Pilmoor Memorial United Methodist Church

    Over the Christmas break, we were able to visit with some old friends at Shepherd Hospital for Catastrophic Injury in Atlanta. Their 17 year old son was injured in a slow-speed rollover accident in November and is currently paralyzed from the waist down. All were in good spirits when we saw them, revived from a brief visit home and looking forward to beginning the many weeks of outpatient therapy that would begin the next day.

     In the weeks that followed the accident, I have watched how the our friend's church has surrounded them with support and encouragement. It's almost two hours from Forsythe to the Shepherd Hospital, nevertheless they have received almost daily visits from their church family. Back at home, church members (at least one of whom is a professional contractor) have set about the task of preparing for the return of the injured son, widening some doorways, installing handrails in the bathroom and ramps at the front and back of the home. Volunteers have also made themselves available to get schoolwork as well as care and encouragement for the younger son, 15. A church member at the local bank opened a benevolence account for excess medical expenses. Over and over has come the refrain from their church family, "now you just let US worry about that." Their support has enabled our friends to do the vital work of supporting their son and each other during this long healing process.

    It is not yet clear whether the paralysis is permanent. Certainly many prayers have been lifted for that outcome. But in a world which is so often focused so closely on "me and mine," it is uplifting to see the incredible outpouring of support that one church has offered to this family.

     In the past few months, our Lay Leader, Sam Casey, the Missions/Outreach Workgroup and I have been working on developing amore intentional plan for congregational care. We want to equip our congregation with the tools to provide ongoing pastoral care as well as the kind of exceptional support that becomes necessary in times of crisis. In the early weeks and months of 2009, you will hear more about "Pastoral Partners" and how you might be involved. Our visit with these friends has confirmed the critical importance of having such a ministry in place.