Care and Spiritual Direction

Aldersgate is a church that expresses its faith in loving care and concern for others. Aldersgate is a healing community for many people who suffer from grief and brokenness. Described below are some of the different ways we offer care and counseling.

The Care Team

The Care Team is a community of laypersons committed to responding to the prayer concerns shared by members in worship each week. They respond primarily through phone calls, letters, cards, and home and hospital visitation. The Care Team meets each Tuesday evening inCokesbury Room 205 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The Food Team, which works with the Care Team, prepares meals for persons in times of crisis like a death or illness. Contact the church office of you know of such needs at 641-5829.

Hearts from Home is an extension of our Care Team. Members of this team do not attend the weekly Care Team meetings, but are willing to pray and send cards from home.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry

The Prayer Shawl Ministry meets on Wednesday evenings in the New Room at 6:00 pm. They make prayer shawls, lap robes, and baby blankets to share with our congregation during the significant events of our lives. Each recipient is held in prayer prior to delivery. If you crochet, or would like to learn how, this is an excellent opportunity to unite with a great group. Contact Phyllis Mitchell for more information.

The Cradle Roll Ministry

Cradle Roll Ministry is for all moms-to-be and new moms. This ministry provides prayer support during pregnancy and can also help out anyway possible such as providing meals for those on bed rest. When the baby is born, the team provides a gift bag for the parents and baby and meals for the family. Throughout the pregnancy and first year of the baby’s life the team will call and check up on the family to see if they have any needs and to see how the baby is doing.
Spiritual Direction

Where is God’s Spirit at work in me? Why don’t I hear anything from God when I ask questions? How can I tell if this is really God’s will? What is God’s purpose for my life? Is Jesus with me now? If so, does he really care about my day-to-day experiences? Where is God when I go through the heartache of death, divorce, job loss, loneliness, etc.?A spiritual director is a person who listens to such questions and joins you there. A spiritual director is also a friend of Jesus, who tends her/his own awareness of Jesus’ presence and guidance. A spiritual director practices spiritual intuition, sensing the movements of the Spirit in your life alongside you. Spiritual Directors are people like Jane Knight, Cheryl Smith, who spend two years developing their art of spiritual listening through the Academy for Spiritual Leadership of the Louisiana United Methodist Conference. This listening and leadership is offered to individuals and groups on retreat.

Cheryl is a Stephen Minister and facilitator for Stephen Ministry Training. She is also a Worship Team Leader with the Crosswalk praise band in the Contemporary Worship Service. She serves as a spiritual director.

Jane is a Social worker with specialized training in Clinical Pastoral Education. She is the Spiritual Director of the Care Team, and is certified as a spiritual director. She leads retreats focusing on the metaphor of pottery.

Phyllis Mitchell serves this community of faith as spiritual director. She is available for times of holy listening whenever requested. She also serves Kairos Outside as spiritual director at retreats and on the council for Kairos Outside.

You may contact us through the church office at 985-641-5829 if interested in learning more about how you or your group can nurture your spiritual formation. We can also assist in helping you locate other spiritual directors in the area if you prefer.