Care Net

During this time of expansion and growth, our church has been blessed with the challenge of staying connected with all of our members—not only those who have been here for years, but also those who have recently joined our congregation.

So we are inviting the entire congregation to participate in an up-and-coming ministry called CareNet.  This program, along with the other ministries of care, falls under the umbrella of the board of deacons.  It was developed around the three tenets of the deacon’s covenant: “to model a community of caring based on the servant example of Jesus Christ, to broadly communicate care-giving opportunities and service, and to serve our community by offering preventative education and opportunities for spiritual and physical health.”

This new endeavor is, very simply, a community of people caring for people, where church members reach out and become partners with other members to communicate opportunities for care.  It will also serve as a way to disseminate special information regarding church business and raise awareness of congregational concerns. 

As part of the network, phone calls are made to church members at least 4 times a year to check on the well-being of our church families, to determine any individual prayer requests, to share information, and to offer church services.  A CareNet partner will be available to each church member to receive any concerns, which will remain confidential unless permission is obtained to share the concern with the proper ministry or pastoral staff.

We work closely with other care ministries, such as the Stephen Ministry, Health Care Ministry, Career Connections, and the Good Samaritans (which provides a meal ministry, handy-man services, and emergency and temporary financial assistance).

At its inception in March 2003, CareNet involved 25% of the membership of our church, but its outreach has now expanded to 50% of the congregation.  Our goal is to have the entire church membership involved by the end of 2004.

Our telephone calls have been received with enthusiasm as people are responding to our efforts to keep our rapidly growing congregation connected to the church and one another.  As our membership increases, so does our responsibility to minister to each other, to our church community, and beyond.  CareNet is an opportunity to become involved in this exciting concept of congregational care.

If you have any questions or would like to become a CareNet partner, please call Karen Dammann in the church office at (908) 647-0340.

 Lacy Bradshaw coordinator