Pastoral Care encompasses a variety of ministries which are all important in our mission of bringing comfort and support to those in need. These ministries include: 

Flower Guild - Flowers adorning the altar each week are taken out for delivery to persons designated by the Pastoral Care Team (see below). The flower deliverers witness first hand the joy that this brings into another family’s life.

Homebound Visitors - Parishioners who take part in this ministry stop in and visit with members of our parish family who are unable to attend services. Visitors offer friendly conversation and updates on church happenings. The short visit to our homebound friends lets them know they are in our thoughts and prayers. Homebound visitors can take on the form of respite care, a Eucharistic visitor, the youth caroling at Christmas, or someone who just decides to visit one of our parishioners who can’t easily get out. As one of our homebound parishioners says: “These visits are my lifeline to the outside world.”

Loaves and Fishes - This ministry provides meals on a short-term basis to families who are dealing with a life change — surgery, or recovery from an injury, or a new baby — that makes it difficult to prepare meals for themselves. 

Pastoral Care Team - This is a group of very dedicated people who meet to discuss the pastoral needs within the parish and community, and select recipients for the altar flowers and prayer shawls. Between meetings, members pray and accompany parishioners, family and friends as needed. Many thanks to this wonderful group of people! We are grateful for the time they spend in this ministry and for the difference they make in the lives they touch. 

Prayer Angels - These are volunteers who pray daily for people and situations on our prayer list. We keep the prayer requests in confidence. Prayer requests are added as they are received, and the updated list is mailed out monthly. When an urgent need comes up, Angels are called or emailed so they can pray at once. We average around 85 requests per month, and we divide them up among the teams. 

Prayer Shawls - This ministry involves the creation of shawls, either knitted or crocheted, for people in any kind of need. Recipients are primarily determined by the Pastoral Care team, but may be taken by any member of the parish to give to anyone who they feel could use one. Shawls from All Saints’ have been sent all over the United States and overseas as well. The ministry continues to spread, with packets containing information for starting a Prayer Shawl group going to many churches around the state and the country.

Reception Coordinators - When a funeral or memorial service is held at All Saints’ members of this ministry organize the reception afterwards, if the family wishes to have a reception at the church. They work together to supply light food and beverages, facilitate the set up and tear down of the reception area, and stay during the event to make sure things run smoothly. 

Saintly Drivers - Members of this ministry provide rides to and/or from church to those who wish to worship with us but do not have a way of getting to church. A few times during the year Saintly Drivers have also transported some parishioners to last minute doctor appointments. 

Working Parties - Although we do not define working parties as a regular ministry under the Pastoral Care umbrella, we do arrange for them upon occasion on an “as-needed” basis. A working party may help move a parishioner to a better living situation, or prepare a parishioner’s home to accommodate that person’s changing physical needs.

"Jesus poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet.” John 13:5

If you are interested in joining any of the mentioned ministries, please contact Rev. Jane at rector@allsaintsrichland.org