Pastoral Care at All Saints Parish

The Staff Pastoral Care Team of All Saints Parish comprises the Rector, the Assistant Rector, and the Director of Children's, Youth, and Family Ministries. Working with them are the Lay Pastoral Visitors, who have received training to equip them for this ministry.

Whenever you have a concern or problem you would like to discuss confidentially when a loved one is ill or has died, or whenever a visit with someone from All Saints might be of help to you, please contact a member of the Staff Pastoral Care Team immediately. Please call 617-738-1810 or email David Killian, Leslie Sterling, or Becky Taylor. In an emergency, call The Rev. David Killian at 617-738-1810, ext. 149.

Clergy and Lay Eucharistic Visitors are available to bring communion to parishioners who are shut-in or ill, either at their homes or in a hospital or care facility. Short-term counseling, crisis intervention, and referral to other social service providers are also available.

Any parishioner who knows of someone who could benefit from a call or visit from a member of the Pastoral Care Team should contact the parish office at 617-738-1810 or email office@allsaintsbrookline.org or speak to one of the professional staff. Members of the parish also coordinate volunteers to assist other parishioners by offering rides to church or preparing meals during an emergency. Please contact a member of the parish staff if you need this kind of help or know of someone in the parish who might.

PRAYER LIST

Candles If you wish to add the name to our Prayer List of someone who is ill, facing an operation, or dealing with troubling issues, or add the name of a loved one who has died, please contact Barbara Bembery in the parish office at 617-738-1810, ext 101 or office@allsaintsbrookline.org. The parish staff and the Ministers of Healing and other parishioners pray daily for those on the Prayer List. In addition, you are invited to write your prayer requests in the Book of Thanksgivings and Concerns before the weekend worship services.

MILESTONES

For some, baptism, marriage and death are the primary times of contact with the Church. For most, these are milestone events in a dynamic relationship with the worship life of the Church.

BAPTISM

Baptisms are celebrated during the major worship service on specific Sundays throughout the church year. It is at these times that the full community of faith can participate in the initiation rite and welcome the newly baptized into the Body of Christ. Traditional dates for Baptism are the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus (January), The Easter Vigil (March or April), Pentecost (May or June), and the Sunday after All Saints Day (November). Baptisms occasionally take place at the 5:00 p.m. Saturday worship services as well as during the Sunday 10:30 am service.

MARRIAGE AND BLESSING OF HOLY UNIONS

Wedding Weddings and Blessings of Holy Unions are truly joyous events in the life of the parish. To use the church for a wedding or blessing, one member of the couple must be baptized. Up to four counseling sessions with the officiating clergy person are required. A prior divorce, while requiring additional paperwork from the bishop’s office, is not an overwhelming impediment to the wedding ceremony. We hope that, barring a move to another city, the couple will worship regularly at All Saints after their wedding or blessing ceremony. Explanations regarding the use of the church, fees, flowers, videotaping and other matters are outlined in the Wedding Guideline Pamphlet, available from the church office. Please contact Barbara Bembery at office@allsaintsbrookline.org to request the guidelines.

FUNERALS/MEMORIAL SERVICES

Funerals and Memorial services can be quickly and easily arranged by contacting the church office and speaking with the clergy. The officiant will work with the family to choose music and readings, following the rubrics of The Book of Common Prayer. Funeral services can be performed in the church or at the funeral home, as the family wishes. However, it is preferable to celebrate at All Saints Parish where one’s Christian faith can be nurtured.

COLUMBARIUM

Since 1988, All Saints Parish has provided a reverent resting place for the ashes of those who had died. The Columbarium is located near the Resting Chapel of the Church. Please contact the parish office for the Guidelines that provide information about reserving space for individuals and couples in the Columbarium.

PASTORAL COUNSELING

Parishioners who are experiencing emotional, personal, marital, family, or spiritual issues are encouraged to contact the Clergy. Usually pastoral counseling is short-term, one or two sessions. In cases where longer-term counseling is helpful, clergy will suggest an appropriate referral. To schedule an appointment, please contact The Rev. David Killian at 617-738-1810, ext. 105 or email rectord@allsaintsbrookline.org or The Rev. Leslie Sterling at 617-921-2799 or email ammaleslie@earthlink.net.

HOME VISITS

Clergy would like to visit all of the members of the parish in their homes, at their place of employment or some agreed upon location as well as at the Parish Office. Please contact the Rev. David Killian at rectord@allsaintsbrookline.org or 617-738-1810, ext. 105 or the Rev. Leslie Sterling at ammaleslie@earthlink.net or 617-921-2799 to suggest a convenient date and time. In addition, Lay Pastoral visitors also visit parishioners in their homes or at an agreed upon location.

LAY PASTORAL VISITORS

If you would like to be a part of the ministry of pastoral visitation, please contact the Rev. David Killian at rectord@allsaintsbrookline.org or 617-738-1810, ext. 105 or the Rev. Leslie Sterling at ammaleslie@earthlink.net or 617-921-2799. We will explain what is involved in the ministry and will provide orientation, training, and support for the lay pastoral visitors.