Congregational Care

Parish Visitors

Lynn Pierce (717.823.6386)

Caring & Sharing

A very active group in the church is Caring & Sharing, which provides support and services in a wide variety of ways. Some services this group undertakes are:

• Providing a “cookie drop bag” to first-time local visitors to the church, which includes homemade baked goods, a current newsletter and a welcome letter

• Providing meals for those undergoing surgery or battling illness or injury

• Household jobs for those who need help, such as raking leaves, snow removal or light housecleaning

• Providing transportation to doctor appointments, therapy etc.

• Short term respite care

• Taking a special gift to members of our church family who have a newborn baby

• Taking a gift to children following hospitalization/surgery

• Sending cards to those who are hospitalized or ill, and to our homebound members at the holidays

This group of very caring people are “on call” as needed. If you would like to offer your time to this ministry, please pick up a green Caring & Sharing form at the Welcome Center or the information kiosk to the right of Passages bookstore. Your name will be included in the areas you choose and you will be called if needed. What a wonderful way to make a difference to those who have an urgent short term need!

Also if you have a need or know of someone who could benefit from the services this ministry provides, please call any of the contacts listed above. We would rather hear several times about someone who has a need or is ill than not to hear at all. That’s what “caring & sharing” is all about!

Del Steeley (717.626.032)

Prayer Chain

One of the areas of Congregational Care that everyone can participate in is the prayer chain. Whenever you have a concern about yourself or others, prayer is such a source of healing and strength.

The prayer chain is one area of service that has no meetings, and can be done in the privacy of your home. There are several ways to participate in the prayer chain. If you have a computer, you can be part of the computer prayer chain. As prayers are requested, they are emailed to those who participate. Once received, prayers can be downloaded onto a paper and those on the list prayed for daily. Each prayer is left on the prayer chain for two weeks. And that is it! When you do your daily devotions, just include those concerns or folks who need your prayer.

The second way you can participate in the prayer chain is to be a part of the telephone prayer chain. When prayer is requested, someone will call you to let you know the concerns we are praying for and, once again, when you do your daily devotions, you can remember those on the list in prayer.

The third way to use the prayer chain is just to pass on to us any concerns for yourself or others you might have.

Remember that Jesus told us where two or more are gathered in his name there he will be also. Imagine the power of a whole church praying with and to our Lord!

Ruth Husser (717.626.7527 for phone chain)
Lynn Pierce (lpierce@ptd.net for computer chain)

Biblical Based Budgeting

Many people today worry about money.
They don’t have enough, so their credit card bills are too high. They are living on credit, paying bills late and making minimum payments. They lack a sense of control and peace about their financial future. And yet they can’t resist the temptations of advertisements or “what the Jones’s possess”. They really can’t tell wants from needs.

A group of mature Christians within our church who have experience dealing with financial issues have formed the Biblical Based Budgeting Group. These individuals share their experiences, present workshops and even work one-on-one with people who wish to improve their money management.

Lynn Pierce (717.823.6386 )

Health & Wellness

The Health & Wellness Ministry helps our church community achieve optimum health through education, counseling referrals, personal visits, and spiritual encouragement. We coordinate with other church ministries to help meet these needs.

Evie Bergey (717.627.3570)

Tape Ministry

Do you know someone who is “shut in” due to age or illness but who would like to stay connected to the church through taped or CD copies of our worship services? Or maybe you, for some reason, may be laid up for a period of time and would like to keep connected?

The Congregational Care ministry of Lititz UMC would like to serve you in this capacity. Tape recordings or CD’s are available for you and will be delivered to your home weekly as long as you wish. You will need a tape player or a CD player. If you do not have a tape player, we may be able to loan one to you.

Allan Haughwout (717.625.4241)

We Care Calls

You all know about the yellow or blue attendance sheets that are in the bulletins each week. We know many of you feel as though there is no real reason to take a few minutes to fill them out. We would be so happy if you did, since they are the basis for our “We Care” Calls. If three weeks go by and the yellow sheets have not been filled out, we have a team of people who call to see if you are ill, or if something has happened that has caused you to miss church for those three weeks.

If you are ill, we definitely want to know if we can do anything to support or help you. We can bring meals, provide rides to and from the hospital, do light housekeeping, grocery shop etc. You are our church family and we honestly do want to help you, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

If there is another reason besides illness that you are not attending, if you are discontented about something, we want to know that as well. You know how important unity is within your own family. It is equally important that we have unity within the church family. Sometimes, we don’t know if you are unhappy or upset unless you let us know directly. God wants us to speak to each other about matters of difference so that a strong peace can be achieved.

This takes us full circle to the yellow sheets. If you are in attendance at church, please take a few minutes to fill them out. It helps us help you!

Church office (717.626.2710)

Resource Referral

Lynn Pierce (717.823.6386)

Home “Fix-It” Ministry

The Home “Fix-It” Ministry provides a home “fix–it” service for senior citizens, single moms, etc. The service includes such tasks as: repair leaky faucets; replace hard to reach light bulbs and broken switches & receptacles; adjust doors and broken latches, etc.; replace window glass; touch-up painting; and lots of other home fix-it tasks!

Bob Shaubach (717.368.8590)

Noah's Nannies

There are times when we have to go somewhere on the spur of the moment – an emergency with a family member in another town, an unexpected trip to the hospital, or down in bed – and we haven’t had time to arrange pet care. If an emergency occurs, it would be comforting to know that “Noah’s Nannies” are here to help you!

Noah’s Nannies is a ministry of Lititz UMC that provides short term, emergency basis pet care until something more permanent can be arranged. All “Nannies” have a love for animals and will take care of them as they would their own.

To apply for this service, we ask that you fill out a “pet service agreement” for us to keep on file. The agreement will give us basic information about your pet(s), the location of their food, their likes/dislikes and lots of other information so we can effectively care for them in your absence. The forms can be found at the Information Center by the Welcome Center. If you are not able to pick one up, please call the church office and we can mail one to you. Once the form is completed and returned to the office, we’ll keep it on file. At no time will this information be available to anyone other than the person who will come to your home in the event of an emergency.

With questions on this ministry, please email Lynn Pierce or call the church office.

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