CARE AND PRAYER COMMITTEE
2016-2017 Annual Report
Jean Heasley, Chair

Mission:  To provide comfort, encouragement and assistance to FPC members in times of bereavement or illness, to promote the health and wellness of the congregation, and to offer opportunities for individuals to pray for one another and for the concerns of the church.

Members:  Jean Heasley (Chair), Jackye Cannon, Shirley Dukes, B.C. Linton, Dell Schooler, and Joanne Tralmer.

2016 Accomplishments:

1. GriefShare grief support group met for two 13-week series of sessions, spring and fall, on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the FLC Library.  These video and discussion sessions for anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one are open to church members and to the community and averaged 8 -16 participants per series.  Thanks to the Kitchen Ministry who provide a light supper prior to meetings.  Jackye Cannon, Frances Closson and Jean Heasley facilitated these sessions.

2. Surviving the Holidays, a special GriefShare support seminar, was held on November 20 in the church parlor.  This seminar was open to the public with 14 in attendance. 

3. College Care mailings were sent to 30 college students on the week following Thanksgiving.  A letter of encouragement and invitation to a holiday dinner at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Green, along with a Connections bulletin and a gift card were sent to each student.

4. Home Communion was served monthly to homebound members unable to attend church services this year.  Visitation and telephone calls were made to other homebound members.  Joanne Tralmer coordinates these activities.

5. Cards are provided at the Welcome Desk each Sunday to be signed by members of the congregation and mailed to those members dealing with illness, grief or other cares.  Joan Purdom coordinates this activity.          
6. Prayer Shawls have been prepared by the Mission Sewing Group.

7. Blessing Bags of small items for anyone hospitalized, in chemo treatment, surgery or homebound illness are available in the church office.

8. Health and Wellness Bulletin Board is located in the main church hallway and has been updated as needed by Dell Schooler.

9. Military Bulletin Board is located in the main church hallway and has been added to and updated as new information is provided.  FPC college students have been added to this bulletin board.  This year’s Vacation Bible School participants again wrote thank you notes to service members.

10. Peppy Pacers, an active group of walkers, continue to meet three times weekly on Monday, Thursday and Friday mornings in the FLC.  Pat Ezell coordinates this group.

11. Stretching Body and Soul, an exercise class stressing balance and flexibility continues to meet weekly on Tuesdays in the FLC, averaging 8 - 15 members weekly.  Prayer for all needs is a regular time of each session.  Dell Schooler and Pat Ezell coordinate these classes.  In May, Tai Chi sessions led by Linda Pfeiffer were introduced in these fitness/yoga programs.

12.  A Prayer Session group met every Tuesday morning with Rev. John Dearman in his office prior to his departure in August.  The C&P Committee is trying to establish a new regular time for members to pray together.
13. An updated church-wide prayer list is maintained and distributed by email to all prayer warriors in the Stretching Body and Soul classes and to Bible study and Sunday groups.

14. A number of cancer awareness and support events were held in 2016:

• February 7, wholeness and healing service was conducted at both worship services.
• In April, FPC volunteers prepared for the Relay for Life by registering participants, collecting money and creating luminaries, and collecting donations for quilt raffle.  The sewing group contributed the quilt to be raffled.  Altogether, more funds were raised for this Relay than at any time in the past.

15. April 29-30, the ACS Conroe Relay for Life was held at Conroe HS stadium with Kathy Haines as coordinator.
16. June 5, Cancer Survivor Day was celebrated with ribbons given to all survivors during church services.

Goals and Objectives for 2017:

1. Continue GriefShare series of sessions for spring and fall.

2. Continue grief support Surviving the Holidays seminar in the fall.

3. Continue ongoing exercise programs promoting health and wellness, Stretching Body and Soul and Peppy Pacers.

4. Continue support of college students through College Care mailings.

5. Provide ongoing services to homebound, hospitalized or bereaved members.

6. Maintain the bulletin board of FPC college students and military members.

7. Update and publicize resources such as Blessing Bags that are available to members.

8. Reestablish regular small group prayer sessions.

9. Hold a Wednesday Night Live program on communal prayer.

10. Propose a Men’s Prayer Breakfast to be coordinated with other Session committees.