Pastoral Care Ministries
Pastoral care is about helping you when you are in need, whether that need is physical, emotional or spiritual. We either give pastoral care ourselves or make referrals so that you can get the help you need. Please don't hesitate to seek help when you need it.
Community of Hope
The Community of Hopebegan in the fall of 1994 as a single center in the Pastoral Care Department at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston, Texas. The Community of Hope has become integral to the pastoral care life of parishes and missions across the United States. The purpose of the 14-week, 42 hour training is to awaken trainees to God's call on their lives and to help them to discover their spiritual gifts for ministry. The Community of Hope trains and has support "Circle of Care" groups for lay chaplains, shaped by Benedictine Spirituality. There are currently four training areas for this pastoral care in the Diocese of Northern California; the latest is St. Mary's. Lay chaplains trained in this model are ministering in hospitals, assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, hospices and to the homebound and sick of St. Mary's parish family.
Our homebound parishioners are remembered in our prayers every Sunday, but in a very real way by the efforts of our Eucharistic Visitors. They carry Communion to them, but more important, they carry our good wishes and remind those who cannot join us here in Church that they are not forgotten. This visitation ministry is at the heart of St. Mary's outreach efforts.
HEALING
St. Mary's is fortunate to have a Healing Ministry with leaders to help us as we ask for healing for ourselves and for others through their gifts of listening, prayer and touch. It's important to understand that we are not alone as we seek God's grace. No concern is too insignificant to be brought. Healing ministers are available to listen to our prayer concerns for ourselves and for others, to lay their hands upon us, to anoint us with oil for healing and to pray with us.
Healing is central to what we do as a parish. We want to be a Christian community where people find healing physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We offer healing prayers for those in need at all Sunday services. Laying on of Hands and Anointing for Healing is available:
· Once a month during the first Sunday of the month at the 8:00 a.m. service.
· Once a month during the second Sunday of the month at the 10:30 a.m. service.
You may also request a Laying on of Hands for Healing at the end of the service by Father Ray or a member of the Healing Ministry.
The Order of St. Luke
Our parish is part of the International Order of St. Luke, which supports healing ministry around the world. The Order of St. Luke the Physician is an inter-denominational Christian fellowship of faith, prayer, and service. Members are lay and clergy who believe healing to be an essential part of the teaching and practice of our Lord Jesus and who believe that the healing ministry of Christ belongs in the church today. There is a Sacramento chapter that includes members of St. Mary's; they meet monthly and also host quiet days and regional conferences.
PRAYER
Prayer is the best thing we can do for ourselves or for one another. It is our direct link to God and is the thing that gives us our nourishment and strength. Prayer can be formal or informal, alone or in groups, silent or verbal. We can pray in the grocery store or the traffic jam as well as in church. We can pray for each other by ourselves or we can ask others to join us. At St. Mary's, we have two ways to pray together.
· The Prayer List: If you have a person or yourself who needs prayer, or to offer a thanksgiving, you can put the name on the prayer list located on the bulletin board in the Noah Room and that person's name will be included in the Prayers of the People during the Sunday Services at 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., & 4:30 p.m. This list is renewed at the beginning of each month.
· The Prayer Chain: St. Mary's has a group of people who pray regularly and intentionally for people in need or sickness and for those who have died. We continue to pray for people on that list until we know that their need has been met.