CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER
At the heart of our life together as a community of faith lies the commitment to John 13:34-35 in which Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
Parish Prayer List and Pastoral Care Request. To submit a request for the Prayer List, email Congregational Life Associate and Assistant to the Rector Abby Huber (901-252-6336) or use the form below. Online submissions are confidential and emailed directly to the clergy. Names of persons, who have given consent for names to be printed, will be listed for one month, unless a longer period is requested. While certain concerns may be confidential between the clergy and the individual, others may not be. If you are wondering about an individual, contact the individual directly or a member of the clergy. Intercessions are offered daily by clergy and lay pastoral care ministers and reflected in the worship service leaflet.
How we care for one another is one of the most telling ways in which we live out our discipleship and demonstrate our love for one other. Pastoral Care at GSL is shared by the clergy and lay ministers. Lay Pastoral Care Coordinators Sandra Ireland and Beth Perkins were appointed to co-leadership service effective September 2021 following the ministry of Jocelyn Busby (January 2020-August 2021).
In collaboration with the clergy, Pastoral Care lay ministers are organized into teams to ensure that members of our parish community are cared for times of illness, family crisis, births, deaths, as well as in times of celebration. Contacts include cards, visits, meals, flower deliveries, and Eucharistic visits. Now, more than ever, pastoral connections are invaluable and additional lay ministers are always welcome to serve on weekly rotating teams organized by the coordinators. If you sense a call of to share in the sacred ministry of Pastoral Care, please contact the Rev. Dr. Jesse W. Abell, Associate Rector for Pastoral Care and Adult Formation (901-252-6330, jesse.abell@gracestlukes.org) to arrange for a conversation.
Communicating Pastoral Concerns. To alert the clergy of a pastoral matter concerning yourself or a member, including any medical procedures, contact the clergy confidentially via 901-252-6320 or pastoralcare@gracestlukes.org. Please Note: For any hospitalizations or emergencies concerning a member, contact the 24/7 Clergy-on-Call phone line at 901-252-6334. Since Parish Office Hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the protocol is the best way for a prompt response from a member of the clergy or pastoral care team.
Pastoral Care Lay and Ordained Leadership
Sandra Ireland, Lay Pastoral Care Coordinator, contact via Realm
Beth Perkins, Lay Pastoral Care Coordinator, contact via Realm
The Rev. Dr. Jesse W. Abell, Associate Rector, 901-252-6330, jesse.abell@gracestlukes.org