Congregational Care

Dick Buggs cares for Vivian Stone at the Ramsey County Care Facility

Upcoming Memorial Services

Patricia Berglund
Friday, May 16, 2025 | 2:00 p.m. | Sanctuary and livestream

Joan Velasquez
Saturday, May 24, 2025 | 1:00 p.m. | Sanctuary and livestream

Unity Cares
Congregational care comes in many forms at Unity Church. It might be a comfort shawl knitted by a church member to wrap around your shoulders when you are ill or reeling from life’s troubles. Or it may be a caring call or visit, or a thoughtful card that comes your way when you are hurting, recovering or grieving.  All these, and more, are examples of congregational care offered by Unity’s ministers and lay members on the Care Team.

Request Congregational Care
Do you have a concern or celebration you wish to have shared in the Embracing Meditation during Sunday worship? Would you like to request a call from the Minister or a helping hand or listening ear of a Care Team member? Use the form on this page or send an email to [email protected]. If you are experiencing an urgent need for pastoral support, call 651-300-9123‬.

Join Our Congregational Care Team
We invite you to consider joining our Congregational Care Team. Our Care Team provides a vital way in which Unity Church members generously give and receive compassionate care to those in times of transition, sorrow and joy. Serving as a member of the Care Team in this way is a wonderful way to meet and get to know congregants.

Our team members find this participation to be spiritually enriching and they receive the ongoing development and support they need. Care team members are commissioned by the church and supervised by the Minister of Congregational Care.

Serving as a Care Team Helping Hand
Helping Hand folks provide valuable and rewarding specific and time-limited assistance with practical tasks. Examples of Care Team service by Helping Hands:

Write cards or send emails to those mentioned in the Embracing Meditation
Make or donate cards for use at the Care Team table on Sunday mornings
Make a meal to be delivered to a congregant
Knit a comfort shawl
Pick up and drop off a needed item from a store
Walk a beloved dog for someone who temporarily cannot do that
Deliver food and bring words of greeting
Assist on the Memorial Services Team

Serving as a Care Team Visitor
Care Team member visits are made to those in our community who need an extra bit of support, who wish to have a more personal link to church, or who seek comfort during a transition or challenge.  Care Team visitors are there for the short and the long journeys.

Assignments are made and overseen by the Minister of Congregational Care and are flexible. Visitors can be individuals, pairs, or teams who rotate. Examples of Care Team visits include:  

Serving as a link or liaison to congregants who are unable to attend services. This may include sharing key sermon ideas, a reading, or other experiences that help to support their sense of being part of Unity. 
Make a visit during a major life event or transition of joy or challenge
Deliver a comfort shawl to someone in need
Bring cheer, companionship, and comfort to someone in long-term care
Make a weekly, twice monthly, or monthly phone call of care and cheer
Share an interest, skill, music or a reading
Join an Elder Care Team to make monthly visits to a senior living/nursing home where Unity members live

Serving as a Care Team Lay Chaplain 
The Minister of Congregational Care is responsible for primary pastoral care to congregants. Designated members of the Care Team serve as Lay Chaplains and support this ministry by providing shorter-term, interim, follow-up, or complementary visits.  Lay Chaplains are specially trained and certified to provide advanced pastoral care, and their visits support people during difficult life situations. If you are interested in the Congregational Care Team, please send an email to [email protected].