NEW! STEPHEN MINISTRY AT WUMC!
The Importance of Prayer: Praying Right Now
"So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer" (Ezra 8:23).
Our congregation will commission the three trained Stephen Leaders, Rev. Lynn Barton, Rev. Judy Baskin, and lay member Mary Lou Batlan during worship on Sunday, August 28.  Finding Stephen Ministers is the next step for our congregation's Stephen Ministry. Right now we are praying for the individuals God is calling to serve as caregivers. Please include this need in your prayers. God answers our prayers because he is faithful. For more information about Stephen Ministry, contact Pastor Lynn at 327-1335 or click here to email him.  

CONGREGATIONAL CARE
Our vision is simple: to become a community in which we extend the healing love of Christ to one another. The church cannot take the place of doctors, nurses, counselors and healthcare professionals, but our church community can make a difference in healing and transforming lives. We look for guidance in the Book of Acts when the apostles appointed people from among the church community to look after widows and orphans. 

When a church member has a reason to celebrate, we want to be there, spreading our joy about God’s blessing. When a church member encounters illness, depression, death, or tragic circumstances, the members of our community want to be there, offering care and concern appropriate to the situation, whether it is prayer, companionship and listening, conversation and discussion, groceries and meals, transportation, household tasks, or family care.

Guided by this vision, we want congregational care at Westlake UMC to become a multi-level care system made of six interconnected parts: the PrayerNet, CareNet Zones, Caring & Calling Teams, Life-Skills Groups, Pastoral Care, and Congregational Care Leaders. 

1. The PrayerNet is a network linking members of the Westlake Prayer Team who will pray confidentially for celebrations and concerns sent out electronically. Those who seek prayers can fill out a request card in the sanctuary or church office, contact the church office by e-mail (office@Westlake-umc.org), or submit a prayer request through our website. Prayers can be marked “confidential” or “urgent” by the person submitting the prayer. In response to requests, pastoral prayers will be sent out over the PrayerNet. The Prayer Net is available 24/7. 
2. The CareNet is a network of neighborhood-based congregational care zones. Members of Westlake UMC are assigned to a CareNet Zone by their address. We would like CareNet groups to meet at least once a year in fellowship, so that our members in neighborhoods get to know each other. Members of the CareNet Zones are linked by email to the church office. When a request for assistance has been received for a Westlake member of a CareNet Zone who has suffered illness, loss, or unusual hardship, a CareAlert message will be sent to the members of his or her CareNet zone, alerting them to the situation and to the type of assistance that may be needed. Assistance can be in the form of a card or phone call, hospital visits, help with household tasks or children, and food deliveries. 
3. Caring and Calling Teams are teams of members who members by card or phone. The New Members Coordinator contacts guests and new members and helps guide them in connecting with the Westlake UMC community.
4. Life-Skills Groups are seminars, small group discussions, or training offered or hosted by Westlake UMC that guide members of Westlake UMC in life-skills such as marriage enrichment, parenting, anger and stress management, and also in grief, divorce and addiction recovery
5. Pastoral Care is provided by the ministerial team of Westlake UMC in response to a number of situations, including depression, addictions, illness, hospitalization, accidents or disasters, and death.
6. The Congregational Care Team are members of Westlake UMC who undergo training in congregational care, are available for leading Life-Skills groups, and who carry out home and hospital visitation, homebound communion, and flower delivery. Congregational Care Members also help coordinate care through the CareNet zones. The Congregational Care Team and members of CareNet zones notify the Westlake UMC ministerial team if they become aware of conditions that require focused pastoral care.

 If you would like more information, need the services of one of these ministries, or would like to participate in one, click here to send your request.