Bishop Clara’s Special Brand of Pastoral Care Comes to Grace Church

Bishop Clara spent a couple of busy days at Grace Church as part of her visit to her Prince George churches August 23 through 26. 

On Sunday, she first led the early eucharist and met the smaller, less formal “8 o’Clock” worshippers in the church and at the Church of Tim Horton. Then at 10:00 a.m. she celebrated a fuller, more formal Eucharist (keeping in mind Grace’s informal style of “formal”!), with the larger worship group, followed by lunch and more getting acquainted.

On Monday, Parish Council and Bp. Clara met for leadership pastoral care.  Bp. Clara led the group through a history and remembering activity which helped us honour where we came from and what we experienced to become who we are today. We were blessed that the group included members of two of the original founding families as well as two of the newest members.

Following a quick lunch break, the Bishop asked us three probing questions nested in three big circles:

What are we known for?

What are we good at?

What are the needs of our outer community?

The conversations in response to these questions gave us the confidence to consider two more questions:

What is working?

What is not working?

In closing, Bp. Clara used our own words and insights to point out that there is more working in favour of Grace Church than what is not working, and we can draw on what we are known for and what we are good at to address the needs of our Outer Community within a greater circle of God’s love.  She reminded us, holding up one of our self-descriptions:

We do not have to do everything perfectly,

Life is messy, it is okay to make mistakes,

We can have fun and be resilient too,

We do not have to do everything.

This is all part of being a healthy vital church.

Grace is truly blessed to have had this time with our chief Pastor and to receive her tender pastoral care.

Respectfully submitted,

Ken Ponsford