What are the New Areas of Calling & Caring?

What is a "Parish Visitor"?
The mission of the Visiting Ministry program is to reach out to fellow parishioners to ensure that each person among us is known, loved, and cared for. This is especially true of those who, temporarily or for long periods, cannot get out to enjoy the church community.
What is a “Faith Community Nurse"?
Faith Community Nurses are licensed, registered nurses who practice holistic health for self, individuals and the community using nursing knowledge combined with spiritual care.  They function in paid and unpaid positions as members of the pastoral team in a variety of religious faiths, cultures, and countries.  The focus of their work is on the intentional care of the spirit, assisting members of the faith community and other faith-based organizations to maintain and/or regain wholeness in body, mind, and spirit.  FCN’s have a scope of practice defined by the American Nurses Association.  

The care receiver or client, is an individual in time of need who receives care from a licensed nursing professional.  For example they support them by offering coaching, referral, and educational support . Plymouth has one FCN and another about to be trained.  
What is a "Stephen Minister"?
Stephen Ministry offers a proven and effective way to organize, equip, and supervise a team of congregation members—called Stephen Ministers--to provide high-quality, one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people in the congregation and the community experiencing life difficulties.

Terminology associated with Stephen Ministry:
  • Stephen Leaders are the lay leaders, church staff members, and pastors who are equipped to direct Stephen Ministry in their congregation. Stephen Leaders have gifts and skills in areas such as leadership, teaching, and organizing people, along with a heart for caring ministry.
  • Stephen Ministers are lay congregation members trained to provide one-to-one Christ-centered care. They have a compassionate heart for those who are hurting, and they’ve been equipped with caring ministry skills by their congregation’s Stephen Leaders. A Stephen Minister typically has one care receiver at a time and meets with that person once a week to listen, care, pray, encourage, and offer emotional and spiritual support. Video
  • A care receiver is an individual in time of need who receives care from a Stephen Minister.  For example they companion them through their job changes, grief, illness, birth of child, and other life transitions.   
What about the pastoral staff?
Pastors are involved and active in all aspects of the calling and caring ministries.  Pastors still make visits and conduct pastoral care.  With the new structure, pastors will not be doing less; the congregation will be served to a greater extent.  
Interested in being a part of the Calling and Caring Ministry Team?

There are several opportunities to be a part of the Calling and Caring Ministry Team with varying levels of time commitment.  
  • Visiting Ministry (VM):  Time and training commitment varies depending on hospitalizations and folks in long-term care situations.  It is likely this will be a once a week visit (phone call or in-person visit) with semi-regular training.
  • Faith Community Nursing (FCN):  Time and training commitment varies depending on the number of medical situations requiring the assistance of the FCN and the training requirements from the local FCN network. To become a FCN you must have an active and unencumbered registered nurse license.
  • Stephen Ministry (SM):  Stephen Ministry is an ecumenical international program that develops a volunteer training and coordinating ministry program for the church.  SM has program requirements that involves meeting as a team twice a month.  In addition, when a SM has a care receiver (someone assigned for care) it will entail another hour per week.  To become a SM requires 50 hours of up front training.  
Anticipated Implementation Dates - What to expect
The remainder of 2020 will involve recruiting volunteers, training Stephen Leaders and solidifying training dates and plans in 2021.