|
The number of people who have added their names to the list of active volunteers of Temple Beth El's Caring Community has been growing daily! Since the Covenant of Caring was introduced on Yom Kippur, hardly a day has gone by when someone hasn't brought or mailed in the response form, or telephoned or e-mailed to say that they, too, would like to make a deeper commitment in caring for our congregational family. Well over 100 people have volunteered so far!! Have you?
Eyes and ears
In addition to volunteering to reach out a hand to a fellow congregant, we are relying on every member of Temple Beth El to be the eyes and ears of the Caring Community as well. Oftentimes a member of the congregation is in need but the people who would readily help them don't know anything about the situation. That's where you come in.
We've made it easy. Referrals to the Temple Beth El Caring Community can be made by simply calling the Temple office at (704) 366-1948 and asking to be connected to EXTENSION 111. (After hours, you simply press 1-1-1 after the voice mail system picks up.) There you can leave the name and telephone number of the person to be contacted, along with a brief description of the situation. This voice mailbox is checked regularly by members in charge of our various projects and teams, and the appropriate person will respond shortly. [Please remember that in case of an emergency - for example a death or a hospitalization - you should contact the professional staff directly either through the Temple office or calling the emergency pager. This information is available by calling the main Temple phone
number.
We still need to hear from you
One curious response to the Covenant of Caring has come from a number of people who are willing to help out but don't want to be on the list. Being an active member of the Caring Community does not mean that you will be inundated with requests for your assistance. In fact, the more people who volunteer, the less there is for each person to do. We want to prevent burnout. We don't want people who volunteered to help suddenly show up on the list of people who need help because they overextended themselves.
But we don't know who you are if you don't tell us! If you are willing to cook one meal a year for another Temple member - tell us! If you would like to be contacted to attend a shiva minyan only once every six months - tell us! If you are willing to host one new Temple member each year for Shabbat dinner - tell us! If you are available to give a neighbor a ride to Temple once a quarter - tell us! If you would like to greet guests at the Oneg Shabbat twice a year - tell us! If you would be willing to bake hamentaschen for the annual Purim bags in late winter - tell us!
There is no one in our congregation who is incapable of some small act of caring. Just tell us what you can do, and we will connect you or your talent with the person who needs it most. The last line on the Covenant of Caring form says: "Please call me. I'm not sure what I want to do, but I want to help!" Is that you? Tell us!
How do I sign up? Let me count the ways.
In order to volunteer to be part of the Covenant of Caring, you can fill out the form on our brochure available in the lobby at Temple and drop it in the box provided. Or you can fill out the form reprinted here in the VOICE and mail it to us. Or you can call us by leaving a message in the Caring Community voice mailbox: (704) 366-1948, ext. 111. Or you can fill out the form on-line at
www.beth-el.com/caring. Or you can e-mail me at
CantorB@carolina.rr.com.
What can you do to help? Tell us!
B’shalom,
Andrew Bernard
Cantor
|