WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

Thank you for your interest in being involved in the Care Ministry. With 24 Ministries, there is a volunteer opportunity for all who wish to serve.

To speak with someone in the Care Office about a volunteer opportunity, please contact the Care Pastor at 203.255.3401 x107 or jpmarshall@brcc.org or the Care Ministry Assistant, Mary Pearce at mpearce@brcc.org.

To submit an online volunteer form, click here.

Card Ministry: Everyone loves to receive mail, especially if it brings words of encouragement, comfort or just a word to say that they are loved.  Jill has a team of people from the church who weekly send out mail to the sick, bereaved, recuperating, lonely or going through difficult times.  This ministry has been a blessing to so many people.  If you are interested in joining this team call 255-3401, ext. 124 and ask for Mary.  She will have Jill give you a call if you will leave your phone number.

Soup and Muffin Ministry: Have you ever been so sick you didn’t feel like eating but soup tasted so m-m good? This team of people makes homemade soup that is the best around and bakes delicious muffins to go with it just in time for a first meal for the family after someone has had a hospital stay.  You too can know you have been a blessing by joining this ministry.  Call 255-3401 ext. 124 and ask for Mary.  Give her your name and phone number and Laura will return your call.

Funeral Reception Ministry: Many of our church family have their loved one’s funeral services at the church.  During a difficult time such as this, the reception team is at your service.  With the entire reception paid for by the church’s Deacon Fund, these ladies set a lovely buffet table with finger foods provided by many people of our congregation.  You too can make a hard time easier by serving the grief stricken family and those attending the service.  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext 124 and give her your name and phone number and she will have Dolores give you a call.

Meals Ministry: This is by far the busiest team as there is always a family that can use home cooked meals during extended recovery time of the “cook”.  Kelli and Donna have the great responsibility of finding people who will reach out to other needy BRCC people in their neighborhoods with a meal.  Once you have been on the receiving end of this meaningful ministry, you’ll want to get involved.  Don’t wait ‘till you’re in need, get started now by being a blessing to others.  The more families involved in bringing meals to others, the lighter the load for everyone on the team.  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext 124, give her your name and phone number and she will have either Kelli or Donna get in touch with you.

Crisis Prayer Ministry: Once in a while we have a dire emergency that needs immediate prayer for a person or serious situation.  If you are a person of prayer and would want to be put on the e-mail list of first-call prayer warriors, sign up by leaving your name and phone number with Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will have Eva get in touch with you.

Healing Shawls Ministry: If you love to knit, then this ministry is for you.  Not only do these ladies make and give the shawls to those with serious illnesses, they also knit blankets for babies of unwed mothers.  It’s a wonderful ministry not only to people at Black Rock but for those in the community.  To get involved call Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will get you in touch with Lois.

Counseling Ministry: Black Rock is privileged to have our own in- house professional counselor Jan Gifford. Please contact her directly for appointments and information on costs.  Many times the Deacon’s fund assists Black Rock’s members and attendees with financial support.

We Care Ministry: Here’s another ministry for all of us at Black Rock in which to get involved.  This one is for our military serving in other countries and at home.  We tell you what is needed, you purchase the goods and then we send the boxes around the world at no cost to you.  It’s a great way for us to tell our service personnel that we appreciate them and we truly do care.  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will put you in touch with Jackie.

Pie Ministry: Here’s an easy ministry with a minimum amount of time required.  This team meets in the church kitchen one day a year and bakes pies to be distributed by our congregation to those who need encouragement.  Sue takes care of all the details but needs a willing group of people to bake the many pies which will be given in the love of Jesus.  These pies are ordered weeks in advance by anyone in the church who knows of someone needing encouragement and will deliver the pie.  There is no cost to anyone as the Deacon’s Fund cares for the expenses.  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext 124 with your name and phone number and she will have Sue give you a call.

Transportation Ministry: No car, no family member to take you to the doctor’s office or hospital for a procedure? Your church can help by having a church member take you at the set time of your appointment and bring you home.  We need people in every town to sign up for this ministry of transporting people to care for important medical needs. You will receive a gas allowance from the Deacon’s Fund.  The more drivers we have involved in this ministry, the less frequently you will be called to help.  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext 124 with your name and phone number and she will have Carl contact you. (Drivers must be church members)

Cookie Crumble Ministry: Nothing is better for a college student than to receive a box of goodies from home except getting a box of goodies from their home church.  Many of our youth attend college away from home, family and friends and of course, their church.  This little remembrance lets them know they are not forgotten and we care about them.  This team of people, which many times is comprised of singles, couples and even entire families, gets together under the leadership of Jackie once a year to pack the boxes of home made cookies, freshly baked in the homes of our people and brought to the church on a designated Sunday, once a year.  We receive many letters of gratitude from our students.  This is a ministry all people of Black Rock can be involved in but we do need a special team whom we can count on to do the packing.  Want to help? Call Mary with your name and phone number  at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will have Jackie give you a call.

