Pastoral care is exhausting, time-consuming, and often goes unnoticed by most of the congregation-which may be why it’s so tempting for pastors to neglect it, as I once did. Each pastor makes choices about how much time and spiritual vitality he or she will put into each of these tasks. I fall short, but I try my best to provide pastoral care to the church I serve, a sacred responsibility that seems to be falling lower and lower on the job description of many pastors.
I’m sure I have, at times, let people down and failed to show enough care in difficult moments. Let me establish upfront that I am far from perfect in living out my pastoral calling. And I know the hospitals, rehab centers, and retirement communities. My cell phone recognizes the numbers of many of our members, and usually I recognize their voices on the other end of the line. I’m a pastor, and I believe in providing pastoral care to the people I serve. I know where to find the ICU and when most visitors are not allowed. I know which entrance to use and where the stairwells are.
There are three in our community, and I have a preferred parking location at each.
