NEW MINISTRY BEGINS:

Eucharistic Visitors Ministry

We are beginning a new ministry at St. David’s: Eucharistic Visitors! A pilot program is being developed to train parishioners licensed in the Diocese to administer the reserved Sacrament of Holy Communion to the sick and home-bound on a regular basis.

The Eucharistic Visitors Ministry will not, of course, replace clergy visits. Rather, this work intends to ensure that all interested parishioners, who are home-bound, in hospitals or nursing homes receive Holy Communion on a timely basis. The Church teaches that those unable to be present for extended periods at the public celebration of the Eucharist may be communicated from the reserved Sacrament. Therefore, once the ministry is underway, you will notice that the Eucharistic Visitors will receive the consecrated elements at the close of the 11:15 Eucharistic celebration, then make any visits that have been scheduled.

Under the direction of Rev. Anne Elizabeth, co-chairs Beth King and Tony Cobourn are developing a Eucharistic Visitor training ministry. Beth and Tony will begin this pilot after Easter and then, later in the spring, the clergy will select additional parishioners for training and licensing.

If you would like to have a Eucharistic Visitor bring you Holy Communion, please notify the Church Office at 770-993-6084, or contact Rev. Anne directly at aes@stdavidchurch.org.

Pastoral Care at St. David's

Each and all of us at one time or another is in need. The need may be a simple as someone to talk to or the need may be as difficult as dealing with ending relationships, life threatening illness or the death of a loved one. The Savior whom we serve, the Lord Jesus modeled for the Church what it is to care for people. We have adopted that model. There is a priest on call 24 hours a day every day. We will come to you when called and do so with a glad heart.

We believe that most pastoral care takes place just because we are in relationship with God’s people. It is in knowing you and about you that we are able to care for you. Certainly we are available in times of crisis – but we are just as available for a cup of coffee. Out of these times grows our ability to know and care for you.

Parishioners at St. David’s will discover that we are here for you no matter how young. A child of 7 has the same access to a priest as does a member of the Vestry.

The clerics meet weekly to discuss the concerns of the parish. So, at any one time all the clergy know about all the concerns of the parish. The priest working most closely with you knows details and the other clerics know enough to allow for meaningful prayer and a sensitivity to you.

There is no problem too small or big for us to be concerned about and involved with and there is nothing more important to us than our pastoral care duties. We visit people in the hospital, usually before a procedure to pray and regularly while hospitalized. We are glad to come to a home and pray with people at any time. We try and be in parishioner’s homes two evenings a week. We work with children and young people and families in crisis. Often we can be a starting place as we work to help find clinical or other appropriate care outside the church. We only refer to people we have come to know and trust.