DISCIPLES
OF
PRAYER/LIFELINE

A purposeful life, psychologists say, reaps rewards ranging from increased contentment and better health to even, perhaps, longevity.

In this parish one stewardship group offers two-pronged opportunity to do well by doing good.  Sacred Heart Disciples of Prayer/Lifeline taps into the altruism of two types of volunteers:  callers and pray-ers.

The pray-ers are older seniors who, with rare exception, live alone and are not as active as they once were.  But they can pray for others.  The callers, of any age, are those willing to make regular phone calls reconnecting these often-isolated seniors with a parish community that still values their contribution as vital to the life of the church.

It works like this:  the pastor sends out letters to potential pray-ers, asking if they'd agree to participate in the prayer program; if so, they would be phoned initially by volunteer program coordinators Ann Suplee or Liz Norman.  Subsequently, the two women would match each participating senior with a caller who'd then establish rapport and decide with the pray-er on the frequency of future phone calls.

Dual purpose of those calls is to keep in touch, and to provide pray-ers with new petitions made known to the Parish Center by parishioners.

Privacy is guarded in the handling of these petitions.  Only first names or unidentifiable descriptions of a situation are used:  3-year-old Naomi has an as-yet undiagnosed disease;  Joe (not "Joe, who lost his job and is looking for work") could benefit from prayers; a mother would appreciate prayers for her intention; a young adult could use heavenly help in her career.

Prayers can be requested for any reason, none needing to be articulated, and for anyone in or outside the parish.  Pray-ers are given details only within privacy parameters, and they are told when "their" beneficiaries no longer need their help.

New pray-ers are sent prayer booklets to inspire, but not require.  Specific kinds or numbers of prayers are not prescribed.  Some seniors pray at a certain time daily, others at random.  Some simply opt to say spiritual ejaculations whenever they wish.  But however they choose to participate, they do so with faith that they are making a difference.

Coordinators and callers, too, realize that their joint ministry to and with the pray-ers ripples into an additional ministry--to the invisible beneficiaries whose needs have been handed on high by people who never had to leave home to do good.

Purposeful lives, all around.