Fairfield Presbyterian Church, Mechanicsville Virginia

MEMBER CARE COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES

At Fairfield, we want people talking to each other, helping each other, and growing together.  We want our members and visitors to experience fellowship and care as a fellowship of believers. 

Member Care works to help us all care for one another.  We work together to bring the love of Christ to those who are experiencing need for prayer.  We connect with the family of faith when someone is in hospital or has a new baby, or when there is a death.  And we have ministries to those who are no longer able to worship with us, delivering to them tapes of worship or flowers, as well as visits to show we care. 

MISSION:

• To be alert to the concerns of our congregation.

• To endeavor to promote compassion, support, encouragement, and a general feeling of mutual love and care among all church members.

The Church has 24 Call Teams.

Through our 24 callers, you are informed about church members who have special problems that call for your interest, prayers and support. Some of these calls report deaths, hospitalizations and illnesses while others share joys such as births, adoptions, etc. Calls are made only with the assent of the family involved following review by one of our pastors. If a church member experiences sorrow or joy, we have the opportunity to share in that event through our interactions and prayers.

The Church has 38 Shepherd Groups.

Every active church member belongs to one of these shepherd groups whose leaders are urged to be in close touch with their flock through personal contacts, prayer and providing support in times of need. These shepherd leaders are the first to be contacted when it is learned that one of their assigned group may need prayer, support and encouragement. All members of that group should feel a responsibility for one another. A list of all shepherd groups is available in the church narthex.

Morning worship flowers not only beautify our sanctuary during worship, but are usually  delivered following worship to someone in the church who was not able to attend worship on that morning or who has been shut in for an extended period.

Food and flowers are also needed in some situations where there has been death in our church family. Our committee has members responsible for this activity.

Correspondence to members of the church congregation who have experienced joy, celebration or sorrow in their lives is also a function of the member care committee.

A Tape Ministry team  tapes morning worship services and delivers the tapes into the homes of those unable to attend morning worship if requested.

Transportation assistance is available from volunteers to take church members to hospitals, doctor=s offices, etc. when such a need exists and service is requested.

Annual Christmas caroling with Fairfield families shares the Christmas spirit by visiting and caroling to our shut-ins.

In addition to the above services, there is a core group of volunteers who seek to reach out to members in times of death and other stressful situations. If you would like to know more about member care activities or wish to participate in some aspect of this outreach, please don=t hesitate to speak with our Associate Pastor Dixie Brachlow.  If there are other areas of service which the committee should consider you can let us know about those as well.