Caring in community at Calvary
Care is compassion with action
Everyone wants to feel cared for.
Steps to Care
God made us to reflect his own nature ... and God is love. When we look at God’s heart, we can see what care is and we want to experience it as we pattern our lives after him. 2 Corinthians 1:3 describes God as the “father of compassion and the God of all comfort.” These two aspects of God’s care make a great starting point as we care for one another.
Compassion — We have hearts full of God’s love and compassion for them.
Compassion
How do I receive care at Calvary? 1) Your community group is designed to be a safe place to share your burdens. As you are doing life together, this will become a natural place to share your needs. 2) The Pastoral Care staff is always here to provide extra support when you need it. Please contact us!
How do we care for those around us?
Action — We give tangible help when it is possible: we pray for them and find ways to reach their needs, like providing meals, taking care of children, lending a car, or even just listening. Restoration — Care requires confronting sin when necessary and restoring with forgiveness.
Care starts with a truly compassionate heart, a heart filled with genuine love for others. Jesus exemplifies this in his love for us, and illustrated it in stories like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10). Even the most gracious activity cannot be called “caring” unless it is done from a heart of compassion (1 Cor. 13:3).
Encouragement — We are not able to fix every problem. Sometimes we can only come alongside our friends with strength and encouragement as we share their burdens.
Comfort
As we continue to consider how we live in community with one another, we especially want to look at the ways we care for each other. Are you actively looking for ways to care for those God has put around you? Are you willing to receive care offered to you by others?
Moving beyond compassion is comfort, an activity bringing encouragement, exhortation or consolation to a person in need. Whether relieving the suffering of another, or providing what they need to be sustained within it, comfort denotes an active work on another’s behalf.
Care is compassion with action!
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
The best place to give and receive care is in community In John 21:16 the Lord gives Peter a task to fulfill, “Take care of my sheep.” Peter was not expected to do this alone; the entire church is to care for the people of God. This is why 2 Corinthians 1:4 says, “[God] comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” The Lord has called each one of us at Calvary Church to care for one another. As Calvary continues to encourage everyone to be involved in a community group at some level, each of these groups are to play a significant role in meeting the care needs of individuals and families. Galatians 6:2 tells us to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Every one of us has burdens in life; when you are doing life together with others, you are able to help carry their burdens and, with humility, allow them to share in carrying yours. Are you in a smaller group at Calvary? Our hope is that everyone at Calvary has a group of friends who meet together, pray together and are forming caring relationships on the foundation of Christ.
There is a place for you in a smaller community at Calvary! We launch new groups throughout the year. To find out more, contact Brenda (community@calvarygr.org) at 9569377, ext. 5650.
Care looks like safety ... love ... help “When I lost my job, I didn’t know where to turn.
“We don’t know what we would have done if it
“If it wasn’t for my small group, I’m not sure I
It was a devastating time in my life. Each time
wasn’t for our small group. My wife and I were
would have ever kept attending Calvary. It’s not
we met as a group, I felt safe to talk about my
really going through a hard time with one of our
that I didn’t love the preaching and worship. It
confusion and hurt. It’s not like my group had all
children. We felt guilty as if his problems were our
was just so big; I never thought I would get con-
the answers or that I even wanted answers.
fault. When we finally gathered the courage to talk
nected to anybody! My small group really cares
I just knew they cared about me. I knew they
about it with our group, they didn’t judge us at all.
about me. Recently my wife was diagnosed with a
wouldn’t judge me and make me feel worse than
It was such a relief to feel accepted and loved,
disease. As we have walked this difficult road, our
I already did ...”
even though we were going through some of the
small group is right there with us. It has been an
hardest times of our lives ...”
incredible experience to be cared for by a group of people who love God!”
What other support is there when I need it? There are times when you need extra help: prayer, counseling, material support or sometimes just an extra friend to be there for you. The Yellow House at Calvary offers a range of care. To the right is a list of the many areas of support we offer in our Pastoral Care Department. We are here to answer any questions you may have. Call us any time at 616-956-9377.
