Pastoral Care

There are times in all our lives when we need someone to talk to, someone to pray with, someone to share with, particularly when we are bereaved. St Mary’s has a trained Pastoral Care Team to help us through the times when we need support

Pastoral Care
St Mary’s PCC approved a policy for pastoral care, and the setting up of a pastoral care team on 5 November 2018. Pastoral care is the term that we use for the ministry of compassion, encouragement and transformation within the Christian life. Our Pastoral Care Team offer hope, practical support, share burdens and pray for those in our care. The Team help in various ways:

Care Homes Visits
Holy Communion Services within the care homes and individual care home visits are undertaken by certain members of the Pastoral Team who regularly visit the care homes. These visits include:
• Brookfield 11.30am 1st & 3rd Sunday of month.
• Cheshire Grange – 2.30pm 1st & 3rd Sunday.
• Keate House – 11.00am Monday after 1st Sunday.

Personal Visits
Any member of the congregation may raise their personal concerns with any member of the Pastoral Care Team (including hospital visits). Third person referrals (where someone raises a concern about someone else) may also be raised, but the Pastoral Care Team need to seek permission from the person referred that they are happy to accept a visit from the team. There is a high level of sensitivity and confidentiality in pastoral care, and the individual’s needs, desires and concerns need to be respected. Formal visits may only be undertaken by the trained Pastoral Care Team. There is already informal and valuable support between individual members of the congregation, but situations requiring significant and more detailed support must be undertaken by those trained within the Pastoral Care Team. Regardless of which member of the Pastoral Care Team is approached with a referral, co-ordination of all visits is via the Team Co-ordinator who will arrange for a member of the Pastoral Team to visit.

Funeral Families
The person taking the funeral / burial of ashes contacts the bereaved family afterwards as part of the usual pastoral follow up, but now the bereaved family will be asked if they would like a visit from the Pastoral Care Team. If they would like a visit the Team Co-ordinator will arrange for a member of the Pastoral Care Team to visit.

Confidentiality
The Pastoral Care Team will respect the confidentiality of an individual’s needs. Although the congregation are genuinely concerned for one another, they are requested to respect the confidentiality within the Pastoral Team and that information cannot be shared. Co-ordination of all visits is via the Pastoral Team Co-ordinator who manages referrals and maintains a confidential log of visits. This log will comply with Data Protection (GDPR) legislation. The details of matters discussed at those visits are not recorded. Any concerns regarding Safeguarding (e.g. abuse of children or vulnerable adults) cannot remain confidential and further advice will be sought from St Mary’s Safeguarding Officer and the Rector.

The Pastoral Care Team
Some members of the Pastoral Care Team have already received pastoral training (e.g. Clergy, Lay Readers, Pastoral Worker). However, all members of the Pastoral Care Team received specific training from Chester Diocese Director of Studies for Pastoral Workers

Members of the Pastoral Care Team are:

Derek Buckthorpe 01925 752810
Pauline Buckthorpe 01925 752810
Ian Bundey 01925 755286
Linda Denton 01925 756106
Carole Riley 01925 752710
Chris Scott 01925 755976