Sources of Pastoral Care at St. Mary's

Each Other
- we ourselves (your fellow members of the congregation) are the main "ministers" & sources of pastoral care at St. Mary's. "Caring as a Fellowship" is a core purpose of our Church family, & we are not to be overlooked!

The Clergy Team
- all our clergy can of course be contacted any time to arrange an appointment; they will be delighted to visit you and pray with you. Needs for longer term counselling or spiritual direction are usually referred to others, and they can usually help you in making suitable contacts.

The Pastoral Visiting Team
- a trained team of around 35 of our church members are able to visit regularly (usually one at a time, you'll be relieved to hear!) for support, prayer & conversation together.

Practical Help 
- transport to Church can be arranged, together with help with trips to Hospital, and also a supply of emergency meals in a time of crisis ... please do ask at the Parish Office if you have a practical need, and we will do our best to help whenever we can.

If you are ill
- please let us know if you go into hospital, and we will arrange a visit from one of the clergy or the pastoral visiting team, as well as the hospital chaplain.

If you become housebound
- Home Communion can be brought to you on a monthly basis, an Audio Service means that 9.30 services are available on tape (& shortly on CD and podcast), and the “Talking Parish News” is also available on tape on a monthly basis for those who are visually impaired.

If you are bereaved
- the “Stepping Stones” social group meets on the second Tuesday morning each month, from 10.30 onwards in the Church Centre for coffee, chat & mutual support
 
If you are alone
- we run an informal Thursday Coffee Morning , and monthly Church Sunday Lunch (on 3rd Sundays) as opportunities to meet up with friends, as well as a full & varied annual programme of social events for all the Church family - and our St. Mary's Home Groups are ideal for really getting to know & care for each other.

If you need prayer
prayer ministry is offered with the laying on of hands in a side-chapel during all 9.30 services (with a trained team available to pray for individual needs, for yourself or a loved one); we also arrange regular Healing Services, and Confession (the ministry of reconciliation) can be arranged with the clergy; and there is an active “Prayer Chain” that ensures emergency requests are prayed for by a large number of the congregation.