Josh Mateer
(jmateer@calvarygr.org) at ext. 3475, oversees care and counseling
Charlotte Hilber
(chilber@calvarygr.org) at ext. 3149, Pastoral Counseling, Marriage Enrichment
Regina Scovill
(rscovill@calvarygr.org) at ext. 3672, AA to Josh Mateer, Senior Adults, Stephen Ministry, GriefShare, HIS, Confident Caregivers, Chera
Claire Walker
(cwalker@calvarygr.org) at ext. 3613, Benevolence, Adoption
Lou DeGraaf
(ldegraaf@calvarygr.org) at ext. 3618, AA to Claire Walker, DivorceCare, Budget Counseling
Lynnell Bok
(lbok@calvarygr.org) at ext. 3510, Benevolence, Food Pantry, Clothes Closet
Abuse — HIS (Healing Injured Sisters): 8-week study for
Food — Food Pantry: food assistance for families and
women hurt from past physical or emotional wounds. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@calvarygr.org) at ext 3672.
Contact: Lynnell Bok (lbok@calvarygr.org) at ext 3510.
Addictions — Abundant Life: group committed to fighting addictive sinful behavior. Contact: Fred DeJong at 5400292.
Budgeting — Budget Counseling: One-on-one help
individuals who are experiencing financial crisis.
Getting Married — Marriage Prep: prepares couples for healthy marriage. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@ calvarygr.org) at ext 3672.
establishing a workable budget. Contact: Lou DeGraaf (ldegraaf@calvarygr.org) at ext 3618.
Grief — GriefShare: 13-week support group for those grieving the loss of someone close. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@calvarygr.org) at ext. 3672.
Clothing — Clothes Closet: Help for those whose budget is not presently sufficient to meet all their needs. Contact: Lynnell Bok (lbok@calvarygr.org) at ext 3510.
Hospitalization — Hospital visitation: during a hospital stay one of our pastors will visit. Contact: Ruth Gudbrandson (rgudbrandson@calvarygr.org) at ext. 5013.
Confident Caregivers — Support for those giving care
Life-Threatening Illness — For those struggling with
to loved ones. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@calvarygr. org) at ext 3672.
cancer, MS, etc. Contact Phyllis Tack at 243-4603.
Counseling — Pastoral or Marriage Counseling: Meet with a Calvary pastor to speak about a life concern or relationship issue. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@calvarygr.org) at ext 3672.
Divorce — DivorceCare: 13-week series for those experiencing divorce. Contact: Lou DeGraaf (ldegraaf@calvarygr. org) at ext 3618. Divorce-Kids (DC4K) — For children whose parents are divorcing. Helps children heal when parents divorce. Contact: Lou DeGraaf (ldegraaf@calvarygr.org) at ext 3618.
Employment — EaRN: exists to help turn the burden of unemployment into a manageable load. Contact: Rich Dyer (richguy101@sbcglobal.net) at 822-4991. Encouragement and Support — Stephen Ministry: offers a listening ear, hope and encouragement to those hurting or going through struggles. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@calvarygr.org) at ext 3672.
Mental Illness — Calvary Mental Illness Family Support Group provides encouragement for those whose lives are affected. Contact: John and Betty Walker at 956-6141. Pornography —The Avenue: group paving the way with help for those struggling with pornography or sexual brokenness. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@calvarygr.org) at ext 3672. Prayer — Join intercessors for prayer. Contact: Mel Dykstra at 784-1858.
Senior Adults — Wednesday morning Bible Study and lunch for seniors. Contact: Regina Scovill (rscovill@calvarygr.org) at ext 3672.
Shut-in — Visit those physically unable to attend church services and functions. Contact: Rich Dyer (richguy101@ comcast.net) at 822-4991.
Widows and Widowers — Chera: fellowship for those who have lost a spouse. Contact: Patsy Clark at 954-3825.
Financial Assistance — Benevolence: available to qualifying Calvary attendees who are experiencing financial difficulties. Contact: Lynnell Bok (lbok@calvarygr.org) at ext 3510.
Calvary’s Pastoral Care department supports both individuals and small groups. If you or someone in your group has a concern, let us know so we can help when needed.
Calvary Church
707 East Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 (616) 956-9377 | calvarygr.org