Minister's Musing

Rev. Mark Ward
Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville

June 2007

The way to take the measure of a church community, it has always seemed to me, is in how it responds when its Members are in need. A church may have stunning Sunday worship, challenging social justice initiatives and stimulating classes and social activities, but it is when we are in crisis that we most need the community that church provides: the sympathetic ear, the outstretched hand, the comforting embrace.

This is the work of what we call pastoral care. There are many dimensions to pastoral care, but in essence it amounts to the simple gift of human presence with care and concern. This is part of the work that you called me, your minister, to perform: to be available to you with sympathy and support in times of life crisis. But it is not my work alone; each of us is a link in the chain of concern. Rather than being a duty located in the person of the minister, the work of pastoral care is a ministry – a way of being together that affirms our connection to each other – in which we all participate.

One of my goals is to help us find the best ways of doing that, of ministering to each other when we are in need or crisis or just lost in life. What has become plain to me in the last several years is that coordinating this work is far more than I can do alone. So, last January I asked the Board of Trustees to create a part-time position of Assistant Minister for Pastoral Care to help me assess and respond to pastoral needs in the church. And I am delighted to announce that the Rev. Sarah York has agreed to take on that position.

Sarah has been a part of this community for 30 years. She and her husband, Chuck Campbell, joined UUCA in 1977, but shortly afterward Sarah followed a calling to ministry, going to Harvard Divinity School, where she graduated and was ordained by this congregation in 1982. From 6:30 to 8 PM on Friday, May 25 we will hold a special reception at church in honor of the 25th anniversary of Sarah’s ordination here.

In those 25 years Sarah was busy: serving settled and interim minister positions in UU churches in seven states and London, England; writing four books; and being active as a workshop leader and sought-after guest preacher. During that time, she and Chuck maintained their membership at this church, and last summer they settled in the house they had kept in the Fairview area.

Last year I recruited Sarah to serve as a pastoral care consultant to help us complete the work we’ve been doing the past several years to strengthen and refocus how we do pastoral care. You’ll be hearing more soon about the results of that work. Having done that, she is well-positioned to take on this new assignment – a milestone for our church, which for 57 years has been served by a single minister.

Sarah’s main job will be to coordinate, assist and train our Pastoral Visitors, who will often be the first responders when Members or Friends of our church are in crisis or need. I will work closely with Sarah on our pastoral response and will remain available for visits to anyone who requests it, but my hope is that this new direction will help us all do a better job of taking care of each other.