You are your sheep's first line of contact with the church, so make sure that all your sheep know to reach out to you about any health concerns or other serious matters. Once a sheep reaches out, follow the flowchart above to determine your next steps. If necessary, you should escalate the sitaution to your team leader, who will help you decide which additional resource(s) to use. It’s also a great idea to check out our Care page (click here) to see available support options.

Covenant Church takes the 5As seriously. Your role in these cases is outline below. Please also take the time to review two relevant documents in full: Covenant's Domestic Abuse policy (click here) and the 5As Training for Shepherds (click here).

 Your role as a shepherd: 

1. Listen and Be Present. You don't need answers. Your presence and willingness to hear them is a gift. Talk little, ask few questions. 
2. Don't Try to Fix It. Your role is to walk the first steps with them toward help and resources, not to resolve the problem.
3. Connect to Resources. Point them to pastoral staff, counseling, or support services. You don't need the answer, just the next step
4. Notify Your Team Leader. Even in general terms (without names if permission not given), let your team leader know. You need support too.
5. Maintain Confidentiality.  What is shared with you stays with you, except when the person's safety is at immediate risk.

The deacons distribute financial aid through the Mercy Ministry fund. See the Care page (click here) for the most up-to-date information.

If you're a Small Group Leader/Facilitator, your small group is the first resources for meals. Ideally, meals are prepared and delivered by group members who know the individual personally. If the group is unable to meet the need, or if you're a lay shepherd, the Mercy Meals team will step in. Please see the Care page (click here) for the current Mercy Meals request form.

For one-off transportation needs, the shepherd (and the other small group members, if applicable) should assist. For ongoing transportation to church or medical appointments, the deacons can arrange rides through GoGoGrandparent. See the Care page (click here) for the most up-to-date information on connecting to this service. 

Wonderful! Our website is the best resource, as it will have the latest information on all our service opportunities, events, and mission trips:

• If your sheep wants to serve, you should direct them to the Serve page (click here). 
• If your sheep wants to sign up for a Bible study, a class, or another event, you should direct them to the Events page (click here). 
• If your sheep wants to go on a mission trip, you should direct them to the Missions page (click here).

You can also encourage your sheep to stop by the Discover More kiosk on Sunday mornings (or stop by with them!) to learn more about services opportunities, classes, and missions.

Just as we have a formal process for joining the church, Covenant also has a formal process for “dismissing” a member and removing them from our membership roll. In most cases, this is not a disciplinary action but simply an administrative change reflecting that they are no longer active. Please take the time to read the full dismissal process here, but to give a short answer, when you find out that one of your sheep is moving away or going to a new church, you should inform the church office and your team leader. Once all the steps outlined in the dismissal process are completed, your sheep will receive an official dismissal notice via mail and email, and they will no longer show in your shepherding groups. If a sheep returns within 90 days of dismissal, their membership can be reinstated. If it’s been more than 90 days, their membership can be reinstated once they complete another elder interview.

Establishing a new shepherding relationship is often awkward, and it takes time for trust to develop. Do not take it personally if your sheep is standoffish and slow to respond at first. Keep trying! That said, we do not want you indefinitely trying to reach someone who never responds. Just as we have a formal process for joining the church, Covenant has a formal process for “dismissing” a member and removing them from our membership roll. If your sheep has not responded to any of your contact attempts for at least 90 days, you should inform your team leader. From there, the elders will attempt to make contact following the steps outline in our dismissal procedures (please read the full procedures here). If the sheep goes a full year without responding to you or the elders, they will be dismissed from Covenant’s membership.

We have a wide variety of resources for Small Group Leaders/Facilitators, including curriculum suggestions, available on the page dedicated to that role (click here to open it).

We have a wide variety of resources for Lay Shepherds available on the page dedicated to that role (click here to open it - link needed). 

The best place to start is always with your team leader! If your team leader isn’t sure of the next steps in a situation, you can also reach out to church office by calling 239-597-3464, ex. 232, or emailing Alisha Lavender (Executive Assistant to the Shepherding Pastor) at alisha.lavender@covenantnaples.com. If Alisha can’t answer your question personally, she will connect you to the right person.