Pastoral Visitation

"Wide was his parish, with houses far asunder,
Yet he neglected not in rain or thunder,
In sickness, or in trouble, to pay call
On the remotest  whether great or small
Upon his feet, and in his hand a stave."  Chaucer: Prologue to Canterbury Tales.

I wonder how many people these days remember the poem. Chaucer speaks to those living in a society quite different from ours. Certainly this is not Singapore, a bustling city without a country.

I wonder how my pastors, parsons, ministers of the gospel, priests or Salvation Army Officers still pay pastoral visits to their flock?  In my time as a Corps Officer, or pastor, it was mandatory to clock in a minimum of eighteen hours a week, that's three hours a day, not counting Sunday! Has the rule been rescinded? I don't know. ( I hear someone saying, "you and your good old days again.")

I appreciate a ministry well suited to the past century, or mainly to a rural or agricultural country, may not be practical in our urbanised society, the world we live in today. We do need to adapt to the changing world. A pastor who does not want to do pastoral visitation can always find excuses or arguments to support him. I am certain there are still needs to be met and ways and means to connect with our people.

There are many housebound elderly and sick people who desperately long for the pastor to visit. This last week we must have done our eighteen hours, not that anyone is calling us to account for our time. As retirees we are accountable only to God. We visit not to fill our pews, or to ensure tithes are received for the church. We are not here to prop up the institutional church by seeking help to support this or that project. Or to meet the church budget!

We do for one reason. We follow the footsteps of the Good Shepherd who gave His life for His sheep. Yesterday it took us three hours on buses, travelling time to visit a ninety four year lady. It was worth the time spent when we think what this visit meant to this saintly Christian living alone. 

That's why we still visit our Salvation Army Nursing Home once a week to do chapel service and to go round visiting the residents. The nurses need words of encouragment too. The majority are from overseas - Phillipines, China, Myanmar, India and they do miss their families. Singaporeans form the minority. By God's grace, we will carry on with this pastoral ministry for residents and staff.

Help us to help each other, Lord,
Each other's cross to share;
Let each our friendly aid afford
And feel each other's care.   -Charles Wesley