Terry shared:
Quote:
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"Pastoral care. In a sense there this care, but based on being partial. If you are one described as "hot for the ministry", you will receive care. If you are one described as "lukewarm for the ministry" or "lacking the vision", you will be ignored. Generally pastoral care is reserved more for the college age with the intent of nurturing and preparing them for the full time trainings."
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When I first touched the LC, I was awed by how it seemed to reach out to those in the "highways and byways"--the cast-offs of society, the unwashed--and invite them in to the Love Feasts, etc. There was a genuine desire to share Christ with everyone, but particularly those in "low places". Somehow, somewhere, the focus changed completely. There is now an attempt to capture the fragrant young--the future high-salaried college kids with absolutely NO desire to minister to oh, say, a truck stop or nursing home--let's leave THOSE tasks to the Pentecostals, Methodists, and Baptists. THOSE people bring problems into the church that might have to be dealt with-such as addiction, dysfunctional homes, etc. THOSE people will not be able to give as much. THOSE people may not be smart enough to fully comprehend the wording of our writings (tripartite, intrinsic) and, therefore, be unable to echo it back. The sick--if popular (and that is the REAL word for it, not just "hot for the ministry" because I have seen those who are totally FOR the ministry be ignored because they lack charisma) get lots of attention, prayers, and food. The old--even those who have spent their lives under the ministry--are given little attention.
Pastoral care is said to be a "body matter"--that EVERYONE is responsible for ministering one to another. The problem is that if EVERYONE is responsible, no one does it. Tasks that are not specifically assigned to someone are most often left undone. In the denominations, the "despised" clergy is assigned this task and, therefore, show up and pray and then put the "bereavement committee" or the "food committee" on task taking care of everyone--popular or unpopular. The leadership of the local churches are not tasked with caring for the sick, the dying, the fading-in-faith, etc. It has been my observation that they are not assigned this task--it is, after all, a "body matter", and we know what that means.... It was not always this way. Many are grieved to see the change.