Some people have an image of the minister as one who goes around making genial visits over tea served in china cups. That does still happen but it is rare these days. Many seniors are too visiting volunteering to have someone come by and sit in their non-existent parlour and families are just too busy to have someone ‘come for a visit’! In fact, I do a great deal of pastoral care these days by email. Just this morning I have written several emails offering support during new grief, checking in with a family who are anticipating a move to a new community, supporting a young woman in our congregation who is planning an event for a cause dear to her heart and responding to a concern raised by a member of the congregation. It is such a different image of ministry than the one I started out with many years ago but it is still meaningful and provides a rich pastoral connection. The technological response is not the same as a personal presence but it serves a very important role in our modern world.
Jesus was a person who connected with people in various ways and through methods that suited the situation – when they were hungry he fed them, when they were ill he healed them, when they were grieving he wept with them. That is a model of ministry I have tried to follow while keeping up with the work associated with administering the workings of a congregation.
I like to balance actual one-on one conversations with computer connection but I think they each play an important role in how ministry happens. That includes writing this blog which means I connect in some way with an invisible audience but I hope that my meagre writings give you a moment of spiritual grace and inspire some reflection of the interconnection between your day-to-day and your faith. What do you think – has technology filled a spiritual place for you? Is your faith strengthened through what you read on-line? Do emails serve a positive purpose in your life?
I liked your article about pastoral visits not working these days. There are few stay at home people because there are so many things of interest and lots of volunteer work. I went to Grace United Church in Toronto when I was 10 for Explorers, then at 11 or so I started Guides and when I was 12 I took the lessons from Rev Enos Hart and formally joined the church. I still belong though that church has metamorphised into a different entity that meets the needs of the newer community.
However after I started going to Grace United the minister came to call on a Saturday. Mom was throwing dirty clothes down the stairs over the railing and yelling to my sister who was getting the washing machine set up. Mom and Betty were not dressed for company so were quite embarassed.