| Shepherding/Visiting and Pastoral Care |
At Hope we consider ALL our members AND our visitors FAMILY. If you are here, you are part of our family, as you are all children of God. Hope provides many opportunities for fellowship and for support of each other. Among these are the following:
Funeral Reception Teams
The mission of the six teams is to provide food and beverages for a funeral/memorial luncheon or dinner at the church or in a person's home. Members of a team are asked to provide specific food items, help in setting up and clean up. The time involved is from two to three hours per service. The teams rotate.
Health Care Ministry
The Mission of the Health Care Ministry is to address the health needs of our congregation and community through services that promote, restore, and maintain well-being.
Our Goal is to focus on the whole person and to motivate the congregation and community towards living a healthy life through education, screenings, referrals, and prayer.
Such practice assists people to find peace, comfort, harmony, balance, and well-being. The Health Care Ministry Team is looking forward to working with the congregation and community in promoting a "wholistic" ministry for a healthier community.
The Faith Community Nurse and the Health Care Ministry Team are able to provide:
Screenings:
Hold blood pressure and hearing screenings throughout the year.
Education:
Provide educational programs on health and wellness. Click HERE for more information.
Referrals to Resources:
Offer referral information for community services.
Respite Care:
Opportunity for the caregiver to leave the home to take care of shopping, appointments, or personal business. (more info. . . .)
Home/Hospital Visits:
To evaluate health needs.
Coordinated Services:
Flu clinics, Prayer for Health and Healing, and Health Fairs.
Empowerment of Lifestyle Choices:
Exercise programs; support groups.
Mission Outreach:
Resurrection House Clinic; SeniorFest.
For more information, see the weekly newsletter, the Education page, and the Health Care News page.
Neighborhood Care Teams
Hope Lutheran Church Neighborhood Care Teams were created to include every member of the congregation. The goal of NCTs is to provide a structure that will nurture relationships, meet members' needs, and help us to be a more caring congregation. Each NCT has a liaison that coordinates the needs of its members.
We have divided our congregation into neighborhood care teams (NCT) based on physical location. At present there are 34 teams. Most of these cover areas in The Villages, but NCT #28 covers Spruce Creek in addition to Orange Blossom Hills, NCT #29 covers Stonecrest, #30 covers Del Webb Spruce Creek, #31 covers Lady Lake, and #32 covers Leesburg, Mt. Dora, Fruitland Park & Eustis. There is a map in the Narthex that shows the boundaries for all of the care teams. The display also lists the names and phone numbers of the neighborhood Care Team Liaison for each NCT.
The NCT provides care to members such as (but not limited to): visiting shut-ins; phoning a member to see how they are doing; run errands; make a meal for someone who is ill; provide transportation to church; sit with someone at the hospital; provide an hour or two of get-away time for a caregiver; fix a leaky faucet; provide referrals to sources of help where we are unable to assist. This information is obtained from completed Caring Outreach Sheets. Each NCT has a Neighborhood Liaison who will match requests for care with caregivers.
Each NCT holds periodic social activities to help groups get acquainted and to build relationships.
Please explore the NCT display in the Narthex and attend the events held by your Neighborhood Care Team Liaison. If you have not done so, please fill out a Caring Outreach Sheet and leave it in the church office. Support you Neighborhood Care Team. Attend the social activities and help your neighbors. Get involved.
Prayer Support Team
The team prays for members, friends and family as requested including those on the weekly newsletter prayer lists. When requests are received all members of the PST are informed and prayer begins immediately. The team meets at HLC once a month.
A Prayer List is maintained for Members of Hope and for Friends and Loved Ones of Members and published in the weekly newsletter. The Hope Prayer Support Team meets on the second Monday of each month at 10:00 AM. Anyone interested in prayer ministry is invited to become involved with the Hope Prayer Support Team.
Please call the church office (352-750-2321) to add/remove a loved one from the prayer support list.
Please note: Friends and Loved Ones of members will be listed on the Prayer Chain for four (4) weeks. If a crisis occurs, please call the church office and we will place your loved one or friend, on the prayer chain for four (4) more weeks.
Respite Care Team
"People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed;
never throw out anyone." -- Sam Levenson (often attributed to Audrey Hepburn)
What is Respite Care?
An interval of rest or relief. The spirit of respite care is relief for a few hours from the responsibility of constant care which families of people with illnesses and/or disabilities often carry. The caregiver providing for their spouse/significant other is often denied social contacts outside the home as well. Asking for help is often very difficult for the caregiver. Respite Care offers caregivers support and encouragement.
