Pastoral Care

About

At St. Mark's we know that there are many times when life challenges us and we seek God's loving care.  At these times and others too we show God's love by caring for one another.  We do that in many ways.

The clergy at St Mark's offer pastoral care and can be reached by phone or email.  There is 24-hour day on-call coverage.  Whenever you call the cathedral the receptionist will help you during daytime hours and you will be told the cell phone number of one of the clergy if your call is after hours.

The clergy want to help you whether it is at a time of crisis or a passage in life.  Please tell us when these passages occur, when the baby is born, about weddings and funerals when they are at another place.  Please tell us when you or a loved one is in hospital so that we can visit, and tell us when you are a loved one are leaving so we can bless you and pray with you.

The contact person for all pastoral care questions and concerns is Canon Richard Norman.

Grief

The Downtown Coalition for Grief Support
Excellent speakers, trained facilitators and a group of others who have experienced loss make these sessions a place of healing. It's possible to walk the path of grief alone, however the companionship of others who are also wounded by loss is tremendously consoling and powerfully healing. A small weekly donation is gratefully accepted.

Associates

The lay people at St Mark's also offer pastoral care.  There is a trained group of Lay Pastoral Associates who are here to partner with someone who is seeking care over a long period of time.  Contact us if you are interested in either receiving care from one of these people or in becoming a caregiver.  An eight-week training is provided annually.

The Lay Pastoral Associates provide an annual Christmas lunch for all who are aged 65 or older on a chosen Saturday in December. The lunch is preceded by a celebration of the Eucharist.  It is wheel chair accessible.  If you would like to be included please contact us.

The Lay Pastoral Associates provide an annual lunch, usually in April, for all who have lost a moved one in the preceding year.

The Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies are taken to those who are sick or who have been bereaved by a team of volunteers.

Living Alone

Those who live alone face special challenges. We have a folder of names and family contact information in case there is a reason that we should need to make that contact.  Any one who wishes to provide us with their name and contact person's information is very welcome to do so.

End of Life

Death is the inevitable mystery; it will come to us all, as it did to our Lord and Savior.  It is unavoidable -sometimes sudden, sometimes not.  Death is not punishment nor is it the end of life, only of life as we know it.  As Christians, we affirm that our ultimate fulfillment, which is union with God and one another, cannot be totally achieved in this life.  We affirm that death does not control the life of the Christian; the living God does.

Nevertheless, serious illness and death are crises.  They force us to make difficult decisions at a time when it is most difficult to make them.  To make this time less confusing and to ensure that your wishes are known, it is important to discuss the issues of serious illness and death with family and friends.  Doing so will help ease the burden of decision-making at a difficult and painful time.