Clergy
The vicar has overall responsibility for Pastoral care. The clergy regularly visit people who are housebound, and take Holy Communion to some of those people. The Silklands and Chester House residential care homes are visited on a regular basis. Besides the above, the clergy do urgent one off visits, hospital, and all bereavement visits.
Pastoral Care Coordinator
Margaret Darbyshire is the Coordinator who has a good team of visitors which includes members of the team, and others who visit but do not belong to the official group.
Residential Home Visits
Brenda Harkin, a team member, has special responsibility for Edwards Court visits. Irene Davies and Brenda Harkin (team members) are also responsible for arranging the services held at Edwards Court which are ecumenically based and are proving a very worthwhile and rewarding service to residents. Mothers' Union members are involved with these services, as they befriend a resident and sit with them through the service sharing in tea and biscuits afterwards.
Betty Hubbert is responsible for co-ordinating the Shepley House services by the various organisations from Norbury church, and these seem to be successful and working well.
Ann Smith visits Pembroke court on a weekly basis and also shares the leadership of a Bible study group on Tuesdays with a member of the Baptist Church.
Home Service
This is a taped cassette of the Sunday sermon delivered to homes. It is a valuable service for the house bound and for those who cannot get to church on a Sunday for whatever reason.
Robbie Robinson co-ordinates this service. As well as making copies of the cassette, he adds the music to the tape to make it an enjoyable and easy to listen to recording. 10 people receive this tape on a regular basis and Robbie is assisted in these visits by Vera Buckley and Wendy Williamson. This is another way that Pastoral Care is given to those who accept the tape.
Prayer Chain
This is a specialist request service when prayer is needed by a particular person for a specific concern. It can be for the person themself or on behalf of another person, it can be for a special need such as hospital tests, operation, admission, taking exams, having an interview, happenings around the world, special events, thanks for answered prayer, just to name a few. This is a highly confidential service and is well used. It is activated in the evening by Jean Wilkes.
Baptism Visiting
Lesley Hubbard is the Co-ordinator for the Baptism team, and she has a number of Baptism Visitors who visit the family to explain important points about the meaning of Baptism and the alternative service of Thanksgiving also offered at Norbury as well as getting to know the family. This is a valuable visit and helps in allaying concerns and explaining the contents of the service.
The clergy are members of this team and also do home Baptism visits. Lesley also has a team who deliver Baptism Anniversary cards which are a means of continuing contact with the family for up to three years following the Baptism.
Cath Palmer is leader of the Parents and Tots which provides a valuable follow-on for pastoral contact with parents and their young children.
Pastoral Care for Youth
The main pastoral care for the children and young people is performed by their group leaders from Scramblers to CYFA. These leaders do a tremendous job in this regard and should be thanked for all the work they do in this regard.
In addition to this, Richard Lawry, Cath Palmer and Catie-Anne Harper are on hand to provide pastoral care for the children, young people and their leaders.
Listening Service
Ann Smith, a Licensed Pastoral Worker and Listener, offers a Listening Service. please contact Ann (0161-487 1838) or the Parish office (0161-483 6325) leaving your name and telephone number so that you can be contacted.