Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care in Uncertain Times
The work of Pastoral Care Ministry at Saint Mark’s tends to be quiet and unassuming. That is because what we do involves caring for members of our community in times of difficulty or loss. We receive you and others by adhering to Saint Benedict’s instruction to “listen with the ear of the heart.” In listening we offer solace, spiritual affirmation, care, and hope. When you share your concerns at the Prayer Station, in a small group, at the time of a Eucharistic Visit, or in a spontaneous conversation, we hold you and your needs in our hearts and offer support as you navigate the hard things with which you are dealing.
At this incredibly challenging time in our lives and the life of our larger community, we are all struggling with our questions and distress. We are challenged spiritually, emotionally, socially, and communally. We seek safe places where we can express our concerns and be heard. Each of us longs to find a way to support ourselves and others engaged in varied forms of activism.
Members of the Pastoral Care team at Saint Mark’s are available to you. We offer prayers at the Prayer Station; we bring communion to people who are unable to come to church for the Eucharist; we visit people at home or in care facilities; we send cards to people who may be having health or personal difficulties. We have impromptu conversations in hallways, in gathering rooms, and before and after services in the sanctuary.
This might be a perfect time for you to consider a pastoral care ministry. The care we give each other in his time of painful disruption is essential. The Pastoral Care team provides training and mentoring for all our ministries. There really are no prerequisites, just a curious and willing heart. Current needs include Eucharistic Visiting; the Prayer Station; the Card Ministry; reaching out to selected parishioners with phone calls; and joining in pastoral care support activities.
We invite you to contact us through Dr. Helen Hansen, Joan Olson, or James Davies to request a conversation or suggest a time we might meet with a small group. You can also contact us about serving in a pastoral ministry.
Please feel free to reach out. One of the blessings of our community is that we have bonds that are driven by our faith and love for each other. We can be agents of healing for each other and consequently for the broader community. We look forward to hearing from you.
Pastoral Ministries at Saint Mark’s
Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.
And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’
Mark 2:3-5
Praying and caring for one another and for strangers is at the heart of our community's spiritual life. At St. Marks, the ministry of pastoral care belongs to all of us as a healthy and mutually pastoring congregation. We provide spiritual support and encouragement. We prayerfully assist each other as we make meaning of life crises, transitions, and losses. And together we lift up life’s delights and celebrations.
The foundation for pastoral ministry at Saint Mark’s is Benedictine spirituality. “Pastoral care is a ministry of being “present” in a listening, compassionate, non-controlling manner to an individual or group for the purpose of consciously or unconsciously representing God to them and seeking to respond to their spiritual needs.” The teachings of Saint Benedit and the Rule of Saint Benedict guide us to “safeguard love” among the members of our beloved community.
Pastoral Care Ministries
Encouragement for Caregivers
The Saint Mark's Encouragement for Caregivers group provides the opportunity for those who are caring for a loved one to connect with others who are on a similar journey. It is a chance to share your story with others who understand and learn of resources that may be helpful to you as a caregiver. We also share the spiritual resources that are part of our Christian faith: prayer, the Scriptures, community. We learn to see the caregiving role as a vital part of our call to follow Jesus.
The group meets virtually two Mondays a month from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Contact John Satterberg for more information.
Calling Ministry
Pastoral Care Ministers call and listen with the “ears of the of the heart.” A resolute team makes calls to members of our community who may not routinely connect with the Cathedral through email and/or the web site. Callers reach out to offer pastoral support.
If you would like a call, know someone who would like a call, or would like to become a caller contact the Pastoral Care Coordinator.
Card Ministry
A devoted group of Saint Markans regularly sends individual hand-written notes and cards to Cathedral members who may be ill, suffering loss, isolated, or celebrating a special occasion. If you would like to join the card writer ministry or know of someone who might like to receive a card, please contact the Card Coordinator.
Knitting Group
A dedicated group of knitters at Saint Mark’s for many years - this ministry has provided over 500 prayer shawls for parishioners. The group gathers twice a month for fellowship, prayer, and, of course, knitting. New knitters are welcome, regardless of skill level. We meet on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 10:30 to 12:00 in the library. Please visit the website page for further details.
Eucharistic Visiting
Eucharistic Visitors are trained and licensed to prayerfully plan and make visits and to offer Communion under Special Circumstances, such as illness or infirmity, to individuals and their families. They take the consecrated elements in a timely manner following a Celebration of Holy Eucharist. They visit homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, hospices, and long-term care facilities. They are members of the Eucharistic Visitors team and part of the overall Pastoral Ministry of the Cathedral. If you know of someone who would benefit from a Eucharist visit or would like a visit yourself, please contact the Eucharistic Visitor Coordinator, Deacon, or Pastoral Care Coordinator.
Prayer Station and Laying on of Hands
The Pastoral Care Team offers healing prayers, laying on of hands, and anointing with oil by which God’s grace is shared for the healing of spirit, mind, and body at the Enmegahbowh Healing and Reconciliation and the Saint Mary Prayer Station. This service of healing occurs during and after Sunday Eucharist and on other special days. This sacred space was named after Enmegahbowh, the first Native American Episcopal priest, who was a powerful voice for reconciliation between Native Americans and white people from the 1860s until his death in 1902. If you have questions or are interested in this ministry please contact the Pastoral Care Coordinator.
Grief Support
Members of the clergy and the Pastoral Care Team recognize that times of grief and loss are difficult in so many ways. We offer prayers, listening, and support.
If you wish to speak with a pastoral care minister about grief and loss, please contact the Pastoral Care Coordinator
The Downtown Minneapolis Coalition for Grief Support is helpful source of encouragement and education in times of loss-death of a child, family member, friend, spouse or partner. The group meets weekly on Saturday mornings, alternating among downtown churches.
Discernment, Formation, and Foundation for Ministry
Community of Hope is a 10-week curriculum of spiritual formation that prepares individuals and teams (“Circles”) to discern their spiritual gifts and consider their unique pastoral vocations. It is embedded in Benedictine spirituality, which teaches us how to live more authentically both in our personal lives and within our faith communities. In addition, Community of Hope reflects the Anglican tradition’s roots in the Rule of St. Benedict. The training assists in determining how God is calling us to serve each other and the world. COHI is a superb fit with Saint Mark’s rich tradition of pastoral mission and caring outreach.
For questions about pastoral care at Saint Mark's, contact Dr. Helen Hansen or The Rev. Terry Erickson.
