The Church throughout the ages and among different denominations have always been the channel of God’s grace, comfort, hope and healing through its various sacraments and sacramental rites. Open Table MCC as an Ecumenical and Progressive Christian Church follows in this long heritage and mission of the Church to provide compassion, spiritual care and religious transitions, especially to those who are hurting, afflicted and to those who are transitioning from this life to the next.
Hospital Visitation
Hospitals are places of physical healing and recovery, however at certain times and for certain people, hospitals can be a place of hopelessness, fear and death. More than ever a Spiritual comforter and encourager is sometimes instrumental in giving hope, encouragement and peace to people who are confined in the hospitals and to their families. This can simply be a hospital visit by our Pastor or Ministry Leaders with an easy and lite conversation or a more Pastoral Care Counselling. Upon the request of the patient and/or the family members or attending guardian, the Pastor or Minister may do an anointing and prayer.
A Signed consent form for the visitation is asked of the requesting patient, immediate family or attending guardian.
We have a particular ministry for people living with HIV and AIDS especially those confined in the hospitals. We hope that we are able to minister in positive and encouraging ways through our spiritual care.
Anointing for Comfort/Healing And Communion
An anointing can be an anointing for comfort and peace for those who are in palliative care or those who are awaiting the final transition from this life to the next.
An anointing for healing and recovery are for those who have major or minor ailments or surgery but are not life-threatening.
This can be requested and conducted in the hospital or in the home of the patient. This may be included in the request for Hospital or home visitation but it can also be a request just for this rite without any counselling or pastoral care included.
A Communion of Bread and wine for the afflicted may also be requested.
We have a particular ministry for people living with HIV and AIDS especially those confined in the hospitals. We hope that we are able to minister in positive and encouraging ways through our spiritual care.
Commendation of the Dying
This is a sacramental rite performed on those who are dying or in the verge of transitioning form this life to the next, especially for those who are in ICU or are already brain-dead and the family has decided to let go of the loved one by ‘pulling the plug’. This means that the afflicted is still alive or alive in the sense that s/he are kept alive by a machine.
In this rite, we entrust the person unto God’s care and that the dying person be received into God’s eternal home. The body is blessed with water and anointed with oil as a symbol of the inherent sacredness of the human body and also as a symbolic reminder of the Baptismal promises of the dying person.
We have a particular ministry for people living with HIV and AIDS especially those confined in the hospitals. We hope that we are able to minister in positive and encouraging ways through our spiritual care.
Funeral/Memorial Service and Final Rites
The Funeral service is a worship service that celebrates the life of the deceased before burial or cremation. It is conducted for the transition of the family and friends left behind; an important ritual of grief and process of loss. Prayers are also said in behalf of the deceased. Usually this is the time where close family and friends may say their eulogies for the love one.
A separate short Final Rites may be requested which is conducted right before the body is buried or cremated. In this, the hope and assurance of resurrection and life in God is proclaimed. Final goodbyes are also mentioned at this time.
We have a particular ministry for people living with HIV and AIDS especially those confined in the hospitals. We hope that we are able to minister in positive and encouraging ways through our spiritual care.
Ethical Standards
The Church and its Pastor/s and Ministry leaders live by and uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct in the performance and rendering of Pastoral Care and Counselling and Sacramental Rites mentioned above.
In terms of the Visitation in hospitals or homes, there will be Two ministers coming over; either a combination of 2 Pastors or 1 Pastor and 1 Ministry Leader or 2 Minister Leaders.
The Patient or client is never left alone with the Visiting Pastor/s or Ministry Leaders or the very least, they are not left in close doors. The Doors of the room may be left open to make sure that the patient is visited and handled appropriately, professionally and ethically.
Money is never solicited or charged from the patient/client or their family. A transportation reimbursement may be requested and agreed upon prior to the visitation. However, if the family or patient is unable, the Church will still do the visitation by absorbing the cost of the visitation.
How To Request
1. Online Form
Please fill up an Online Form below and click send. The request will go to our MCC Church email:
Please indicate your email address and cellphone number so that we can contact you
Also, please write in detail the situation or circumstances around the patient for visitation or anointing.
2. Scheduling
We will consider all requests in relation to the other schedules of the Pastor and/or Ministry Leader, and will make arrangements with you for an agreed date and time.
However, most probably the Pastor is available Fridays and Saturdays if there is no other Schedule for that day.
3. Consent for Hospital Visitation
For Hospital Visitation and Sacramental Rites request for hospital patients. A Consent form will be filled up and signed when the Pastor or Ministry leader makes the visit. Also, the patient and/or family member or guardian must inform the Hospital Staff, nurses and attending doctor of the scheduled visitation and also get their approval so that there will be no issues when the Pastor or Ministry leader makes the Visit. We ask that the patient or family inform the Hospital Staff and Doctor when the visitation will be and to provide them the name of the Pastor or Ministry Leader.
This is especially true for people confined in the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang as the Hospital Administration and Staff has recently been strict in its restriction of visitations. It is important that proper consent and coordination with the hospital staff and doctors are arranged before hand.
4. Travel Cost
We only ask that the transportation cost of the Pastor and/or Ministry leader be shouldered by the family.
However, if the family or patient is unable to absorb the cost of transportation, the Church is still more than willing to come and make the visit or officiate the rite. The Church will absorb the cost for such situations. Money should not be a hindrance for compassion and care to be provided by the Church.
5. Financial Assistance
The purpose of the visitation or sacramental rites are to provide spiritual care and comfort to the patient, family and friends.
While in the Philippines, finances have and continue to be the greatest need in times of sickness and funerals, the Church’s main focus and services to render is that which goes beyond the financial. The local Church of Open Table MCC is in itself struggling financially to operate and to continually minister, and we do our best to live and serve God and God’s people with compassion.
We do not directly provide financial assistance to the patient or family. However, we may refer the family to other charitable institutions whose main capacity and purpose is to provide financial assistance.
6. Confidentiality
All identifications and details of the patient and family and the surrounding circumstances and all conversations during counselling are and will be kept under strict confidentiality and privacy at all times by the Pastor, Ministry Leader and the Church leadership.
Contact Form
Upon the submission of the online form, please allow us 24 hours to respond to you via email.
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