One of the biggest challenges about online church, for me, is the loss of casual contact. I am used to seeing about 200 of our folks each Sunday. It’s a chance to see how people are doing: using a cane for the first time? looking sad? sitting with a new friend? If someone brings something up at Caring and Sharing, I can follow up as they go out the double doors from the service, and get a sense of how they’re doing and whether we need a longer, private conversation. Given the way we all tend to gravitate toward the same seats each week, I might even notice if someone isn’t in “their pew” and check on whether they’re okay. Without that face-to-face contact, those cues are missing.
This makes it particularly important for everyone to reach out a little more about pastoral care. We’re checking in with members and friends as fast as our volunteers and staff can make calls, just to see how everyone is doing. If there’s trouble in your family, or you just want to talk, please, use that pastoral “urgent-care” line (650-494-0541 x25). If you are concerned about a friend, please, drop a line to the Caring Network (caring@uucpa.org) and we’ll follow up. Thanks for helping make UUCPA all we want it to be.
Blessings, Amy