Home Churches provide a forum for discipleship, helping and encouraging each other to joyfully live and work for our Lord, so as to fulfill His will and purpose in our lives.
They are a safe place for fellowship, fun, Bible study, prayer and ministry, and have become an integral part of the Church.
All parish members are encouraged to belong to a Home Church.
VISION
A transformed church is a home
where diversity is
embraced and valued
Values
We considered the following values and behaviours would apply to a church that was transformed.
· All people have equal value (James 2 : 1-9+)
Ø We welcome people without judgement and irrespective of who they are.
Ø We respect each other’s cultural differences.
Ø We avoid
v Behaviour that suggests that some people are invisible (avoiding greeting)
v Any names which are offensive eg “madam, baas, boy or girl”
v Any language that treats people differently eg white people have first names and surnames but black people have only first names
v Stereotyping of anyone and behaviour that flows there from – eg white people are rich, black people are poor/uneducated
v Speaking negatively about anyone – ever
· We value the fact that we are not the same – diversity is richness. (Gal 2:28)
Ø We seek to move out of our comfort zones to engage with the unlike.
Ø We accept people for who they are.
Ø We seek the real person behind that which is not familiar to us.
Ø We seek to know and pronounce each other’s names.
· We welcome movement and change.
Ø We will willingly walk the transformation journey together. (Gal 5:25)
Ø We take seriously all suggestions about change.
Ø We recognise that the Church is God’s, not any particular group’s (Eph 1:22)
Ø We are committed to facilitate the inclusion of all who are drawn into our family.
· Transformation starts with me (2 Cor 5:17, Rom 12 : 1-2)
Ø We are servants to one another. (John 13)
Ø We are patient with other’s differences. (1 Thess 5:14 & Gal 5 : 22-23)
Ø We are transparent & honest with each other in love (Eph 4:15)
Ø We are generous in how we share ourselves with each other.
Ø We are willing to take risks to help others welcome change.
Ø We are willing to speak up to help each other reflect on hurtful words, attitudes and behaviours.
Pastoral Care
To bring Christ’s promise of abundant life to people; through responding to His call to feed and care for His lambs and sheep is the key objective of the Pastoral Care portfolio. As we offer support, in many ways to our St Agnes community, we allow the Holy Spirit of God to guide us to bring His love to a damaged and hurting world.
Whilst our primary support of fellow believers happens in our home groups with members taking care of, and offering support to one another, the Pastoral Care Portfolio also offers support to members of St Agnes in various areas of need.
This is done by three teams caring for those needing counselling, grief support and care whilst in hospital or at home. All of this work is underpinned by teams of prayer warriors who intercede regularly for both the care-givers and those in need.
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The following ministries fall under the Pastoral Care portfolio:-
The vision of the Counselling Ministry is to allow the Holy Spirit to lead them in getting the body of Christ healed, so that we can be a significant church that reaches out to hurting people.
The team of counsellors are all trained through Philippi and offer counselling of all types. In most instances this leads to ministry which is done during the sessions.
For more information please contact Sheila Stokoe on 031 764 2037.
The GriefCare Ministry offers you and your loved ones help and support in your time of grief when struggling with the death of a loved one and for other losses.
The ministry consists of four elements:
A. GriefCare, which consists of contacting and following up those Parishioners who have been bereaved and those in the community who have funerals at St. Agnes Church. We keep in touch with the bereaved for a period of two years.
B. A Grief and Loss Support Group which meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday afternoons of the month at 2pm in the Living Room.
C. GriefShare, which is a DVD series recovery group. This series is run once a year for 13 weeks on Saturday mornings from 9 to 11-30am, in the Living Room.
D. The Blue Christmas Service is also organized by this ministry team.
For more information please contact Pat Bartley on 031 764 2328 or 083 242 1447
The aim of the St Agnes Care Group is to care for and show love to God's people, thus bringing His promise of abundant life, firstly to our members of St Agnes, and thereafter to non-members in our community, who need care in some form. We try to ensure that all members are fully aware that this care is available.
The Pastoral Care Tea Party 27th August 2011
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