Count our Blessings (from computers to crochet)
I want to use today’s column to highlight a few of the many recent contributions from volunteers in Care Ministries. Our elementary Sunday School classes did two mission projects for Care Ministries this year. In February, they made little valentine hearts that we gave to homebound people and hospital patients. In April they made May baskets. These were little cones of construction paper filled with candies and silk flowers. We had 30 baskets for delivery at the beginning of May, and Wendy Nelson and her 7th grade class helped us to deliver them to homebound members and friends of our church. These little gifts brought tears of joy to many eyes as people realized that the loving connection with our church is not broken when you enter a hospital or nursing home. Just this week, I was in several nursing home rooms where the valentines and May baskets are still being used as decorations.
Michele Broman has recently joined us as a volunteer, sending greeting cards on behalf of the church to persons who have been ill, lost a loved one, or had other struggles. Michele sends cards every week, and it is wonderful to have her help. Don Donato set up a new blog site for Care Ministries. It’s called Care Talk, and you can access it by going to the church’s website www.umc.org. Now we can post news updates, information about health topics, and you can blog your questions and comments. Jan Hier recently updated her training in Hospice care, completing a two day course (7:30 AM-5:00 PM both days). She will be using some of her training as she serves as a team captain for the Grief Team. Her co-captain is Judy Foley, also a Rice Hospice volunteer. We thank Jan for her efforts, and we welcome Judy. One of our volunteers had surgery this Spring, and she was forced to give up doing care visits during her recovery. We are thankful that Lori Wright volunteered to visit in her place. Thank you, Lori, and I’m glad you’ve gotten to know a new friend during your visits!
Several skeins of soft, thick yarn were recently donated to our church. How could we use them? Lois Propp has volunteered to design and crochet lap blankets to give to those who are ill or suffering. We also have several knitters who make smaller prayer shawls that are worn on your shoulders. Prayer shawls are a very popular gift, and people often use them every day. One lady was asked by her nurse “who loved you enough to give you that pretty prayer shawl?” She answered “the people from the Willmar church gave me this, and I’m from Olivia!”
I am continuously encouraged by the willingness of so many people in our church to step forward and use their broad range of gifts to keep the Care Ministries program chugging along. “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19. Remember that even during times when we see problems in the church, we are constantly receiving blessings from our Lord. Let’s focus more on the blessings and less on the problems. The blessings come in the form of people who use their gifts in ministry. I’ve mentioned a few of our people/blessings here, and I invite you to think of others as well (you won’t have any trouble coming up with a long list). God’s hope for us is that we will always be a blessing. After all, our gifts come from Him: “Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already (CS Lewis).”
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2Cor 9:12)”
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
What can I do at a time like this?
What can I do at a time like this?
CS Lewis wrote the book A Grief Observed as a way of expressing and coping with the grief of losing his wife to cancer. Here is a passage, written shortly after his wife’s death: “Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be-or so it feels-welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting on the inside. After that, silence.”…“Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not ‘So there’s no God after all,’ but ‘So this is what God’s really like. Deceive yourself no longer.’”
C.S. Lewis was one of the most influential Christian writers of the 20th century, but his grief clearly put his faith in danger. And his reaction is common. Along with the shock, confusion, and sadness of grief, we often experience a feeling of being alone, and a tendency to doubt our most important beliefs. When a friend or family member is grieving, how are God’s people called upon to help?
We can be there and we can listen. These are the two most important parts of helping those who suffer grief, but they aren’t easy. I know my tendency is to say to myself “she won’t want lots of people around right now, just give her some time.” Unfortunately, what happens so frequently is that everyone disappears, and then the grieving person is left to go it alone. “You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend. (Psalm 88:18)”
Instead, we should offer our support. Call and invite the grieving person out to coffee. Stop by and bring some cookies or a meal. Just arrange a time to get together and visit. When we do visit, remember to listen. It’s also the hardest task. My own tendency is to talk too much and to try to offer ways to “fix-it” (and it’s not possible). The better path is simply to acknowledge the pain, share the tears, and offer our patient, nonjudgmental love.
How do we help during those times when grief damages someone’s faith in God? Our tool is the Bible, which features a loving God who knows about our suffering and cares for real people. The Bible does not pretend that all of our problems can be resolved, or that our story always has a happy ending. Our physical presence, our prayers, and our scriptures provide comfort during times of pain:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).” Our shepherd is always present, we are not alone. He guides us through the difficult, dangerous times, and He never abandons us.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows (2Cor 1:3-5).” This verse reflects God’s presence and comfort in times of trouble, and it lets us know that we, in turn, are to offer our presence and comfort to others in their pain.
Our newest Care Ministry team is our Grief Team. We offer support for persons in grief and for those caring for a person in grief. Would you like to know more about the Grief Team? Call Judy Foley, Jan Hier, or Susan Cafferty.
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1John 4:12).”
CS Lewis wrote the book A Grief Observed as a way of expressing and coping with the grief of losing his wife to cancer. Here is a passage, written shortly after his wife’s death: “Meanwhile, where is God? This is one of the most disquieting symptoms. When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be-or so it feels-welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting on the inside. After that, silence.”…“Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God. The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not ‘So there’s no God after all,’ but ‘So this is what God’s really like. Deceive yourself no longer.’”
C.S. Lewis was one of the most influential Christian writers of the 20th century, but his grief clearly put his faith in danger. And his reaction is common. Along with the shock, confusion, and sadness of grief, we often experience a feeling of being alone, and a tendency to doubt our most important beliefs. When a friend or family member is grieving, how are God’s people called upon to help?
We can be there and we can listen. These are the two most important parts of helping those who suffer grief, but they aren’t easy. I know my tendency is to say to myself “she won’t want lots of people around right now, just give her some time.” Unfortunately, what happens so frequently is that everyone disappears, and then the grieving person is left to go it alone. “You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend. (Psalm 88:18)”
Instead, we should offer our support. Call and invite the grieving person out to coffee. Stop by and bring some cookies or a meal. Just arrange a time to get together and visit. When we do visit, remember to listen. It’s also the hardest task. My own tendency is to talk too much and to try to offer ways to “fix-it” (and it’s not possible). The better path is simply to acknowledge the pain, share the tears, and offer our patient, nonjudgmental love.
How do we help during those times when grief damages someone’s faith in God? Our tool is the Bible, which features a loving God who knows about our suffering and cares for real people. The Bible does not pretend that all of our problems can be resolved, or that our story always has a happy ending. Our physical presence, our prayers, and our scriptures provide comfort during times of pain:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).” Our shepherd is always present, we are not alone. He guides us through the difficult, dangerous times, and He never abandons us.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows (2Cor 1:3-5).” This verse reflects God’s presence and comfort in times of trouble, and it lets us know that we, in turn, are to offer our presence and comfort to others in their pain.
Our newest Care Ministry team is our Grief Team. We offer support for persons in grief and for those caring for a person in grief. Would you like to know more about the Grief Team? Call Judy Foley, Jan Hier, or Susan Cafferty.
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1John 4:12).”
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