Pastoral Care
The First Presbyterian Church of Orlando engages in an active ministry of pastoral care for our members and friends through several venues:
- Hospital Calls/Visitation
- Prayer
- Pastoral Counseling
- Home Communion
- Minor home repair
- Bereavement services
- Funeral pre-planning
- Walking the Mourner’s Path
- “As Families Grow Older” Program
- Healing Services
Home Communion
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." - Matthew 18:20
The purpose of home communion at First Presbyterian Church is to bring the elements of Jesus Christ to our members who are no longer able to come to the Lord’s table at church. All of the people served are home bound due to illness or age.
Communion is delivered to the homebound on the last Saturday of each month. Each team giving communion consists of an elder or minister and one or two deacons. The service is generally quite brief, as we are not there to give a church service with a sermon, but to deliver the sacrament of communion.
A second component of the home communion is done the 3rd Thursday of each month at Westminster Towers. There we deliver the communion service to many of the residents at the Health Care Center. There can be 25 to 35 residents able to join us on any given visit. We are there to assist Rev. Jane Wesson, the Westminster Towers’ Chaplain. This is a very meaningful service as each person generally has extreme health challenges at this time in his/her life. We try to give special attention to each and every one.
The Home Communion is a very moving experience, both for the participants and those assisting. Many times we have provided the last communion service that these members have received. They are all so very appreciative, but those of us who serve receive so much from them. It has been a very touching experience for all of us who have participated.
If you know of someone who is in need of Home Communion, please contact the Pastoral Care office at 407.423.3441 x1455 or email the request to tsmith@fpco.org.
Hospital Calls
"I was sick and you visited me..." - Matthew 25:36
The full pastoral staff makes hospital calls to anyone who requests care—members and non-members. A listing of all those people requesting care is distributed to the church staff daily.
The hospitals are no longer able to notify us of our members who are hospitalized. If you know of someone who is in the hospital, please notify the Pastoral Care office at 407.423.3441 x1455.
For pastoral emergencies outside of the 8:30am to 5:00pm church office hours, please leave a voice mail message at the main church number 407.423.3441 x1911. The message center will page the minister on call, who will reply as soon as possible.