Respite might be: a few hours to go shopping, see a movie, make appointments, take a nap, do volunteer activities outside the home, schedule medical care that a caregiver has been delaying, or having rare time alone.
Caregiver's Self-Assessment:
Are you at risk for caregiver burnout?
Are you providing care for someone who requires intensive care or round-the-clock supervision?
Do you find yourself trying to do it all and be responsible for all aspects of caregiving?
Do you experience sleep disturbances, including inability to fall asleep or stay asleep?
Do you frequently experience aches and pains, chronic health problems and low energy or exhaustion?
Are you spending less time with your family and friends because of the constant care you are providing for someone?
Do you experience emotional outbreaks, including anxiety, depression, anger, guilt or loneliness?
Is caregiving interfering with scheduling for your own medical appointments, taking a break or even shopping?
Do you feel as though you could provide better care if only you could take a break for a while?
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may have caregiver stress. Don't wait until you are already burned out! Call the Health Care Ministry Respite Team so you can take better care of yourself and your spouse/significant other.
Who are Respite Volunteers?
A respite program is made up of trained volunteers who are willing to say to caregivers and family members: "The church is here to help." The dignity of each person is our focus.
The Process for Obtaining Respite Care:
- 72 hours prior to the need of care, notify the church office, which will contact the Health Care Ministry Team Leader.
- A member of the Health Care Ministry team will make an appointment to meet with the caregiver spouse/significant other and do an evaluation.
- Also, this is a good time for the caregiver to meet the Respite Care volunteer.
- Volunteers cannot do any transportation, heavy lifting, housekeeping, giving medications, cooking, physically feed, or babysit children.
Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry is a system through which members of Hope Lutheran are trained and organized to help provide
Christian caregiving to members of our congregation and community. This will multiply the amount of caring
ministry Hope Lutheran can provide by giving us a whole team of skilled caregivers who are equipped to bring
Christ's healing love to people who are grieving, in crisis, or experiencing other stresses in life.
Why Lay Ministry?
Stephen Ministry is based on the idea that all Christians are ministers. The responsibility for passing on God's love
is for all Christians, not just for a chosen few. God has given us all gifts for ministry and called us to put those gifts
to use. Stephen Ministry is a way people with special gifts for caring ministry can use those gifts to bring Christ's
love to people in need.
Why Stephen Ministry?
We have many needs for care in our congregation and community: people experiencing divorce, grief, a terminal
illness, loss of a job, relocation, an empty nest, retirement, hospitalization, loneliness and many other stresses or
challenges. Often people with needs suffer silently or do not request or receive the level of care they really need.
Stephen Ministries expands the care Hope Lutheran can offer by equipping and organizing members to provide
Christian care. This gives us a larger pool than just the pastors with the gifts, skills. and calling to bring Christ's love
and care to those who need it most.
Who Benefits from Stephen Ministry?
Everybody benefits from Stephen Ministry. Those receiving care from Stephen Ministers benefit because they
receive prayer and support throughout the crisis they face. Stephen Ministers benefit through the spiritual growth
they experience from being involved in meaningful ministry. Our pastors benefit because caring ministry at Hope
Lutheran is expanded, and fewer people will slip through the cracks. Most of all you benefit from the knowledge that
special care is available to you should you need it. In addition, you now have a place where you can refer a friend,
neighbor, relative, or anyone else you now who is going through a difficult time so that they can receive special care
when thy need it most. Stephen Ministry makes Hope Lutheran a much more caring place!
How Does Stephen Ministry Work?
When someone request a Stephen Minister, Sue Wiegand, our Stephen Ministry Referrals Coordinator, will meet
with that person, explain what Stephen Ministry is, and help determine whether Stephen Ministry is the kind of care
that person needs. Our referrals coordinator the matches that person with one of our available Stephen
Ministers. The Stephen Minister will then call that person and begin meeting with him or her for about an hour each
week as long as the need is there. Everything a care receiver says to his or her Stephen Minister is kept
confidential. The Stephen Minister doesn't try to solve problems; rather he or she listens, cares, prays, and helps
the care receiver find his or her path to healing and wholeness.
Prayer for Strength and Comfort
My Lord, if I may be walking through fields that are rough with grief and care, may I have the courage to
continue on to the smooth pastures, where I may walk with comfort and peace. May I not let the weariness
and sorrow that may come to my heart to-day dwarf my hope and enjoyment of the future. Amen.
Stephen Ministries Team Leader: Sue Wiegand.
Hope Lutheran Church's first five Stephen Ministers were commissioned on March 5, 2011.
Sue Wiegand, Don Coscia, Bonnie Cook (Weaver), Muriel Anderson, Joan Daniels