Pastoral Support
In the Blyth Valley Team Ministry, Pastoral Ministry involves:
 Providing a listening and compassionate ear to people who need
to talk.
 Enabling people to continue to worship if they are unable to
attend church.
 Supporting people emotionally and spiritually through difficult
times such as illness and bereavement.
 Helping people access practical support on offer locally.
 Praying for and with people.
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The Blyth Valley Team Ministry is currently working with a simple three-level model for Pastoral Support:
Level One
The ordinary informal support that goes on all the time in our congregations and communities: visiting people, phoning people, giving lifts, shopping etc.
Level Two
More targeted support at a time of difficulty e.g. illness, bereavement,
losing independence. This level of support can include spiritual support including home communion, prayer or bible reading. It is usually carried out by a member of the Pastoral Ministry Group (PMG) with some level of clergy support. It may be part of a wider package of support in partnership with other organisations. It also includes the pastoral support given in our local care homes, through the provision of holy communion and other services. They can also assist people access information on the internet.
Level Three
Level 3 – Clergy support. This level of support can include:
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sensitive complex issues;
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funeral visiting before and in the weeks following the service, if appropriate;
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individual confession;
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healing ministry (contact the Team Rector Revd Dominic Doble for more details).
This includes deliverance ministry, which means: “ministry of
liberating, freeing, or delivering a person from a burden which they carry,
including the influence of evil or sin.”
Pastoral Ministry Group in the Blyth Valley Churches
The Pastoral Ministry Group (PMG) is a group of people from across the Blyth Valley Team who meet once a month to learn and develop their skills in pastoral care, and to support and pray for each other. The group is open to anyone involved in pastoral care, visiting or supporting people. It consists of people who have been involved in
pastoral care in the past or are currently giving support in their community. The group can offer advice or support in a safe and confidential environment.
The PMG usually meets on the third Monday of every month at 3.30pm at St Peter’s Church Room, Holton. For more information, please feel free to contact Revd. Canon Alison Alder or Revd Linda Berry.
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The Pastoral Ministry group meetings include time to pray for people who are struggling in any way. We are exploring ways of setting up a shared Prayer List for people to use in their private prayers. Please contact Revd Linda Berry, Revd Canon Alison Alder or a member of the group if you would like a name added to the list. Please
note we need a person’s permission whenever possible to add their name to the list.
Walking the Labryinth Reflective Craft Sessions
Organised by members of the PMG, these monthly sessions offer an opportunity for
people to use the Labyrinth at St Peter’s Church, Holton, for quiet meditation and
reflection. There is also the opportunity to enjoy some gentle art and craft activities
whilst exploring aspects of our life and faith.
Home Communion
If you or someone you know is unable to get to church, you
can receive regular visits or home communion on a regular basis. We also have an online Café Church every Tuesday morning at 10am and daily services via Facebook.
For more details contact Revd Canon Alison or Revd Linda to arrange.
Support for Vulnerable People in Our Community
At times, the behaviour or care of someone we are visiting or who lives near us can become a worry. We may have concerns about a person’s health, safety and ability to manage living independently. It is not always easy to access the right help but here are some useful contacts you could try if you are worried about someone.
It is important that you keep yourself safe and avoid putting yourself in a risky situation. If offering help to someone, try and find another person to accompany you.
Get help in a crisis - If you have a social care emergency and need urgent assistance, please call Customer First on 0800 917 1109. Outside normal working hours this number will divert to the Emergency Duty Service. They can deal with anything that can't wait until the next working day.
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Police - If you are really worried about someone’s safety, then you should call 999. If it is not an emergency, you can call 101 to report a concern. To get advice about an issue, you can contact the Safer Neighbourhood Team online.
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) The CAB can provide guidance on a wide range of issues. Tel: 0808 2787866 . They run drop-in sessions at Halesworth Library from 10am to 12 noon on the first and third Tuesdays
of the month: Halesworth Library, Bridge Street, IP19 8AD / 01986 875095.
