Pastoral Care
Hello. I’m Bridey Hentschel, I help co-ordinate Pastoral Care at Latimer.
My role is to support and assist Pastors, Growth Group Leaders, and church members in caring for everyone in church. As brothers and sisters in Christ, it is our responsibility to look out for each other, care for one another, and pray for one another.
Below you will find some information about some of the pastoral care opportunities we provide for our community, for more information please see our pastoral care booklet
If you have any questions or would like to access any support on offer, please don’t hesitate to contact me via:
email: bridey@latimerchurch.nz
Supporting People at Latimer
Senior Saints
Supporting the senior members of our congregation
Communion on Wheels
The Communion on Wheels ministry delivers communion to your doorstep if you are unable to attend church on a regular basis
Visiting
If you can’t go out often or attend church or a growth group frequently, having church members regularly visit you at home can help you stay connected with your church family.
Meals for Mums
Supporting mums and families at Latimer
Meals for Mums is a Latimer ministry providing 6 meals to any new mum after giving birth. The coordinator of this ministry will check in with the mother to see how she’s doing, and if she requires any additional support.
We have women in our congregations who are midwives, and we can call on them for help with any issues related to childbirth or breastfeeding.
Latimer Community Meals
Supporting tough times with food
The church kitchen has a freezer stocked with meals of different sizes ready to go for those that are in need of practical support. Anyone from our church community can access these meals to take to members in need.
Marriage
Pre-marriage Preparation
Pre-marriage preparation is designed to help engaged couples prepare for marriage. At Latimer, we have two trained couples who offer this ministry. The engaged couple meets with their mentoring couple about four times before the wedding, and then around four times during the first year of marriage.
Investing in Your Marriage
There are a number of options available to invest in your marriage:
Marriage Mentoring
Marriage mentoring is available for any married couple who would like to invest in their relationship for a year. The programme includes 10 monthly mentoring sessions with an experienced trained couple. To find out more, see https://familylife.nz/marriage-mentoring/.
The mentoring programme covers topics such as gratitude, showing love, money, peace and priorities, fun and recreation, and communication.
Building a Safe and Strong Marriage
This is a marriage course that Latimer runs every year (usually in the third term) for couples who want to invest in their marriage. This course runs for 5 weeks and covers the following topics:
- God’s design for marriage.
- What damages our connectedness in marriage.
- Building the positives – friendship and communication.
- Building the positives – sex and spirituality.
- Managing conflict gently.
Talk to a Pastor
If you need help to address struggles in your marriage, we suggest talking to one of Latimer’s Pastors first. They can meet with you, offer prayer, and suggest options for support.