The Care Ministry of Columbia Presbyterian Church takes many different shapes. The Deacons, Health Ministry Team, and Stephen Ministry Team oversee the formal care ministries along with all the informal ways our congregation members, ministry leaders, and pastors care for those connected to our community.

 

 

Deacons

The Board of Deacons is under the guidance of two co-moderators, secretary/treasurer, and a pastor. The Deacons meet the third Tuesday of each month. Our meetings include devotional time, discussion of pertinent issues, and prayer. There is also a one-day Deacon retreat each year. Click here to see a list of our current Staff, Elders, and Deacons.

 

Deacon Teams & Responsibilities

Hospitality & Mercy: Welcome Center Front Door & Curbside Greeting Memorial Services Care Partners (visits, calls, & cards) Delivery of prayer shawls Older Adult Card Ministry

Service: Helping Hands Special Projects (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter) Food Drives Blood Drives Liaison with Mac/Marshall/ The Heights Schools Liaison with local churches for mutual neighborhood projects

Communion: Communion Preparation Set-up for Worship Coordination of Servers Provide Home Communion

 

Deacon Qualifications and Commitments

• A personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
• A mature and growing (not finished or perfect!) faith.
• An active member of Columbia Presbyterian Church who participates regularly in the life of the church.
• A person who feels called to help facilitate a ministry of nurture and care for those in need.

All Deacons are asked to:

• Attend worship regularly.
• Have an intentional plan for personal spiritual growth.
• Pray regularly for CPC staff, officers, congregation and friends.
• Respect confidentiality while doing the ministry of a Deacon.
• Attend Deacon meetings.
• Commit to a specific leadership role in one area of Deacon ministry.
• In addition, we ask some Deacons to serve as Care Partners. The care partner ministry is a relationship between a Deacon and a member of the CPC family who needs assistance, encouragement, and/or loving support. The role/duty of the Care Partner is to communicate, either by visits or calls, with the person(s) under his or her care.  Deacons are not responsible for home repairs or cleaning. These tasks may be included in “Helping Hands” projects.

 

Health Ministry

The purpose of the Health Ministry Team (HMT) is to provide congregational care through the integration of body, soul, and spirit.

 

Health Ministry Team Projects:

• Mental Health First Aid classes for adults and youth/adolescents: Trained HMT members teach classes several times a year to prepare individuals to work with adults and youth who are experiencing mental health issues.
• WeCare check-ins: The HMT and some volunteers provide a small gift and check in through twice yearly home visits to our homebound congregants.
• Circle of Friends Preschool: Nutrition classes for parents and caregivers of toddlers and preschoolers are the focus.
• Health Fair: An annual health fair, usually in the fall, offers resources and education from team members and community individuals/organizations.
• Education: A variety of classes, usually one-time, are offered as needs arise.
• Referrals/Community Resources: Guidance is sometimes needed to navigate the healthcare system or provide assistance to the pastoral staff on a case-by-case basis.

 

Stephen Ministry

Stephen Ministry is a lay care-giving ministry that supplements pastoral care. The program teaches laypersons to provide one-on-one care for individuals who request support. The confidential care-giver and care-receiver relationship, usually conducted by weekly visits, may continue for months or years. Columbia has both men and women available to meet with you. Our purpose is to care for those in times of hardship, grief, or other life struggles. To find out more about Stephen Ministry, you can find their website here. If you have interest in this outreach, either as a Stephen Minister or as a care receiver, please contact one of our Stephen Ministry Leaders. Wayne Sparks, Dick Petermann, Joan Cram

 

 

GriefShare

A GriefShare support group is a safe, welcoming place where people understand the difficult emotions of grief. Through this 13-week group, you’ll discover what to expect in the days ahead and what’s “normal” in grief. Since there are no neat, orderly stages of grief, you’ll learn helpful ways of coping with grief, in all its unpredictability—and gain solid support each step of the way. We typically offer two GriefShare classes each year, one in the evening and one in the afternoon. To find our next Griefshare class, visit our events page.