The P in PACE – Prayer is the P in PACE:
Every person in the family is prayed for every day by name!
Each Shepherd has 3 to 5 families and they commit themselves to praying for each person by name in their care each day.
Many Shepherds in fact now consider themselves blessed because of the spiritual growth they have personally experienced through their PACE prayers. Shepherds quickly learn their daily prayers with Jesus about their sheep come naturally. Every person in our GFUMC church family is prayed for every day by name! Today that is 1400 people.
The A in PACE – Available is the A in PACE:
Each shepherd is simply available for his or her sheep in times of joy as well as times of need. We love hearing about joys and do want to hear about them. And when there are needs, a shepherd is available to listen and help make connections to our pastors and staff. Of course, the pastors and church staff are always available as well. Shepherds do respect wishes for privacy. Our PACE shepherding ministry is here because as a church family we want to insure each church family member is connected, and cared for, regularly.
The C in PACE – Contact is the C in PACE:
Each PACE shepherd contacts each of their shepherded families each week. It may be with the wave of a hand at church, a phone call, an email or a letter. Each family is contacted weekly by a church family Shepherd who cares about them. As a church family body we want to stay connected. While members may see many fellow church members in a week, there is one person, their PACE shepherd, who tries specifically to make contact with them. It’s kind of a caring “warmline” specifically to them. This contact and availability is especially invaluable during times of illness, hospitalization, or in times of sorrow as our pastor and church staff want to know and respond.
The E in PACE – Christian Example is the E in PACE:
In many ways summarizes the PACE shepherds’ actions of: daily Prayer for his sheep; continuous availability to his sheep; and the weekly contact the shepherd tries to maintain with his sheep. Consistent examples in a ministry dedicated to connecting with, and caring for, each of our church family members. Each shepherd by the grace of God tries to exemplify the love of Christ to their shepherded families that God has blessed them with. Please pray with us that the Example of our shepherds and our church also serves as a witness of God’s love to those in need of Jesus. |
The Biblical Basis
John 21:15-17:
In Jesus’ final instructions to Peter at the close of the Gospel of John, He says: “Feed my lambs”; “Take care of my sheep”; “Feed my sheep”.
Exodus 18:
17-18: (Jethro upon observing Moses trying to serve all the people says) …what you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
24-25: Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.
1 Peter 5:2-3:
Paul teaches the elders among the church, or the mature laypersons, to shepherd the flock –Be the kind of shepherds you ought to be, nourishing the flock and taking care of it the way God wants you to; not because you have to, but because you want to; not because of the salary you receive, but because you’re eager to serve and help others. Don’t lord yourselves over those who have been put under your care, but be an example to them. |
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