What’s Going On (by Pastor Chris)


What’s Going On (by Pastor Chris)
Some of you may or may not be aware that we as a church have a Cares Team. This team is a church-driven group of servants that provide care to the congregation. Now I know this needs a little explanation because we all have different definitions and expectations of what care looks like in the church. The Cares Team provides basic support to persons in the church who are going through a tough time because of illness or loss in the family. They provide meals and other limited services for those that need and want the extra help. (One important note is that this group is not a replacement for professional assistance like home health care, mental health support, Noble County Transit, or many other forms of assistance available in our area.) The best way to describe it is an organized way for the church to be the church. To help better understand what the Cares Team does, here are a few frequently asked questions.
What role do the pastors play in the Cares Team? The pastors work with the team like most every team at the church to equip and enable them to do the ministry of the church. The pastors are not a part of the Cares Team but work with them side by side. The pastors take care of visitation; that is visiting with those who are sick, in the hospital, or grieving. Pastor Chris takes care of most of the acute care visitation; those who are in the hospital or having surgery, but all of the pastors help in this. Pastor Steve also assists with long term visitation; the visits with those who are shut-in, in the hospital for longer stays, or who are in rehab. (He also assists Pastor Chris with acute visits.) The pastors will also alert the Cares Team if someone needs extra help.
What’s new with the Cares Team? Pastor Steve is working on getting more volunteers to visit with our shut-ins and those in rehab. If you would like to be a part of this let the church office know. As a part of this extension we are working on adding more people to “be” with people. Pastor Steve and I have noticed in our ministry that many people do not necessarily need things to be “done” for them but they need people who will “be” with them—people who will check up on them, listen, and pray with them in the trials of life. So this is an area we are trying to add to the Cares Team, and we will share details when it is more defined.
How can I get help from the Cares Team for myself? Call the church office. This is the central hub of communication for the Cares Team.
How can I get help from Cares Team for someone else? This is a little more involved and a place where we need your help. The best way is to call the person and ask if they need help. (We sometimes assume someone needs help, but we need to make sure that this help is wanted.)  If they do need help, contact the church office. 
How can I help? We are always looking for more people to help with this ministry in various ways. If you would like to help, contact the church office and we’ll get you signed up on one of the Cares Teams. Thank you for all that you do to help the church be the church.




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