During this time of pandemic we have adapted our Pastoral Care ministry from the activities as listed and are focusing mainly on keeping connected with the congregation. Pastoral Care members, along with another 8 volunteers, are regularly phoning those KUC folk who are living on their own, have limited or no in-town family,
KUC’s Pastoral Care Team encourages each of us to care for each other by keeping connections open.
Pastoral Care is a core ministry at Kamloops United Church. This group of compassionate people cares for our congregation through the concerns and celebrations of our lives, doing this in a variety of ways:
- visiting those who are in hospital, residential care or “shut in” at home,
- sending cards on special occasions. (Please help us by letting the church office know about celebrations and life transitions for those who would appreciate a greeting card from Pastoral Care.)
- hosting tea parties at Berwick on the Park,
- assisting with monthly worship services at Berwick
Blue Christmas Service, Dec. 2020.
- caring for our Sunday morning Prayer Box
- annually holding a Memorial Hymn Sing,
- co-ordinating a Blue Christmas service in December,
- updating our Confidential Emergency Contact Book
- organizing / hosting personal support and growth opportunities.
Pastoral Care Circle meetings are normally held monthly. However members do communicate often to respond to the cares and to the concerns of our church family. We attend to illness, losses, transitions and celebrations with cards, phone calls and home visits.
Ongoing project – A KUC Confidential Emergency Contact List:
If you have not had a chance to fill your form out yet, please find the form attached, ready to print. Please click on the link below to print. There are also copies available at the reception desk. After you have filled the form out, please give it to a member of Pastoral Care on Sundays or place it in the KUC office during the week. “Keeping this information in a confidential file helps us to better care for each other.” (Note: the KUC Confidential Emergency Contact information is updated annually.)
KUC EMERGENCY CONTACT FORM pdf
We recognize how all of the Kamloops United Church family are participants in our Pastoral Care ministry in numerous ways such as greetings, phone calls, rides, visits or sharing a concern or celebration with us. We are grateful and reliant on the congregation to let us know if someone is ill, in the hospital or going through a challenging time, and we encourage everyone to communicate with Pastoral Care by calling the church office (250 372-3020) or speaking with a Pastoral Care member.
Some of the past special events of the Pastoral Care Circle/Team:
- a 4 week (Dec. 2020) “Covid Christmas Winter Blues” on-line program
- a 9 week “Beat the Winter Blues” group led by Dan McBain (Jan-Mar 6, 2020)
- together with KUC’s Discovery Circle, presented a special public forum on Medical Assistance in Dying; a well attended and very well received public event
- a 6 week“Climbing out of the Valley” grief series (for the wider community, with 22 registered participants) in partnership with Mary Widmer
- “Celebrating Senior Seniors” luncheons
- Installation of and education regarding the use of, an AED (automated external defibrillator) . With appreciation to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
- Offering leadership for Sunday morning worship.