Caring Ministries

No One Hurts Alone

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all ourtroubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
– 2 Corinthians 1:3–4

Our hope and daily pursuit is to be a church where no one hurts alone. Dozens of caring people—from pastors to volunteer nurses—lend a hand to make sure that each person at First Pres can receive the care he or she needs. No one is forgotten at a time of crisis. If you are in need of care, many resources are available to you. Unless otherwise noted, please contact Caring Ministries at 719-884-6145 with questions.

Prayer is our first resort in times of need. Our Sunday prayer team is available at the end of each worship service in both the Sanctuary and Worship Center to pray with anyone who requests prayer. Our Monday prayer team meets each week to pray for requests received in the Sunday offering plates. You can also email your prayer requests to .

Visitation and phone calls to those who are hospitalized, homebound or in short-term rehab is part of the daily heartbeat of Caring Ministries. Call us if you or a family member are hospitalized. Referrals are also welcome. If you know of anyone in our church family who feels lonely, isolated or overlooked, please contact Caring Ministries to request a visit.

Deacons are elected and ordained officers of the church who each care for a small number of members. Deacons contact their “flock” quarterly, in addition to serving the needs of our members in a number of other ways.

Stephen Ministers are trained volunteers who can listen, offer support and walk alongside those who are facing a season of loss, stress or transition. Stephen Ministers are available to meet weekly with you during your time of trouble.

Counseling Coalition – Those who need the assistance of a licensed, professional counselor can select from a group of Christian counselors who are part of our First Pres Counseling Coalition.

Health Support – Our CanCare team is made up of trained volunteers who have been cancer caretakers or who have survived cancer. They are available to walk with patients and families facing cancer. Our Faith Community Nurses can provide support to those who need assistance navigating community health resources. Questions? Call 884-6191.

Care Workshops – Each spring and fall we offer the Grief Workshop, and each fall we offer the Divorce Recovery Workshop—multi-week seminars that offer practical help for specific experiences of loss. In November, we host “Help for the Holiday Blues,” a one-night workshop led by a licensed counselor to encourage and equip those who are entering a tough holiday season after a loss or life change.

Candlelight Memorial Service – Just after Easter each year, we provide a worshipful opportunity to remember loved ones who have died through our Candlelight Memorial Service.

Support Groups – Weekly and monthly, First Pres hosts support groups that meet many different needs, from Alcoholics Anonymous to NAMI Faithnet for families and friends of those with mental health diagnoses; from diabetes and Parkinson’s to grandparents raising grandchildren.

Life Groups—coordinated by our Discipleship Ministries Team—are smaller communities where we know each other by name, pray meaningfully for each other, apply God’s Word to our lives together and live out our faith together. New Life Groups form several times each year and may run for short or long periods. Many of our Adult Sunday Communities and Bible studies also function as Life Groups. Our hope is that every person at First Pres will be connected to a Life Group, so that when times of trouble come, each person will already be embedded in a caring community. Questions? Call 719-884-6117.