The mission of the Pastoral Associates is to deepen the sense of community and caring within the church by providing support during times of need, and connection during times of dissociation. The Pastoral Associates extend the ministry of the church. In a religion like ours, which has such a strong tradition of congregational empowerment, sharing the ministry makes sense. Pastoral Associates practice a form of lay ministry. They occupy a unique position in the lives of South Church members as pastoral caregivers.

Pastoral care is a kind of caring that is broad in scope. It may include meeting very practical needs, gathering resources, providing emotional support, and having conversations that touch on spiritual issues. Most importantly, it is a ministry of presence. Being there is the most important thing you the Pastoral Associates do. Pastoral care is not therapy, nor nursing, nor medicine. It is active caring for people who are facing challenges in their lives.

When a church member or friend experiences a death in the family, a birth, job change, hospitalization, marriage, divorce, or other such major life event, it is important that it be acknowledged by our religious community. The PA program maintains a system to arrange for the delivery of meals, cards, and visits. There are also people in the church with chronic but not critical life circumstances who can go for months and years without receiving the attention of the church.  This last group includes people who are confined to their homes, people living with a disability or a disabled family member, people with extreme financial hardships, and people who live with an undue and continuing emotional or physical burden. We try to find ways to keep these people connected to the life of South Church.

If you have a need for pastoral care, or know somebody else who has such a need, please let the Pastoral Associates know.  You can also call the church office at 603.436.4762.