Pastoral Care During The Pandemic

By Carolyn Barta & The Rev. Greg Pickens, Associate for Pastoral Care

The “Church has left the building,” as our Rector Chris Girata said, and we now have yard signs that reinforce that idea, along with the added admonition to #bethechurch.

It has not been easy with the church doors closed for months from March 15 because of the coronavirus pandemic, but most Pastoral Care groups were able to continue to find ways to show us what it means to “be the church.” These groups include the Good Shepherd Ministry, the Prayer Ministry, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, the Card Ministry, and many others.

Shannon Callewart and Anne Leary are the co-leaders of the Good Shepherd Ministry, which has the stated purpose of building “a sense of community within the larger geographic area of Saint Michael and All Angels Church by responding to immediate needs with neighbor helping neighbor.” This unique, 35-year-old ministry divides the congregation into 101 neighborhoods, providing shepherds for each neighborhood who work under eight regional shepherds. They ordinarily contact parishioners in times of need, such as illness or death, celebration, or to welcome new members.

Shannon said that early-on during shelter in place, the Rector and Vice Rector asked the Shepherds to contact our parish family “to check on them, solicit prayer requests and to let them know the church was continuing to reach out.” The Shepherds did a wonderful job, making connections through phone, text, and email.

The request to make these calls were perfect for a ministry such as the Good Shepherds. “… people were so grateful. I had long conversations with several people. And since people were at home, I got many of them on the phone,” said Mary Ann Marshall, a shepherd in the 75230 zip code area. She said parishioners found it “reassuring -- just knowing that the church was there, if needed.”

“We’re a volunteer organization and we rely on volunteers to make that personal touch,” Shannon said. But the effort “underscored how important this program is. Anyone who has a shepherd’s heart and would like to serve,” she said, may contact Assistant for Pastoral Care, Katherine Bowen at kbowen@saintmichael.org. Parishioners can also update their contact information by calling the church.

Meanwhile, the Prayer Ministry began having Zoom prayer meetings in early April. The Sunday Prayer Team ordinarily meets with individual parishioners during and after Sunday services to hear their prayer requests and pray with them. Members of the ministry also meet together regularly.

The Zoom meetings, which often drew 15-18 people, were designed to hear prayer requests and to pray for clergy, church ministries, families in trouble, friends and acquaintances who were ill or dying, governmental leaders, or anyone dealing with effects of the pandemic. The Prayer Team was living out a verse from Philippians covered by Chris Gi- rata during his June online Bible Study, Phil. 4:6, Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God. Co-leaders Joan Faubion and Maria D’Antoni said in an email to participants: “We have received wonderful feedback on the meaningfulness of these meetings and we are covering our church family and world in prayer at a very crucial time.”

Another ministry, the Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs) are teams of trained parishioners who take communion from the church altar to parishioners who cannot be in church. But the LEVs were prohibited from taking the Eucharist to homebound parishioners for several weeks during the shut-in.

After Pentecost, when the church was able to offer communion by appointment in Saint Michael Chapel, the LEVs were permitted to take the blessed wafers safely to front doors of those asking for communion. Charlotte (Charlie) Smith, who heads the LEVs, said that even though the visits are abbreviated, “people have been very grateful.”

The Rev. Greg Pickens, Associate for Pastoral Care, said, “Pastoral Care at Saint Michael consists of four large ministry segments: cards, phone calls, support and visitation. Each of these areas is a specific endeavor to make meaningful connections in the lives of our parishioners and guests.” These ministries continued their work even when the church doors were closed.