By default, this is becoming a new modus operandum for 2008.  I have a number of women who work part time or are younger retired, and a number of others who are currently off work with long term medical conditions.  The former have cars, time and flexibility, the latter have empty days, cabin fever and lots of anxiety.  So, the plan is simple - get a car load of them, find a cheap cafe or a pub with a good lunchtime deal and take them out.  No holy holy stuff, just practical caring (I just remembered I didn't say grace today, oh how evil a minister I am!  Not.).

I also from time to time do home communions, always taking someone with me because it is the church (fellowship) not the minister who. theologically, does this.  Yesterday the person I was visiting invited me for lunch, which was, afterall, far more communion than a bit of crumbly bread and a sip of juice.  We chatted about this and that, and support and love were shared.

What I hope, as I build and extend this model a bit, drawing in those for whom an evening meal or a weekend brunch might be better, is that rather than building little cliques, people will begin to do the same for each other, building relationships and growing in community.

I have never liked the cup of tea with the old lady model of pastoral visiting, which feels artificial and unhelpful.  The host, on their best behaviour gets out the china cup for the 'vicar' and after the designated 30/60minutes including a prayer of the 'we four and no more variety', the vicar leaves.  Whilst I do appreciate that good pastoral relationships can be built from regular, cyclic visitation, I was never, ever, visited by a minister, and it isn't something that I find in my gifting.  But getting groups of folk - 2's and 3's - to talk and encourage each other on an ad hoc basis, seems to me a workable middle course.

Of course this could prove disastrous for my waistline, such as it is, but it seems a good cause...