Pohick retains its colonial spirit of commitment by serving the community and world through several ministries. One of our primary recipients is the Lorton Community Action Center and another is the Kennedy Homeless Shelter. Various fellowship groups and guilds hold annual fundraising events to support the community. Pohick’s Community of Hope Lay Pastoral Care Ministry is one of the leading chapters of that international, Benedictine-based pastoral care and spiritual development program. Lay ministers meet in community to maintain spiritual formation and support the Clergy in offering pastoral care.
Boy Scouts of America
Troop 899 was chartered at Pohick Church in 2014 under the sponsorship of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. “The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.” The troop meets weekly on Thursday evenings, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm, and over certain weekends for campouts and other Scouting events. Click here to visit Troop 899’s Facebook page. Click here for more information about the national program. Dan Derbes and Hank Foresman, Church Liaisons.
Country Fair
Annual church fund raiser and community outreach event held the first Saturday in October each year. Event offers games for the children, colonial church tours, food and music. Event starts at 10:00 am and ends at 3:00 pm.
Golden Dove Gift Shop
The shop was established to sell seasonal, historic, and Pohick items to parishioners and the community. A board of nine Pohick representatives oversees shop operations. Proceeds go back to Pohick programs, ministries and various other outreach programs within the community. Pamela Nelson, Director.
Gunston Partner Program
This outreach program pairs parishioners and other community volunteers to tutor students from Gunston Elementary School. The program starts in late January and ends early May and is conducted on Tuesday nights in the Common Room from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Students are selected by the school and work with the same tutor for each night. The student’s teacher sends work each week. There is always a need for additional regular tutors or substitute tutors, who fill in on an as needed basis. These is no special skill or training needed to be a tutor or sub other than the willing to help a local child. At this time, it is unknown if tutoring will be allowed this winter due to the pandemic. Doug Smith, coordinator.
Outreach
The comprehensive outreach ministry of the parish supports several local institutions committed to helping the needy in our community. These include the Lorton Community Action Center (LCAC), United Community Ministries (UCM), and Operation Friends. We also sponsor the Gunston Partner Program, which pairs parishioners and volunteers with students from Gunston Elementary School for tutoring sessions – see Gunston Partner Program listed above. Outreach is the umbrella for individual groups’ outreach. Edwardene Pitcock, coordinator.
Watch Edwardene Pitcock talk about Pohick’s Outreach programs!
Pastoral Care
Provides pastoral counseling, premarital counseling, weddings, prayer, visitation of sick, confession, funerals, grief support, and oversight of Community of Hope lay pastoral ministry. Rev. Lynn Ronaldi, oversight of clergy and lay visitation.
- Agape Works: When parishioners or other individuals need transportation or meal assistance, help with funeral receptions or other material needs, the Agape Works ministry offers them aid and support. Helen Parker, coordinator; Connie Myers.
- Community of Hope: Trained lay chaplains serve in this pastoral care ministry, visiting those members of the congregation and others who are either homebound, in the hospital, or in a retirement or nursing home community. The COH mission at Pohick is to take Christ’s love to those in need of comfort and presence by establishing a community of lay chaplains who are united in prayer, inspired by Benedictine spirituality, and equipped with skills for pastoral care ministry. The focus is on the ministry of presence and prayer, engaging in the simple, profound healing act of listening. “Care of the sick must rank above and before all else so they may truly be served as Christ, who said, ‘I was sick and you visited me” (Matt 25:36; The Rule of Benedict, Chapter 36). During the pandemic, CoH has created the Pohick Pastoral Phone Tree. The 14-week training program may seek new trainees in Spring 2021, so please contact Rev. Lynn or the coordinator if you perceive a calling. Nancy Bireley, coordinator.
- Parish Nurse: The Parish Nurse Ministry is grounded in the idea of holistic health, which implies that physical health is an integration of body, mind, and spirit. The parish nurse’s role is NOT hands-on-care or duplication of other services, but to creatively bridge gaps in the health care system. The vision for the parish nurse at Pohick is to promote wellness and prevent disease in the parish community by ongoing communication with parish staff and members regarding its health needs and concerns. Blood pressure screenings, a blood drive, a flu shot clinic, and a CPR course are planned. Judy Schmid, Parish Nurse.
Watch Nancy Bireley describe Pohick’s Pastoral Care Phone Tree.
- Prayer Shawl Ministry: This “tight-knit “group creates shawls and lap robes for those in need of spiritual and/or physical comfort due to illness, injury, personal loss, or other stresses. The ministry works with the clergy and the Parish Nurse ministry to ensure that those in need may be comforted by a prayer shawl. The ministry meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 pm (except during July and August) to knit and/or crochet together. Kathy Kirkland, coordinator.
- Walking the Mourner’s Path: Offers a series of eight consecutive, weekly 90-minute grief workshops that seek to serve those who need comfort and healing as they continue to mourn. Nancy Bireley, coordinator.