Thanksgiving Basket Ministry: This is a ministry for everyone at Black Rock.  During the month of November non-perishable food items are brought to the church for the Thanksgiving Basket team to fill boxes with food for those going through difficult times financially both in the community and in our church.  To have a special involvement in this ministry, you and your family (older children) can be on the team that sorts the food and prepares the boxes for pick up.  Call Mary at 255-3401ext. 124 with your name and phone number and she will put you in touch with Christine who is the leader of this group. 

Newborn Rosebud Ministry: We love to celebrate with couples as they become parents.  Once we hear the good news, a special gift is assembled for the new addition to the family: a lullaby CD, spiritual readings for the parents and other items that say “congratulations”.  Also a rose is placed on the organ to announce the birth to our congregation.  When there is an addition to your family, share the good news with Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will contact Trish so that your church family may acknowledge the birth of your precious little one.

Bereavement Hospitality Ministry: Family members coming from long distances to attend the funeral of a loved one from our church are given the opportunity to spend their nights here in one of the homes of our Black Rock people.  We believe hospitality is spoken of in the Bible and this particular ministry gives us an opportunity to practice it.  When you find yourself in this situation, contact Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will put you in touch with Phyllis who arranges the overnight stays.

Easter Meal Ministry: This is a ministry of the Deacon Board.  For the financially challenged families in our congregation, gift cards to Boston Market enable the family to enjoy a meal together on this meaningful Resurrection Day.  We ask that suggested family names be given to Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 a few weeks before Easter.

Visitation Ministries: There are three separate ministries.  The first is for church members only who visit the homes of our homebound members.  The other two involve visitation in nursing homes and hospitals and these can be visited by either members or attenders. Upon receiving instructions and training as to what a visit entails, you will be assigned a person who will count on you for a monthly visit.  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 if visitation is your gift and she will put you in touch with Phyllis who leads the visitation for our homebound, or Joy who leads the nursing home visitation or Hugh who leads lay visitation in the hospitals.

Financial Ministries: This area of ministry is two- fold.  We are in need of men and women who are members of Black Rock who are gifted in helping people plan their budgets and how better spend their money.  A member of this team will meet with families in financial distress and then make a recommendation to the Deacon Board as to their involvement.  People with financial expertise are welcomed to join this team.  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext.124 and she will put you in touch with the leader, Lou.

Children’s Christmas Gift Ministry: In our large family at Black Rock we have families in every economic class. The Deacons want every child to have a Merry Christmas so during the month of December we ask our Black Rock people to submit names of families in our church, with children living at home, who are having a difficult time financially.  Those are the people our Deacons love to hear about and we do the rest!  Give Mary a call at 255-3401 ext.124 with information.

Parish Nurse Ministry: Need medical advice?  Need your blood pressure taken? How about attending the health seminars presented by our nurses.  These professional people are here at Black Rock to assist you.  The second Sunday of each month or when noted in the church bulletin, the nurses are on hand to take and record your blood pressure.   If you are a nurse, why not get involved?  Call Mary at 255-3401 ext.124 and Donna or Pat will be in touch with you.

The Care Center: Conveniently located in the welcome center of our church, this place is manned every Sunday for you to write your prayer requests, information on upcoming surgeries and procedures, or general information we should know about our Black Rock people.  Stop by the desk often and keep the Care Pastor and Deacon Board informed about the needs of our congregation.

The Communion Preparation Ministry: This ministry is extremely important to the life of our church and faith.  The Ordinance of Communion is observed every first Sunday of the Month and on special days such as Holy Thursday and Christmas Eve.  To prepare the bread and cup for these occasions, a team meets at the church the day before the observance.  Not only is the day of preparation important but preparation and clean up are necessary before and after each service on Communion days. Should you desire a once-a-month daytime ministry, call Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will put you in touch with Sue who is the leader of this ministry.

The Communion Service Ministry: Men of Christian character and members of Black Rock are asked to be the servers of the bread and cup whenever Communion is observed.  Wayne is responsible for selecting, organizing and training the men who will serve at each service.  For more information, contact Mary at 255-3401 ext. 124 and she will put you in touch with him.