Pastoral Care

We’ve cared for one another a second year of the pandemic in tried and true but also new ways. Our gifts of grace to one another in meeting needs are fruit of the gospel of our Lord’s mercy. Here are some but not all the ways you cared for one another this past year. • Grief Care – a small but motivated group met to mutually support one another, putting themselves at the mercy of the gospel according to the psalmist instead of the mercy of their grief. • Baptism – we prepared and witnessed both infants and adults for the sign of repentance and belief in Jesus Christ as the candidates became members of

Christ’s church. • The Marriage Course – twice we helped give practical and biblical skills to marriages of two and 40 years to keep growing in their Christlikeness, with the leadership of Artizo Josh Dury and wife

Sarah. • Divorce Care – this ministry of hope and healing is a significant means of reaching out to individuals beyond our congregation. • To Be Told – members grew to understand and relate the story of the Lord’s grace in their life with one member saying,

“This was the highlight of my year.” • Anger: God’s, Mine and Others – for the first time a group joined together to grow in understanding their experience and expression of frustration and fury. • One-to-one – the brilliance of the biblical ministry at SJV shows forth in the compassion that comes through every day in Bible studies, morning prayer, compline and personal relationships. • Prayer – prayer chain, Sunday service intercessions, quarterly congregational gatherings and margins of life as one person says to another, “Can I pray for you?”

JAMES WAGNER, MARGARET WILSON