Notes from Pastor Tony
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” ( Mark 12:28-31)
As you know we have just re-started our Lay Minister Visitation Ministry. When we begin to visit people, especially those who haven’t been in church or have been shut in for a while, we often get the message that the ministry has been missed. People really do want to hear from the church and know what has been happening with the life of the church congregation. They like to know they too are missed and MATTER!
It's not any new idea to suggest to you that you don’t have to be a part of an organized team or task force to visit people from the church or within your life. We are all called to minister to other! We are all called to love the neighbor!
Chief among the reasons why you should have a visit with people in your congregation is that people matter to both God and to you. Visiting them lets them know you care. Anyone needing encouragement, comfort, or a sense of belonging would profit from a visit.
The biblical reality, when you look at scripture, is that visitation is a corporate effort not just the pastor's or committee's job. If we are truly going to express care for one another, then we must sometimes go where the people are. We must lay aside our busy schedules and excuses and make people a priority.
How nice it is if the pastor from the church visits in our time of need. How encouraging if another member also visits during this time of crisis. But to have numerous people visit over the course of time, now there's a caring church!
Visitation will come easier for some people than others. While we all should be visiting one another on occasion, especially in time of need, people with a more outgoing personality or with the gifts of hospitality, exhortation, and/or mercy will be more prone to make visitation a part of their regular ministry. Visiting is a viable ministry for people with this kind of gifting and/or personality, especially if their heart reaches out to people who are hurting, lonely, or in need.
While that could include everyone, there are certain individuals who especially need to be reminded that they aren't forgotten. These are people who can feel rather lonely at times.
- elderly people still living independently especially if they are shut-ins
- elderly or disabled people living in nursing homes
- people who are sick for a prolonged period of time
- people who are hospitalized
- bereaved people
- prisoners
- people in shelters
- people in crisis
GENERAL VISITATION GUIDELINES-
Sympathy and compassion are the keys to effective visitation. If God puts it on your heart to visit a brother or sister in need – GO! Expect God to work through you to bring them comfort and encouragement.
- Pray before you go. Ask the Lord to use you in a significant way.
- Be sensitive to the specific needs of the individual. Let their needs and wishes guide your visit, not your agenda.
- Try to go with another person, if at all possible.
- Never visit someone of the opposite sex without taking a friend with you.
- Keep visits short AND frequent. Fifteen to thirty minutes is a good rule of thumb. Don’t make promises of future visits if you can’t follow through; it will disappoint them.
Peace,
Pastor Tony