419 Turnpike Road. Mills River, NC 28759
- 419 Turnpike Road. Mills River, NC 28759
Phone: (828) 891-9375
Pastoral Care
Pastoral care is a quiet yet powerful ministry, providing comfort, support, and resources for families and community members experiencing illness, loss, and other life challenges. It is rooted in the belief that by caring for each other, God’s love and grace is made visible in a community. We believe that as Christians we are called to love and serve one another, just as Christ loved and served us. We follow his example by being there for one another, especially during difficult times.
Pastoral care takes many forms at Holy Family, including prayer, spiritual counseling, visiting the sick, keeping vigil with the dying, and comforting the bereaved. Tracey, our priest, offers sacramental care from our prayer book – confession and absolution, ministration to the sick, ministration at the time of death, funerals, and weddings. Pastoral care is primarily a listening ministry, and she regularly engages in pastoral conversation – with those experiencing crisis and with those seeking a deeper relationship with Christ. Clergy members are central to pastoral care but are not the only resource serving this special area of ministry. Guided by our pastoral care coordinator, our pastoral care team – which includes our priest, deacon, and several lay members – is ready to provide support in times of adversity, when encouragement is needed, to join in celebration, or any day when someone desires it.
The pastoral care team intentionally remembers the needs of the parish within our personal prayers and daily devotions. When requested, our Eucharistic Visitors will take communion to the home (or care facility) for members unable to attend Sunday worship. Other members knit prayer shawls and prayer squares as a tangible and touchable reminder of God’s love. We also have an ongoing ministry at Holy Family to keep in touch with our church family with cards for birthdays, anniversaries, get well wishes, and congratulations.
Our Sunday morning prayer list is managed by our parish administrator and is printed weekly in the Sunday service bulletin. Please reach out to Jeanne if there is someone for whom you would like us to pray.
If you or someone you love is sick, making an important decision, traveling, or in any kind of need, we would be happy to pray for you and with you. Please contact Liz, our Pastoral Care Coordinator, so that our pastoral care team may be made aware of situations where special attention is needed.
Fellowship
Fellowship is a ministry unto itself at Holy Family. The parish family of Holy Family is a warm, welcoming, and relational community that exists to love God and one another. Because Holy Family is a smaller church, it is easier for a newcomer to quickly become a part of our common life.
We regularly gather to celebrate our commonality and affection for each other. And, honestly, we enjoy hanging out with each other. We gather for holiday celebrations and Lenten soup suppers. We often go out to lunch at a local brewery after church. In early July, we have “Pie Sunday” … just because who doesn’t love pie? And on Thursday evenings during the summer, you will find us sitting in the parking lot in camp chairs, at our monthly Grill and Chill.
We are so blessed that Kelly B., a gifted and certified yoga instructor, has offered to teach gentle yoga classes at Holy Family. Three Fridays a month at 10:00 am, she leads us in sessions of spirituality and low-impact yoga, suitable for all ages and mobility levels.
In this community, you can be known and get to know others in a way that enhances both life and faith. Our unofficial motto “Finding Faith through Fellowship” arose from conversations with several new members. They have told us that a longing for meaningful connection to community, particularly in a post-pandemic world, lead them to Holy Family. They found fellowship at Holy Family, but from this fellowship, faith grew.
Youth and Family Ministry
At Holy Family Church, our greatest wish is that youngest among us will feel loved and cherished!
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
On Sunday mornings, our children and youth begin the worship service in the sanctuary with their parents. If they need a break during the service, we have a kids’ area at the side of the worship space with puzzles, beads, and books to enjoy quietly. Any child is welcome to get their wiggles out during the service back there!
Our youth group takes an active role at Holy Family. Throughout the year, youth gather for fun outings and fellowship gatherings. Not only do these events foster community and fun, but they also play a vital role in the faith formation of our youth group. Each year the youth puts on an Easter egg hunt for the children’s program. Our youth group is also very involved in Diocesan events, like middle school retreat, fall, and spring conferences. The children and youth are part of the Backpack Program at a local elementary school. Each month they fill over 40 bags of non-perishable food. These bags are given to children at the school who may be food insecure, and the food is to last them through the weekend. We love this program, and our kids enjoy praying over the bags before we take them to the school!
Our diocesan camp and conference center, Camp Henry at Lake Logan, is one of our most cherished traditions. Every summer a number of our youth make their way to the mountain for a week (or more) of camping, community building, and faith formation. It is a highlight of the summer for all who attend.
Christian Formation
Christian Faith Formation is defined in the Episcopal Church “lifelong growth in the knowledge, service, and love of God as followers of Christ…informed by Scripture, Tradition, and Reason. The Reverend Dr. Pamela Dolan suggested this definition: “Christian formation is a lifelong process, occurring in community, that shapes you into the person God created you to be.”
At Holy Family, we offer a variety of Christian formation classes. These classes aren’t about attending school or checking boxes on God’s list. This is the place and time to dig deep and learn new things; and to engage your heart and intellect as you explore your own faith and beliefs. We often meet in the annex, the small building next to the church. For more information on upcoming Christian formation gatherings, please see our Events page.
Credits: Photos by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash and by Jack Finnigan on Unsplash