Visitation

Visiting means connection and caring. Whether the reason is to share tragedy or joy, being a visitor is a way of “being church” with each other. We invite you to become a member of one of our visitation teams. You will be enriched as you bring God’s love to others.

Homebound and Life Care Facility Visitors

Volunteers are assigned the names of person (seniors or otherwise shut-in members and friends of Wesley Church) who are homebound, often unable to come to church, and who appreciate our assistance and an occasional visit. Visitors may go to see these people as often as they feel visits are needed. Typically our visitors stay in touch through phone calls, letters, as well as quarterly face to face visits which include the opportunity of sharing the sacrament of Holy Communion with these individuals.

Hospital Visitors

The Hospital Visitation team members are lay people who are specially trained to visit those who are sick or recovering, whether in the hospital or at home. They provide encouragement, a listening ear, and prayer, and can be called upon to anoint the sick person with oil if desired. They also connect sick people with other services that might be needed, such as meals or transportation.

Patients of the Allentown and Bethlehem Hospitals are reminded to enter Code 815 during your Admission Process; this will assist in notification of the team of your hospitalization. Patients in the Easton Hospital are advised to provide those collecting information with Code M26.

Bereavement Visitor

Our Bereavement Caregivers provide support, comfort and care for members and friends of Wesley Church who have recently experienced a loss and are grieving. These Lay volunteers have been selected because of their skill sets and their ability to assist other in dealing with grief and loss from a Christian perspective by exploring the phases of grief recovery, the tasks of grief, and the changes of faith that accompany any grief experience.

New Baby Visitors

Extending a warm welcome and the greetings of the congregation to families of the new born (members and friends of Wesley Church alike) is just one of the benefits of being a new baby visitors. These volunteers schedule visits into the homes of newborns and their families within six months of the birth of the child; delivering a small parenting gift from the congregation and any available parenting guides from the church library. The visit are made in an atmosphere of care and support, renewing the pledge made by the congregation at the child’s baptism to surround this child with a community of love and forgiveness that they may grow in their service to others.

Hospice Care Visitor

Growing out of their own end of life experiences is the ministry of our newest visitation team, the Hospice Care Team. Comprised of both professional in the health field and lay persons these volunteers are available to assist the dying patient and their families during the final stages of a member or congregational friend’s life.

WesCare

Provide one-time or short term support to Wesley Church members and guests during a time of sudden need. Care and support is offered to meet those basic needs such as providing meals, picking up groceries and transportation to the doctor.

ShareCare: Faith in Action

Through our membership, support and affiliations of the ShareCare, Faith in Action, Wesley Church offers transportation services, light housekeeping, minor home repairs, yard work, companionship, and respite care to residents of the wider Lehigh Valley. All services are free and available to people who are frail, elderly and disabled from 18 years of age and older. This program services the areas of Northampton and Lehigh County, pending volunteer availability.

Prayer Team

Our prayer team ministry is an online based community of Intercessory Prayer. The Joys and Concerns (Prayer Cards) presented by the congregation during the 8:45 a.m. Communion Celebration or the 10:45 a.m. Traditional Celebration are prayed over by the staff, edited for anonymity and entered into the Prayer Team e-mail and then broadcast to the team members for their intercessory prayers. Additional e-mails are sent out on an as-needed basis.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry

We meet several times a month, to create knitted and crocheted shawls for babies and adults who are baptized, and for adults who are facing surgery. Every person entering the Hospice center of the Visiting Nurses Association of St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem receives a Prayer Shawl. Connect with The Prayer Shawl Ministry.