Pastoral Care

I just got off the phone with a church member expressing appreciation for visiting a family member in the hospital. I always like being thanked, but she expressed a sentiment that seems to be common - a surprise that we ministers/elders would take the time to provide such pastoral care. So I will use this platform to make clear to all a fundamental principle that guides the ministry of the ministers and elders: pastoring our people is what we do. Yes, at times we may be busy and it may be difficult to rearrange schedules to visit you or meet with you. But you are our flock and we will do what we can to be there for you. I will be leaving the church early today to make a hospital visit. I may get there before the elder who will visit when he gets off work. Such visits can be "inconvenient" taking us away from other work or from family. But inconvenience does not matter; pastoring our people when they need us matters. I use to think that when someone "apologized" for taking up my time to visit them, that I should protest that there was no inconvenience, that I was free anyhow, that it was easy to do. But what I really want you to understand is that to pastor you is the ministry that I and the other ministers and elders gladly do for the glory of God and for the love of you whom God has given us.