The church is uniquely positioned to respond to those in need, as all are being impacted by the coronavirus in our country and across the globe. The COVID-19 crisis has provided an opportunity to define and develop a congregational care plan for First Presbyterian. First, the paper determines the scope and definition of congregational care, and second, I propose a strategy to be developed for an aging congregation in Fort Lauderdale.

By exploring various biblical narratives and conducting contemporary research on congregational life, congregational care is defined as the members of the church caring for the members of the church, with awareness and attention to the emotional systems in place and encouraging growth and health.

An ethnographic study was done in order to learn more about the congregation. This method allowed the researcher to create a narrative of the congregation, with respect to congregational care. While the pandemic has restricted our in-person meetings, the interviews were done via Zoom; members have discovered that video conferencing is providing a satisfactory way of being present even though absent. Stories were told, and I learned more about the church's history and how the members were woven into the congregation over a course of generations.

By combining the observations on ethnography and storytelling with the theological perspectives on pastoral care in the midst of a pandemic, a congregational care plan was developed. With the foundation in place from our previous leaders in the church, the strong deacon ministry at First Presbyterian can now serve as the building block for a more comprehensive congregational care plan. The establishment of a Congregational Care elder on the session of the church, working closely with the Associate Pastor for Congregational Care, will then implement a small group model which will include identifying leaders for small groups, training, and ongoing workshops on topics of interest. As we continue to listen and learn, the leadership may want to further revise the approaches we take to care for our congregation, as we continue to assess the needs within the congregation and in our community's life together.