Pastoral Care
General
SAPLC has a team involved in and committed to developing pastoral care, with staff and many others reaching out and offering care to both church members and the local community.
Before the pandemic, a monthly service suited to people living with dementia was offered at a neighbouring EMI care home and volunteers took Holy Communion to four other residential care homes in the parish. A weekly dementia café, the Tuesday Café, was opened in church in March 2018; this was a great success and clearly met a need in the community.
A monthly Fellowship Lunch, with food and fellowship was provided for about 20 people who would otherwise be alone.
Sadly many of our activities have remained closed since March 2020 but the Knit and Natter Group of people from the Church and the community which met weekly in Shirley House for a crafting session has resumed. Clergy and members of the congregation once again provide voluntary support at MHA Southcroft Retirement Living with Care which is situated next to the church.
Sadly it has been decided to close down the Parent and Baby group which has been so much appreciated over the years.
Church Links
Church Links leaders have continued to maintain contact with their group members.
There have been two Links meeting on Zoom, one in July and the other in November in order to allocate to Links groups the new members we have been pleased to welcome recently to SAPL. Methodist Membership tickets were distributed in December and January. A review of the church membership will take place at our next meeting following the response to the recent GDPR forms when once again new members and friends will be allocated to Links groups.