Caring for each other is at the heart of our life at First United Methodist Church. Using the ministry of all persons, lay and clergy, we are concerned with the complete lives of our members and work to provide appropriate responses so that each person can live completely the life with which they have been blessed by God. We work to provide love, nurture and support during times of illness, stress and sorrow, as well as in times of celebration and joy. Our approach at First Methodist is one of individual attention and response according to the particular situation; thus, we do not have big programmatic names for what we do. However, some of the ways in which we provide for the care of our members are listed below.

PASTORAL CARE
All clergy on our staff provide help for those needing guidance with personal, family or social problems. Pastoral Care visits are offered for persons who need short-term visits and spiritual guidance. For more acute or long-term needs, referrals are made to appropriate professionals and agencies. Contact our clergy at 225-383-4777 or by e-mail:
Rev. Chris Andrews, Senior Pastor: chris@firstmethodist.org
Rev. Susie Thomas, Minister of Outreach & Transformation: susie@firstmethodist.org
Rev. Katie McKay-Simpson, Minister of Discipleship and Evangelism: katie@firstmethodist.org
Rev. Brad Franklin, Minister of Pastoral Oversight: brad@firstmethdodist.org.

Emergency/Crisis Calls
As persons within the congregation experience an immediate need for help, the pastors are available twenty-four hours a day. Pastors can be reached at the church during normal business hours at 225-383-4777, and at their homes at other times.

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SERVICE OF PRAYER FOR HEALING
First United Methodist offers a Service of Prayer for Healing in the Aldrich Chapel at 12:10 p.m. the first Sunday of each month.  Led by Reverend Trousdale and other pastors, the service is adapted from the healing service at the Iona Community in Scotland, a center of early Celtic Christianity.  There will be opportunity to pray and to receive prayers for personal healing as well as the healing of others and the world in which we live. For more information please contact Rev. Brad Franklin, at 225-383-4777, or brad@firstmethodist.org.

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PRAYER MINISTRY

Care Team - Staff contact: Rev. Brad Franklin, Minister of Pastoral Oversight at 225-383-4777 or brad@firstmethodist.org
Every Wednesday afternoon lay members meet with the clergy staff to consider the needs of our members and the appropriate responses to those needs. Extended members of this team maintain contact through visits, telephone calls and cards with members who are no longer able to participate fully in the church’s life. Click here to submit a prayer request to Rev. Brad Franklin.

Intercessory Prayer Group
Every Sunday evening our Intercessory Prayer Group gathers in Aldrich Chapel to pray for the needs and celebrations of our members. Then, throughout the week the group continues to pray in their own homes. Prayer cards are available in the Sanctuary and in Aldrich Chapel. They can be completed and turned in during the closing hymn of any service, left on the altar at any time, or click here to submit a prayer request to Rev. Brad Franklin.

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CARE FOR THE ELDERLY AND ILL - Staff contact: Sandra King, Director of Care Ministry at 225-383-4777 or sking@firstmethodist.org
Hospital Visitation
Clergy and lay members are available to help you and your family during hospitalization. We are scheduled for regular visitation. Because the hospitals often do not notify us of admissions of our members, please call the church office concerning your hospital stay. This will help us offer immediate and consistent ministry at this critical time.

Convalescent and Home Visitation
In a large congregation like ours, at any one time a considerable number of persons are recovering from illnesses. These, plus relatively inactive senior members living in their residences, retirement homes, and nursing facilities, are visited by clergy and laity. Food is provided as needed for those recovering from hospitalization.

Home-bound Communion
On the first Sunday of each month, as we partake of Holy Communion here in our church building, lay members of our congregation take Holy Communion to people unable to attend because they are in the hospital, confined to their home, or in a nursing home. In this way, the members who are unable to physically come to our church building are able to partake in this most Holy of meals and to remain connected with our body of believers.

Bouquets of Love
The altar flowers placed in the church for the Sunday worship services are divided into arrangements and delivered to members who are either in a time of need, or celebrating a joy.

Care in Motion
On Sunday mornings, our church bus travels to several retirement homes in the area, bringing members who no longer drive to church. We also help provide transportation to health care visits for those who no longer drive.

Comfort Zone
The church has a limited number of medical supplies such as wheelchairs, walkers and crutches that are available for loan to our members.

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SUPPORT MINISTRY

Blood Drive - Staff Contact Paula Mercer, BSN RN CRRN, Congregational Nurse at 225-383-4777 or nurse@firstmethodist.org
Several times a year, a blood drive is conducted at the church. Through this ministry, members of the church have access to blood in a time of need.

Health Education and Screening - Staff Contact:  Paula Mercer, BSN RN CRRN, Congregational Nurse at 225-383-4777 or nurse@firstmethodist.org
We were created as physical beings and caring for our bodies is part of our stewardship of what we have been given by God. Our Congregational Nurse and Health Ministry Area help us to be whole physically through health screenings and information sessions on the Second Sunday of each month, an annual health fair, and periodic classes that provide educational information and health screenings. Our Congregational Nurse also helps our pastoral staff in assessment of the needs of our members and in answering questions of our members about the care of their bodies.