During the Covid-19 pandemic we have been continuing our pastoral care at St Saviour’s. In fact, our church pastoral care team has grown and has been caring in new and different ways.
Our prayer chain has been very active, not only praying for needs from our church family, but also for community needs, and specifically for our local hospital, the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, through links with the chaplaincy team and our local care homes.
We have been keeping connected through a new team, our ‘phone contacts group’, who have been contacting by telephone and writing letters to our 60 or so ‘shielding’ individuals and over-70s.
A group of fit and able people has been collecting shopping and medicines for members of the church family and delivering food parcels to those in particular need.
Those who have not been able to access the online services each week have been receiving CDs or DVDs to enable them to keep worshipping with us.
The pastoral care team has been meeting each month through Zoom. Pastoral needs have been reported to the team and we have found ways to give practical help.
Just recently the church has been opened by special arrangement with me to enable individuals and family groups to spend time in quiet reflection. If any one needs to access the church in this way, please let me know.
God bless
Andy McPherson, vicar, on behalf of the pastoral care team