Care Ministries
Vistitors and New Members
The purpose of Visitor and New Member ministry is to provide a warm welcome for newcomers. Participants in this ministry serve as ushers at the 8:15 or 10:30 services, greet people at the front door with a warm smile and a word of welcome at 9:15 or 10:15, take homemade bread to visitors, and help host newcomer gatherings. Visitors are welcomed after each service during the Meet and Greet hosted by parishioners.
Pastoral Care Giving
Pastoral Care is a warm and vital ministry at St. Aidan's. Our pastoral care team meets weekly for parish oversight, reflection, and card ministry. Each week one member of the team has care giver of the week duty. Members of the team maintain the prayer list that is printed in the bulletin, and pray daily for those in need. Pastoral care assistants help with weekly visitations, taking flowers and delivering food in times of need. St. Aidan's offers training for one-on-one pastoral care giving as a Stephen Minister. Finally, lay healers provide laying on of hands at our healing Eucharist on the second Sunday of each month.
Outreach
The Outreach Commission at St. Aidan’s has a long history of being supportive and active in a number of local ministries, including the Mission of the Holy Spirit (the dioceses’ mission in Norfolk), Habitat for Humanity, Seton House (located adjacent to the church), and the Shawl Ministry. In addition we are active in Meals on Wheels, Soup Kitchen, Blood Drives, and several recurring fund raising activities – primarily for cancer, which has affected many families in the parish. The parish provides holiday support to a few local families at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Historically we have sponsored immigrant families, supported the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center, Norfolk Urban Outreach, Episcopal Boys Home and various prison ministries.
The Outreach Commission has set a goal of having every member of the parish participate in at least one outreach activity this year. To that end, we are targeting activities that allow people to become personally involved in the community. Through this approach we hope to increase personal commitment to spreading the gospel in the community outside of St. Aidan’s.
Worship
St. Aidan's members participate in worship ministry by reading the scripture lessons at the Sunday services (lector), serving the wine at the Eucharist (chalicer), leading the Prayers of the People, preparing and cleaning the altar (Altar Guild), carrying the torches or processional cross (acolyte), serving at the altar (server), carrying the gifts at the offertory (oblation bearer), and serving as an usher.
