by Michael Howe-Smith, Pastoral Care Ministry

I’m sure you’d agree with the sentiment in my headline. The words are taken from one of our UU covenants. This one continues:

Love is the spirit of this church and service is its law. This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another. – James Vila Blake

Notice how the covenant begins by emphasizing service and continues by teaching how we may serve: Help one another.

One of the saddest moments of my UU life occurred when I lived in Cincinnati. A church member committed suicide. He had kept his problems to himself. No-one knew what he was suffering, what help he needed or how we could have supported him. To this day I am haunted by the thought, “if only I had known.”

Here, at Washington Crossing we, the members of the Pastoral and Caring Ministry, are charged with helping our fellow congregants in their times of need, Joy or Sorrow. If you, or someone you know, is in need of support please let us know. Speak with our minister or with one of us. Call the office. Tech savvy? then EMail caring@UUCWC.org. We’ll do our level best to find support and give it in a loving, caring and confidential way.

But that’s only half the story. We can’t do everything by ourselves. We rely on you, gentle reader, to offer your time and talents – as much as you are able – to help us do the good work. To that end we use the website Lotsa Helping Hands to record your willingness to help. Please register online or email caring@uucwc.org and we’ll do the registration for you.

Allow me to finish with a quote from Ecclesiasticus:

Woe to him that is alone when he falleth,
for he hath not another to help him up.

You are not alone. Allow us to help you up.