Pastoral Care
What to Expect From Your Minister“Love one another as I have loved you.”
Pastoral Care is the lifeblood of a congregation. It keeps us strong, vital, and able to offer a place where rest and refuge are celebrated as part of God’s plan. Pastoral care is a piece of what Jesus called us to do when he said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”
There will come a time in each of our lives that we will be in need of pastoral care. There will also come a time when each of us
Staff
Kyle Matthews
(864) 233-2527 x. 138
kyle.matthews@firstbaptistgreenville.com
Toyin Audifferen
(864) 233-2527 x. 103
toyin@firstbaptistgreenville.com
Staff-led Pastoral Care
While all of our ministers provide pastoral care, Kyle Matthews is the minister on staff responsible for coordinating the pastoral care ministries of the church. When not spending time with people or organizing enrichment events, he gives direction to eight teams of church members who provide personal compassionate support. All the ministers on staff are present for our weekly Care & Concern meeting where we coordinate hospital visits, send out cards to those who are healing, struggling, or celebrating something special in their lives, and pray for those concerns of which we are aware. We also give consideration to the need every member has to find a place to be a care-giver and not a care-receiver only, so they can know the fulfillment that can only come from a ministry of mutuality. Angie Knight is the pastoral care assistant and keeps close contact with many of our congregants, as well as keeping pastoral care as organized as possible.
On-Call Minister
Every week there is a different minister that is “on-call” especially for serious needs that arise outside of normal church hours. You can leave a message for the minister-on-call at (864) 233-2527 x.199 and they will return your call as soon as they can, or find the on-call schedule and the proper minister’s phone number listed on the last page of The Branch.
Member to Member Care
Find Your Place of Ministry
We have a number of lay-led ministries at our church where members share the love of Christ their fellow congregants in tangible ways. These include a Visitation Team, a Caregiver Support Team, a Card-writing Team, providing transportation to worship and to medical appointments, delivering meals, knitting keep-sake shawls and lap blankets, making and delivering flower arrangements, and serving as specially-trained Stephen Ministers. Contact us soon about finding the best fit for your gifts!
Stephen Ministry
Our Stephen Ministry program includes a number of church members who have been extensively trained to provide love and support to congregants who are going through some difficulty in their life including, but not limited to, divorce, terminal illness, grief, job loss or infertility. The Stephen Ministry program operates independently of the church staff and maintains strict confidentiality for those it offers ministry to.
How Can We Partner Together?
Now that you know all the ways that we as a church provide pastoral care to our members through staff-led and lay-led ministries, how can we partner with you in the work that you do everyday to support one another in your faith journeys?
Sunday School classes and small groups are one of the main ways that congregants get plugged deeply into the church and in many ways the discussions in these venues are very powerful and personal. Often you hear stories that us ministers don’t! Please be willing to share with us the pastoral needs that arise in your small groups and classes. Drop a prayer card in the offering plate if you are worried about or celebrating something in your own life or the life of a friend.
We love being included on weekly emails of classes if pastoral needs are highlighted, or a simple phone call to the church or email to Kyle or Toyin can be a great help.