news article
Albany District congregants learn Christian caring skills
February 9, 2016 / By Pastor Denise Gisotti
On Feb. 1-2, disciples of Jesus Christ from five different congregations in the Albany District gathered at the First United Methodist Church in Delmar to learn Christian caring skills for outreach and visiting the sick and homebound. This model, entitled “Sharing Your Hope,” was designed and administered by the Rev. Rebecca Naber, pastor at the Baker Memorial UMC in East Aurora and Chair of the UNY Conference Older Adult Ministry Team, at the 2015 UNY Annual Conference session.
After months of prayer and discernment, I could envision the importance of this ministry in the Conference, district, and local church. In September, as a champion of the UNY Conference Older Adult Ministry Team for the Albany District, I invited Rev. Naber to travel east to present and educate clergy and laity of the Albany District on “Sharing Your Hope.” In November, the first training session was held at the Calvary United Methodist Church in Latham, with 16 participants from four Albany District churches.
At the Feb. 1-2 training event, 25 participants learned the biblical and Wesleyan theological aspects of a visitation and outreach ministry. Training through interactive role play, the participants experienced a hands-on approach to visitation. “Sharing Your Hope” addressed the formation, structure, and operation of caring ministries within the local congregation. This intensive 16-hour training included an opportunity for participants to share and exchange ideas about the ministries unique to each of their local congregations. It also provided 16 hours of Advanced Lay Servant credits. The next event will be held at the Burnt Hills UMC on March 16 and 17. It will also be offered in in the Niagara Frontier District in April at the Lyndonville UMC.
The following is an example of one of the acts of compassion and healing as a result of this training:
On Communion Sunday, as each local congregation celebrates the Lord's Supper, communion kits are placed on the Lord's Table. These communion kits are filled, blessed, and consecrated during the sacrament of communion. Participants who have completed the “Sharing Your Hope” training will go out in pairs as disciples of Jesus Christ. These disciples will extend this sacrament instituted by Christ, to the local church's sick and homebound members. Through this act of ministry, the homebound and sick members will be in communion with The Church of Jesus Christ and experience God's unending grace and healing presence in their midst.
For more information about “Sharing Your Hope,” contact the Rev. Rebecca Naber at (479) 595-9771 or rev.rnaber@bakerchurch.org.
Pastor Denise Gisotti is the associate pastor of pastoral care at the First UMC in Delmar.