What is the Caring Ministry?

Over the last year we have been building a Caring Ministry for our church.  We have a core team of Caring Ministers:  Ann Marino, Judy Warren and Deb Peruta, who are helping us to develop a ministry in our church which is based in the congregation itself. 

Here are some of their recent accomplishments: 

• Organized a group of callers to visit the elderly and home bound; have secured rides for people to appointments;
• visited the families of newborns; coordinated a prayer shawl and baby blanket ministry;
• planned seminars and opportunities to enhance the health of the congregation;
• scheduled a flu clinic and a workshop on estate planning issues. 
• They have also prepared articles for the Belfry.

One element of the strategic plan for our church has been to develop a Caring Ministry that engages members of the congregation, along with the pastors, to provide pastoral support to the church.  Over the last year the Caring Ministry has been developed in coordination with other ministries of the church, and today in worship we consecrate this special gift of the church.

Caring Ministry Team

The core of the ministry is the Caring Ministry Team: Ann Marino, Deb Peruta, Judy Warren and Pastors Enfield and Brookes.

Ministries:

The ministries of the team are varied and are in flux as new needs and opportunities arise.  Other members of the church are encouraged to participate as they are able.

Calling Ministry:  Calling on elderly and home- bound. 

Visiting callers:  Phyllis Berglund, Andy Dall, Karen Fors, Carol Gadd, Win Gentile, Sue Kalman, Ann Marino, Sue Muller, Carolyn Neely, Pat Partington, John Sandberg and Wilma Weeden.

Prayer Shawl and Baby Blanket Ministry:  Judy Warren

New-born and New Mothers: Deb Peruta and Judy Warren

Care Notes:  Judy Warren

Seminars:  Ann Marino

Visitors:  Deb Peruta

Rides for Elderly, etc.:  Ann Marino

Educational Articles:  Deb Peruta

Our Church is known as a caring congregation.  Perhaps all of you are engaged in one form of
Christian caring ministry on your own.  However, we also invite you to support and participate in this official caring ministry for our church.  See any of the Caring Ministers (they have green nametags).

From Your Caring Ministry Team:

How to Properly Dispose of Medications
Flushing medications down the sink or toilet causes water pollution, impacts drinking water and has adverse effects on septic systems, fish and other aquatic wildlife.
The safe way to dispose of medication is to put it in the trash.

Here is how to do it:
1. Keep the medication in its original container
- if it is a prescription container - to insure privacy and prevent misuse, cross out the individual's name and prescription number with dark ink or remove the label.  (Chemotherapy drugs require special handling.  Check with your pharmacist for proper disposal of this type of medication.)

2.  Modify the medication to discourage someone from taking it from the trash.
- For pills or capsules, add a small amount of water to the container to at least partially dissolve them.
- for liquids, add table salt, flour or a spice, such as mustard or turmeric, to make a pungent unsightly mixture to discourage anyone from eating it.

- for blister packs, wrap the blister package in multiple layers of duct tape or other opaque tape.

3. Seal and conceal:
 - tape the medication container lid shut with packing or duct tape.
 - place it in a non-transparent bag or container such as a margarine or yogurt tub to insure the contents
   cannot be seen.
 - DO NOT conceal medicines in food products because animals could inadvertently consume them.

4. Discard in your TRASH container, NEVER your recycle bin.

Expanding the Knitting Ministry Program

During the last four years, our Prayer Shawl ministry has delivered over 100 prayer shawls to our church members and friends, providing comfort and warmth during a time of need.

As part of our new Caring Ministry program, we have decided to expand our knitting ministry program to include baby blankets. We would like to deliver the blankets to new parents from our church a few weeks after the arrival of the baby. Knitting instructions for both the baby blanket and prayer shawl will be available outside the church office in one of the wall racks.

You are more than welcome to crochet a blanket or use a different pattern as long as you use machine washable/dryable yarn. The baby blanket should measure approximately 25”x29”. Completed shawls and blankets can be dropped off in the church office.

If you have any questions or would like to receive the instructions by e-mail, please contact Judy Warren.

Download Knitting Instructions Brochure (including Prayer Shawl Instructions and Baby Blanket Instructions)