This year we are starting a new initiative to have a monthly focus on different aspects of life at Sunnyside. The aim of this is to help us to learn more about life at Sunnyside. We are beginning with Pastoral Care which will be our focus for January.

Pastoral Care is about the ways we seek to share God’s love with others, both members of the church family and people in our wider community. It is also part of how we try to respond to issues of loneliness and isolation which were identified as major concerns in The Listening Project. We seek to offer friendship, prayer and some practical support to those who need it. We cannot offer long term home help or medical care but we can offer suggestions of organisations that may be able to help those who need more care than is possible (or safe) for us to offer.

Pastoral Care includes: pastoral visiting, support for those who are bereaved, social groups (Girls Allowed, Men at Home, the walking group and outings), Songs of praise, lunch club and our new monthly coffee morning which will be starting soon. Pastoral Care is overseen by the clergy and Pastoral Care Action Group which is chaired by Rachel Heath. Our Small Groups are also actively involved in the pastoral care of those who belong to their group. Although pastoral support is often needed by our older folk, other people need care and support too. This often comes through the work of the Children, Families and Youth Action Group.