Looking for a PanPal?

To the residents of North Vancouver and beyond:

As we collectively and individually try to keep ourselves and others safe from the COVID-19 virus, there are some of you in our community who are labouring very hard indeed. You may be a healthcare provider or worker, a grocery employee, a parent struggling with difficult circumstances at home, or someone else facing particularly stressful challenges at this time. 

We are already praying for you; we give thanks for your hard work and pray that you are given strength to meet all that your day brings to you. But now we would like to offer you your very own "Pan(demic) Pal" - someone who will be praying for you by name, on a daily basis, and lifting your concerns, hopes and challenges to God.

Prayer is a powerful thing. We know that prayers aren't always answered in the way that we had hoped; however,  just the knowledge that one is being held in prayer and intentionally encircled with the love of God has healing benefits of its own. It doesn't matter if you are of a different faith, or none; we would be honoured to match you with a member of our St. Clement's parish community who would like to support you in this way.

It's just like a pen pal... only you don't have to write back! Just know that your PanPal will be holding you in their prayers and in their heart. We hope that remembering this might help you during particularly challenging moments in your day.

Please fill out the form below, and you will be matched with your PanPal promptly. You do not have to provide your last name if you would prefer not to. And don't worry - this information will not be used for any other purpose other than offering you prayer support during the pandemic. You aren't expected to come to church, sign on any dotted lines, or send a cheque at Christmas! (Though it goes without saying that we welcome visitors, if only online at present!)

Thank you for all you are doing to help keep our communities safe, fed and functioning. May God's peace and love enfold and bless you.

(If you would like a PanPal poster for your staff room wall, there is a file to download and print underneath the request form. Photo above by Lina Trochez on Unsplash)