PASTORAL CARE AT REDEEMER

Pastoral care may include practical guidance, but it is more than giving advice. A pastor is called to care for souls with the Word of God.

This means listening carefully, taking suffering seriously, applying God’s Law honestly, and proclaiming the Gospel clearly. It means helping people recognize sin without leaving them in despair. It means announcing the forgiveness Jesus purchased through His death and resurrection. It means praying with those who hurt and pointing them away from uncertain feelings to the dependable promises of Christ.

Pastoral care does not promise quick answers to every problem. It offers something deeper: the presence of Christ through His Word, His forgiveness, His Sacraments, and the care of His Church.

You may request a private conversation with the pastor concerning any spiritual or personal concern.

People commonly seek pastoral care when they are:

• Carrying guilt or struggling with a particular sin
• Grieving the death of someone they love
• Preparing for surgery or facing a serious diagnosis
• Experiencing difficulties within a marriage or family
• Caring for an aging or seriously ill family member
• Wrestling with anxiety, fear, anger, or loneliness
• Questioning their faith or feeling distant from God
• Returning to church after a long absence
• Making a difficult decision
• Preparing for marriage
• Facing the end of life
• Seeking prayer, encouragement, or spiritual guidance

You do not need to organize your thoughts or know exactly what to say. The conversation can begin wherever you are.

One of the most personal forms of Lutheran pastoral care is individual confession and absolution.

Christians confess their sins together during the Divine Service, but there are times when a particular sin continues to burden the conscience. Private confession provides an opportunity to name that burden before the pastor and hear Christ’s forgiveness spoken directly and personally.

The pastor does not forgive by his own authority. He speaks as Christ has commanded His Church to speak: “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Private confession is not intended to frighten, shame, or control anyone. It exists so that troubled sinners may hear the Gospel with certainty. The goal is not humiliation, but consolation.

You do not need to wait until you feel worthy of forgiveness. Christ’s absolution is for sinners who need mercy.

Please contact the church whenever you or a family member is hospitalized, preparing for surgery, recovering at home, or facing a serious illness.

Hospitals do not always notify churches when a member has been admitted. A direct call from the individual or family helps us respond as quickly as possible.

During a hospital or home visit, the pastor may read Scripture, pray, offer Holy Communion when appropriate, and provide spiritual support to the individual and family. Short visits are often best for someone who is seriously ill or recovering.

If you would like the pastor to visit before a scheduled surgery or procedure, please contact the church as early as possible.

Christians who can no longer attend the Divine Service because of age, illness, disability, or recovery remain an important part of the congregation.

The pastor regularly visits homebound members to share God’s Word, pray, provide pastoral conversation, and bring the Lord’s Supper. These visits connect members to the worshiping life of the congregation and remind them that they have not been forgotten.

Family members are encouraged to notify the church when someone becomes unable to attend regularly or moves into a hospital, rehabilitation center, assisted-living community, or nursing facility.

When illness or physical limitations prevent a member from attending the Divine Service, the pastor may bring Holy Communion to the home, hospital, or care facility.

This is not simply a friendly visit accompanied by a religious symbol. Christ gives His true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Through this Sacrament, He strengthens faith and gives His people the same gifts being received by the congregation gathered at the altar.

Family members may be present during the visit and participate in the prayers and Scripture readings.

Death is an enemy. Christians do not need to pretend otherwise.

When someone dies, the Church grieves with the family while proclaiming the victory of Jesus Christ over death and the grave. Christian hope does not deny sorrow. It rests upon Christ’s bodily resurrection and His promise to raise His people on the Last Day.

Please contact the pastor as soon as possible following a death, preferably before final arrangements are made. The pastor can assist the family in preparing a Christian funeral centered upon Christ, His Word, Holy Baptism, and the hope of the resurrection.

Pastoral care does not end when the funeral concludes. Grief continues in different ways and on different timelines. The pastor and congregation remain available to listen, pray, remember, and walk with those who mourn.

