Designed to assist the Clergy in meeting the pastoral needs of the expanding HCFM community, the Shepherding Ministry was instituted in 2007.  After identifying 12 broad neighborhood groups (including an “at-large”) within the HCFM service area, 15 parish members were asked to serve as coordinators for their neighborhoods.  Serving in that capacity, these Shepherds receive information about parishioner needs in their neighborhoods and then initiate whatever actions they deem appropriate.  In the course of the year, these actions have ranged from calls of concern to hospital/home visits to delivery of meals to providing transportation to doctors’ appointments, etc.  Initially, need information was provided from the Clergy and from the Prayers of the People inclusions.  As the year has progressed, it has been discovered that the laity is often the “first to know”.  This has resulted in a heightened awareness on the part of the members of the parish of their roles in loving one another and playing vital parts in the lives of their fellow parishioners.