UPDATE:
Thank you to all those who filled in the forms distributed at church last Sunday. We hope never to have to use the information supplied, but it gives us some peace of mind knowing we can contact your dear ones if anything should happen to you. We hope it brings you some peace of mind too.
As always with this sort of thing, it was only after they started coming back that I noticed what was missing. For women, I should have explicitly asked for maiden name as well as married name. I should also have asked you to specify your relationship with the contact people (son, sister, etc.) Don’t worry if you didn’t supply it, I will be getting back to everyone who submits the form to double-check their information.
It is not too late for those who received the form in the mail to send or bring it back. In Case of Emergency forms will continue to be available at the front of the church, and the list can be updated at any time.
Amy
ORIGINAL POST:
I recently heard a story at another congregation about a member who suffered a heart attack during a meeting. Although several people present knew his children’s names, they realized none of them knew how to reach them. I realized the same thing could happen to us at SouthWest. We may think we all know each other well, but think about it: would anyone know how to get in touch with your spouse in an emergency? Your children? Even if you attend church every week with your spouse, or with a friend, there will be the odd time that you come alone. That’s why we are asking your help in making an ICE (In Case of Emergency) list.
At upcoming services, we will be passing out a half-sheet of paper requesting emergency contact information. It is intended for people who attend services or other events at SouthWest, even occasionally. It is up to you whether to fill it in or not, but I would suggest it’s better to be safe than sorry. There is space for two contact people on the form, but you can add more. It’s always better to give at least two names because people don’t always answer their phones. Mobile phone numbers are preferable to land lines, if possible.
If you would like us to send you a copy of the form by mail or email, please send a request to southwestunited@gmail.com. Any information you share will be kept confidential.
One last thing: the form asks for your birthday, but it is your choice whether to share. The reason we ask is because we would like to start announcing birthdays once a month during the service. Day and month are sufficient, you don’t have to tell us the year (but you may)!
Amy
P.S. the man who had the heart attack is fine.