team member has been
trained in compassionate listening and caring presence, and is formally
commissioned (or recognized) by the congregation for being part of this
important shared ministry. Associates are available for those who would
welcome a visit or who are experiencing difficult circumstances, or are
encountering a time of transition in which they could use some confidential,
non-judgmental, on-going support. The purpose is to provide a sustaining
ministry of hope and caring so that congregants need not suffer or struggle
alone through life's hard times.
Lay Pastoral Care Ministry
Associates may: visit congregants who are ill at home or in the hospital,
support those going through major life transition or crisis, maintain
contact with those unable to attend UUC due to illness or disability,
support family and friends who are involved in care-giving, comfort the
bereaved, etc.
LPMC provides an important branch of our UUC caring network.
Why does UUC have Lay Pastoral Care Ministry?
Trained lay members providing compassionate, listening presence builds a
more loving and vital community. Caring for each other in a conscious way is
important to the life of the congregation. The members of the Lay Pastoral
Care Team find that time shared with congregants is a blessing to both
people in the relationship.
Our minister often meets with people at their homes, at the congregation,
and makes hospital visits. Working together, our minister and LPCM form a
robust pastoral care ministry serving our community. The purpose of our UUC
Pastoral Care network is to ensure that those in need of accompaniment and
support have ongoing opportunities for connection when it is needed and
appreciated.
If you would like to learn
more, or request to be matched with a LPCM Associate, please email
LPCM@uucnrv.org. You may also contact
our minister directly at
minister@uucnrv.org or, to leave a confidential voice message for the
minister, please call (540) 552-9716.
Testimonials from Congregants Who Have Benefitted from Lay Pastoral Care
Congregant 1
The Lay Pastoral Care Ministry team has been helping me for the past
three years as I deal with a chronic medical problem. Pastoral Care
Associates have visited me in the hospital, gone with me for various
procedures, helped by listening and taking notes in medical appointments
when my anxiety got in the way of clear hearing, and generally have been a
supportive presence.
The Lay Pastoral Care program is not only for people who have no one
else around to help. I am fortunate to have loving, helpful family in town,
live in a cohousing community, and my daughter from California has flown out
for some of the procedures.
What has been wonderful about the LPC assistance is that I have not
needed to worry about their feelings or fears. I can complain and whine and
admit that I am frightened, and they take it in stride. What a fine way our
Congregation has found to minister to each other! I am immensely grateful.
Congregant
The illness, pain, suffering and death of a loved one is the most
difficult of life's passages. I was so fortunate to have the sympathetic
ear, loving hugs, and true compassion provided by the Lay Pastoral Care
associates.
Sometimes, all that's needed is the physical presence of a caring
person—knowing that you're not alone. They gave me the courage to do the
impossible—to weather the grief and survive. I'm eternally thankful.
My involvement with Lay Pastoral Care Ministry began in the spring of
2012 when I trained to become an LPC Associate. The community building and
instruction in being a listening presence was quite valuable. I have used
these skills not only in my work with congregants, but in my relationships
with others.
Many months later I found myself asking if an associate can request Lay
Pastoral Care. I was matched with a wonderful associate, and for the next
several months had visits as often as once a week. It’s amazing the
difference it can make just to have someone listen and care.
Sometimes it’s hard to ask for or accept help. We think we should be
strong enough not to need anything from anyone. But we all need someone to
be there for us at some point, even if it’s just to listen as we sort
through our thoughts and feelings. As I went through one of the most
difficult times in my life, it was a life saver to have a program like this
in place.