Sunny Notes: 05.06.26 - Caring
This past Sunday, we created a service oriented around care, and more specifically, pastoral care within the BUF community. We have been developing a robust Pastoral Care Team, who we introduced at the service. In addition to long-time Care Team members Rick Steele, Carola Tossetti, and Ted Williams, we are thrilled to have recently welcomed to the team Pam Graham, Maryann Welch, and Rev. Marsha Vollkommer. Each spoke a bit about their particular zones of genius and passions around providing care. I'm including below a few snippets from what they shared so our BUF community sees the breadth and depth of what our Care Team brings to the table:
Pam Graham is a retired psychotherapist who offers comfort through connection by listening deeply.
Rick Steele loves to learn more about folks by listening carefully to understand concerns and help find a path forward together. His work as an elder planning specialist regularly connects him with leaders of agencies and nonprofits who provide resources in our community that help people age well.
Ted Williams is a retired administrator and teacher at a tribal college with a counseling degree. From his own experience, he knows that giving and receiving really are one and the same thing.
Carola Tossetti facilitates BUF's phone ministry, which began during COVID as a way to stay in touch. Folks appreciated these check-in calls so much, Carola has continued this practice.
Maryann Welch loves supporting children and families in our congregation, as well as individuals. A former social worker, she is familiar with local resources (e.g., basic needs, mental health, finding counseling, parenting support) and also has a lot of knowledge of personal experiences such as grief, cancer, depression, anxiety, and hard topics.
Rev. Marsha Vollkommer was Priest Associate for Pastoral Care at St. Paul's Episcopal Church before joining BUF. Enough said. :)
We also included an insert in the Order of Service that folks filled out if they might be willing to offer help here and there (e.g., cook a meal, give a ride, provide an hour of childcare). I was blown away by how many forms we received - THANK YOU to each and every person who filled out this form! You have no idea how much this will help our BUF community.
I will close with words from Rev. Marsha, who spoke eloquently about the pastoral care each and every member of this community is providing every day:
"Pastoral care is not called pastoral because it belongs to a pastor or minister or a priest. It is pastoral in the shepherding sense. We are part of a large flock, here at BUF, in our families, in our neighborhoods, and in our communities, and it falls to all of us at some time or another to be the shepherd. All of us practice pastoral care in myriad ways every day whether we realize it or not, whether we call it that or not...We are all here for one another—it is one of the things that makes this such an amazing community."
This is an amazing community full of care, and I am grateful to be a part of it. If you or someone you know needs a little of this care, please reach out to us at caring@buf.org.
— Rev. Sunny, minister