Christian marriage is a lifelong union of one man and one woman, instituted by God and blessed for companionship, faithfulness, family, and mutual care.

Couples seeking marriage at Redeemer should contact the pastor early in their planning. Premarital instruction provides time to discuss the biblical meaning of marriage, communication, forgiveness, expectations, finances, family relationships, and life together as Christians.

Pastoral care is also available when marriages encounter difficulty. Couples do not need to wait until their relationship reaches a breaking point before asking for help.

The pastor may also recommend assistance from a qualified Christian counselor or another appropriate professional when specialized care would be beneficial.

Holy Baptism is not merely a family tradition or public dedication. In Baptism, God joins sinners to the death and resurrection of Christ, washes away sin, gives the Holy Spirit, and places His name upon His children.

Parents who desire Baptism for a child are encouraged to contact the pastor. Adults who have not been baptized or who are uncertain about their Baptism may also request a conversation.

Pastoral preparation helps individuals and families understand the promises God gives in Baptism and the importance of continuing in the Christian faith through worship, catechesis, prayer, and life within the congregation.

Christians sometimes struggle with doubt. They may question God’s goodness, wonder whether He hears their prayers, feel uncertain about something the Bible teaches, or struggle to believe that Christ’s forgiveness truly applies to them.

Questions should not be hidden out of embarrassment. A pastoral conversation can provide a safe place to speak honestly and examine those questions in the light of Scripture.

Faith does not rest upon our ability to eliminate every difficult feeling. Faith receives the promises of Christ. When our faith feels weak, Christ remains faithful.

Redeemer’s pastor and congregation regularly pray for those who are sick, grieving, serving in dangerous occupations, traveling, facing important decisions, or experiencing other needs.

Prayer requests may be shared publicly with the congregation or kept private, according to the wishes of the individual. When submitting a request for another person, please be considerate of that person’s privacy.

Prayer is not our attempt to persuade a reluctant God to care. We pray because God has invited us to call upon Him and has promised to hear us for the sake of Christ.

Pastoral care addresses spiritual needs through Scripture, prayer, confession, absolution, and the Sacraments. It does not replace appropriate medical treatment, professional counseling, legal advice, or emergency services.

At times, the pastor may encourage someone to seek help from a physician, licensed counselor, emergency responder, attorney, or another qualified professional. Receiving specialized help is not a failure of faith. God often cares for people through the skills and vocations of others.

When appropriate and with permission, pastoral care can continue alongside professional treatment.

Pastoral conversations are treated with care and appropriate confidentiality.

A person should be able to speak honestly with the pastor without fear of gossip or unnecessary disclosure. Private confession and absolution are approached with particular reverence and pastoral care.

Pastoral care does not begin with the assumption that Christians should always appear strong, cheerful, or successful.

The theology of the cross teaches us to look for God where He has promised to be found: in Jesus Christ crucified for sinners. Christ does not stand at a distance from human suffering. He entered it. He bore our sin, guilt, judgment, and death. He rose again so that suffering and death will not have the final word.

The pastor may not be able to explain why a particular hardship has occurred. He can point you to the Savior who entered suffering for you and who remains faithful within it.

You do not need to hide your wounds from Christ. He comes for the wounded.

To request a conversation, hospital visit, home visit, private confession, prayer, or other pastoral care, please contact the Redeemer church office.

Please include your name, preferred contact information, and a brief description of your need. You do not need to provide personal details in an initial email or voicemail. Those matters can be discussed privately.

If there is an immediate threat to someone’s life or safety, please contact emergency services first and then notify the church.

Pastor Johnson will respond as soon as reasonably possible and arrange an appropriate time to speak or visit.

The Church cannot promise that every hardship will disappear quickly. We can promise to listen, pray, speak the truth of God’s Word, and point you to the mercy of Jesus Christ.

You do not need to have the right words. You do not need to solve the problem before asking for help. You do not need to prove that your burden is serious enough.

Christ receives sinners, comforts the grieving, strengthens the weak, and forgives the guilty.

Christ crucified and risen, for you.