Resurrection Care

Happy New Year to all.  Today as I look back at 2008 I am happy and blessed at all of the ways that God has helped us serve people through the pastors and staff of Congregational Care at Resurrection. 

Please, indulge me as I share with you some of their accomplishments:

• 1400 pastoral appointments have occurred over the last year
• 600 individual or family counseling appointments
• the church has assisted over 40 families and individuals through member financial assistance
• 947 people participated in the Living Forward Classes and Healing Services including Mental Health classes, Women in Transition, Men in Grief, Discussions on The Last Lecture, Praying as a Couple, Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support, Marriage Enrichment, etc.
• Employment Transition is averaging 65-70 participants each month.
• Spouse Loss Grief Support averages 20 people per session.
• Women’s Cancer Support has 15 participants each month.
• Men’s Cancer Support has 25 participants each month.
• Divorce Care has 20 participants and Coaster Kids (children’s support meeting next door) has 12 children each week.
• Silent Angels (infertility support) has 20 participants each month for the meeting and 30 participants each month for Bible Study
• Resurrection Support Groups impact a total of 4,120 people – some didn’t attend Resurrection until after they attended their group.
• The Blood Drive had a 37% increase from last year.
• 1770 people ran/walk in this year’s Sacred Steps 5K.  Since the beginning of Sacred Steps (three years ago), we have raised over $425,000 for Africa.
• Silver Link touched 30,000 lives including 220 worship services throughout our comminutiy with over 4800 in attendance, 4 special concerts, monthly services for the frail and elderly from local senior communities held in Wesley Chapel, special classes developed for caregivers, plus a support group for those with low vision.
• Congregational Care now has 27 active Congregational Care Ministers.  Each pastorate pastor has at least five on their team.  One CCM works with Nicole Harris, Community Connections Specialist, and one works with me.  We will commission 17 new Congregational Care Ministers during the weekend of January 10-11, 2009.
• Celebrate Recovery will launch in the Student Center on Thursday, January 22!  The leadership team and volunteers are actively preparing for this new Christ-based 12-step recovery program.

Please, join me in a moment of praise and thanksgiving for the compassionate caring that has blessed so many individuals and families. 

My prayer today on this eve before the start of 2009 is that God will bind us closer together that we might run the race that is set before us.  May God grant us grace and speed to do all of this ministry with joy…unbelieveable joy!!  Love to you all…

Karen