Care-Giving & Care-Taking

The surprising death of one of our members last week brought to focus the need for community, for staying in touch, for care-giving, for transitions...but mostly for navigating unexpected journeys.  I simply want to lift up some thoughts for us to ponder today.

Often, churches the size of West End provide an easy opportunity for slipping into worship and slipping out.  As a congregation, we have the responsibility to be not only hospitable, but inviting, embracing and including.  As worshipers, we have a great gift in availing ourselves of joining a small group, whether that is a Sunday School class, a Bible study, a prayer circle, an accountability group, or a group involved in service to others.  Giving and taking.  A good and necessary balance.
There is great importance of small groups and Sunday School classes, for shepherding one another within those caring groups as one task.  Time and time again I have heard and have said to myself, "What would we do without our church family?"  As small groups, we have the responsibility for getting to know one another beyond our topic of gathering.  We need relationships, and they need us.  Do you have a balance of prayer, study, fellowship, service and reliability?  And do you have a means of getting information out quickly between you--by all means, including telephone and email if available?  If you need a model, our West End choirs are excellent in all these balanced ways.

Have we, as individuals, thought through how we can pre-plan in case of the unexpected?  Are emergency numbers shared and/or easily found?  Have you talked with family, neighbors and friends about emergency plans and vital information?  Have we as family, neighbors and friends pressed our loved ones to the best of our ability (and modeled for them too) regarding emergency plans, including pets?

Finally, as individuals, are we able to ask for help?  Our culture teaches self-reliance and independence, but the far healthier way of life includes asking for help.  We all like to help others as we can--not asking for help robs others of the opportunity, and can be self-destructive.

Three items have crossed my desk during the past week.  Rev. Margie Howell is working on a book that deals specifically with pre-planning.  I have a stack of prototypes of a new, free magazine in my office entitled Full Circle, chocked full of promising information in the care of aging parents.  And the Council on Aging, is sponsoring a free Caregiving Conference specifically for those caring for an older adult with a special focus on dementia and Alzheimer's Disease on July 26th, from 10:30-2:30 at Brentwood Baptist Church.  Registration is required for the latter by July 20th by calling 269-5355; attendees will get a box lunch and the book Aging & Caring: Things Families Need to Know, all at no cost.

Let's all take time to act on these thoughts.  Care-giving and care-taking is Jesus' commandment to us:  Love your neighbor as you love yourself.  It's the best and balanced way of life.

Grace and joy,
Julie