Welcome to

‘BE THERE’ PASTORAL CARE SYSTEM 2010 

1.   Care leaders are Kay Thomson, Steph Tabor, Madeleine Cosson. In future are looking to have a secondary system of trained carers. You may like to recommend someone for this role?

2.   The aim is that everyone in the church is included in the new ‘Be There’ pastoral care system, if however you do not want to be included, then please let me or one of the care leaders know.  Also let us know if people are missing who should be included.  Please note for child protection reasons, under 18’s are cared for in a different system.

3.   Each will see their name on a line which is in two hexagons. One hexagon is a ‘giving’ hexagon’. One is a ‘receiving’ hexagon.

4.   Each hexagon is numbered. The letter you received will have had references something like G34, R53 on it. This means that you are ‘giving’ in the hexagon number 34, and ‘receiving’ in hexagon 53.

5.   In the giving hexagon YOUR NAME WILL BE SHOWN ON THE LINE WITH A RED SIDE TO IT. In the receiving hexagon YOUR NAME WILL BE SHOWN ON THE LINE WITH A BLUE SIDE TO IT.

6.   In the hexagon where you are ‘the giver’ (red) you will be giving care to a maximum of three people (shown in blue in that hexagon). Additionally in the hexagon where you are ‘receiving’ (blue) you will be getting care from a maximum of three people (shown in red in that hexagon).

7.   This is not intended to be something that should worry you. In the first instance you should find out who those people are to whom you ‘give’ and ‘receive’, and maybe introduce yourself to them (a phonecall could suffice if they are not regularly at church). You are asked to ‘notice’ how someone is.  This could be that they are not at church for a time, ill, a bit down or alternatively going well, growing in faith etc.

8.   Then you could speak with them or call them to ‘be there’ for them, if you feel you are unable to help you could draw the attention of one of the care leaders to the problem. Alternatively, you could speak with one of the Ministers or an Elder (it may be the care leader will think it right to do this).

9.   An important part of pastoral care is to pray, we hope that everyone will pray for others and be prayed for.  As this system progresses it may be that groups get together on occasion to strengthen the bond between them.

10.   Please note that sensitivity needs to be exercised, confidentiality is important, but so is pastoral care so that everyone in the church is cared for.