The campus of Hickory Neck Episcopal Church. From left to right: the historic 1744 chapel, the new church consecrated in 2006, and the parish house.       
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Pastoral Care
  • Gay Forloine



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Pastoral Care
Pastoral ministry is a result of God’s grace working through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to care for the Body of Christ as found in the faith community of Hickory Neck. It is essential to recognize that every member of the Body of Christ is a minister.

The Book of Common Prayer contains "An Outline of Faith” that is referred to as the Catechism. In the article of the Catechism that discusses ministry (page 855), the first question is
  • "Who are the ministers of the Church?"
  • The answer is "The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priest and deacons."
The order of the answer is significant. Everyone starts ministry as a lay person. It is the universal ministry of the Church. Also, the vast majority of the ministers of the Church are lay persons. By the virtue of sheer numbers, lay persons have to perform most of the Church’s ministry. We become ministers by virtue of our Baptism.

In the Baptismal Covenant (page 305, BCP), the person being baptized promises to "proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.” Not only do those being baptized make this promise, but we as the congregation renew our Covenant and remake the same promise. We also pray as a whole faith community for the baptized that the Lord will "teach them to love others in the power of the Spirit" and to "send them into the world to witness to your love."

Thus, all of us as members of the Body of Christ are ministers. There are many ministries to which we can be called. One of these ministries is to care for each other in the community of Hickory Neck. When we do this it is important to recognize that we are ministering to each other. This is equally true if we are receiving a service or giving a service. In both cases ministry is happening. This means that both the care giver and the care receiver are equal ministers to each other. Ministry is not an option. The opportunity to minister to each other is a mighty gift from God. It is not our power that is working but the power of God working through us, all of us.

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