NEW: Friendly Visitor Teams
While your interim minister has responded to most pastoral care needs that came to her attention this year, the pastoral associates had one member since the beginning of our interim’s time with us (a second member stepped out of PAs to chair another committee). Rev. Benson will suggest the new minister assess needs and help develop a program that best suits MPUUC.
This year a new pastoral care-related element has begun, under the umbrella of the Pastoral Associates charter, created out of need. Called “Friendly Visitor Teams,” the coordinator of FVTs is the wonderful Jo Ann Schriner. We started with one team, visiting a congregant who can no longer attend our services or other activities at MPUUC.
How does a FVT work? Ideally, 5 or more people who may or may not be friends with or even acquainted with a member of the congregation, each commit to visit once a month and keep the rest of the team and the coordinator, Jo Ann, apprised of how the visit went, how the individual is doing, any issues that have emerged, passing the baton to the next visitor. In this way, we stay connected–congregation and the individual–in a meaningful, kind and compassionate way. Team members build listening skills and connection as they respond with presence.
Stay tuned for more–next time from Jo Ann directly–about this warm and caring ministry, Friendly Visitor Teams. Please feel free to reach out to Jo Ann, who also welcomes information that would suggest a team is needed for another congregant.
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Practical Support Coordinator opportunity: Become the coordinator for practical support (making a meal, giving a ride to events at MPUUC or a doctor’s appointment, grocery shopping, etc). This does not come up often, but when it does, a coordinator who will maintain current volunteer lists and then reach out to volunteers to respond, makes the program work.
Please contact Rev. Benson via email (
minister@mpuuc.org) before the end of May if you can be the “volunteer fire department,” not busy with the assignment most of the time but on occasion, will help MPUUC care for those in need.
Thank you!