Parish Visitors bring prayer (and possibly Holy Communion) to those who are unable to participate in parish life. Their primary goal of the Parish Visitor is to have compassion and to be a good listener. Some have called this a befriending ministry. It is an outgrowth of our call as a baptized child of God to love others as God has loved us. Through a partnership of church staff and members it extends pastoral care to those in special circumstances. We seek to let those who are visited know that they are still a vital part of our congregation.
Grace Parish Visitor Report Form
- To call or not to call ahead – You will need to make a decision whether to call the person to schedule your visit. This will largely depend on the persons living situation. In general the more independent a person is the more necessary it will be to call. If they are in a care facility you may just stop by. You might call prior to your first visit and then decide with the person how to schedule future visits.
- Typically your visit will include conversation and prayer. Some people will be talkative and others not so much. To find things to talk about pay attention to pictures and items in their room/home. Ask about family and friends. Let them know about things going on at Grace. Spiritual resources for your visit include the Sunday Bulletin, a printed copy of Pastor’s sermon (contact the Office Administrator for these), “Christ in Our Home” devotional book (copies are in the tract rack in the Church lobby), and resources listed below. Reading the gospel lesson (or selected verses) and the Prayer of the Day (printed in the bulletin) is good to do.
- Be aware of important dates such as Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, etc.
- Complete your visit in an hour or less.
- Complete a report form after your visit to be passed on to the Church Office.
Grace Parish Visitor Report Form