5) Pastoral Care and Administration

 

We are aware that all people need support and encouragement so they can flourish.

 

We believe there is a holy imperative to love one another and our neighbour as ourselves. We believe in excellent and appropriate administrative support for the Abbey’s ministry.

 

We commit ourselves to:

 

+ clarify and publish a policy regarding pastoral care;

 

+ train and support a team of church members able to give communion at home;

 

+ strengthen the pastoral care team both in numbers and training;

 

+ increase the number of chaplains;

 

+ provide regular opportunities for prayer for healing at Sunday worship and mid-week;

 

+ strengthen the system by which clergy are informed of a person’s admission to hospital and the patient’s request for a visit;

 

+ support the Abbey’s ministry with high-quality administration, well resourced and trained;

 

+ ensure that all employees receive the highest standards of professional care and personal development. This will include a thorough revision of our practices concerning employment, remuneration, pensions, appraisal and training, and we will bring the

staff handbook up-to-date;

 

+ bring to the attention of the congregations at the Abbey the need for men and women to offer themselves for ordained ministry both stipendiary and self-supporting;

 

+ value the contribution to its ministry of Readers and invite more men and women to offer themselves for training in this authorised ministry;

 

+ disseminate information about training resources and to take mutual responsibility to look both for training and opportunities for the use of our God-given gifts;

 

+ create management structures that liberate and coordinate and to pray for all who manage volunteers and paid staff in their difficult and demanding task.