Join One of Our Impactful Caring Ministries

We are church that loves to gather for worship, treasures family and youth ministries, dedicates 10% of our annual budget to Missions and Outreach, delights in singing, believes in praying for one another and is committed to caring for each other. However, since 2019, we have experienced transitions in our pastoral staff that have changed the dynamics of our caring ministries.

With Rev. Aiello’s retirement, for the first time in several decades, we no longer have an Associate Minister fully and solely dedicated to pastoral care. The void left by Rev. Aiello’s departure was filled by Rev. Paulo and to some extent by Rev. Andrew. Then, last summer, Rev. Andrew accepted another call, leaving Rev. Paulo as the sole ordained minister on staff. While Rev. Paulo endeavors to offer Christ-like care to our congregants, it is inevitable that he cannot be available to everyone at all times. Thankfully, ACC is blessed to have members in our pews who want to do one-on-one Christ-centered caregiving.

The Deacons, the Visitation Team, and the Stephen Ministers are loving, compassionate, nonjudgmental, and caring church members, who have willingly accepted the role of caregivers to our congregation. You may have already received a call or a card from the deacons, or a visit from one of the people on the Visitation Team, or the support of a Stephen Minister by your side. These volunteers are crucial to the caring ministries of our church. While the pastor is often on the front line of crises, the deacons, the Visitation Team, and the Stephen Ministers are available to make sure no one in our church faces difficult or challenging times alone. In fact, Stephen Ministers are trained to be a Christian friend to church members who are living through hardships, committing to the journey of healing for a long as needed.

ACC embraced Stephen Ministry because we value good-quality care that is meaningful, ethical, rooted in scripture and affirming of life. Whether you are going through a divorce, spiritual crisis, grieving the loss of a loved one or battling cancer, our Stephen Ministers stand ready to provide compassionate support. They adhere to strict standards of confidentiality and privacy, skillfully listening with empathy, offering encouragement, and providing steadfast support during times of vulnerability. We are truly blessed to have the presence of Stephen Ministers within our congregation.

To ensure our caring ministries effectively support Rev. Paulo and attentively address the needs of our entire church community, Rev. Paulo, along with the Deacons and the Visitation Team, will be more intentional about connecting members who may benefit from a deeply personal, one-on-one, ongoing caring relationship with the Stephen Ministers. We are convinced this revised approach to our caring ministries will strengthen our commitment to fostering a caring faith community where we lean on one another to experience the healing power of God’s loving care.

If you would like to join the Visitation Team, contact Kyoko Loverin. To be trained as a Stephen Minister, contact Jeff McHarg. We currently have 4 deacons. We would like to have two more. If you are willing to join the deacons, contact Diane Scaletta or Paul Mathisen.  If you need help getting in touch, email office@actonc.org.