I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ - John 13:34-35
What on Earth Do I Say?
When someone you care about is ill, grieving, lonely or in pain, it is sometimes hard to know what to do. You want to be helpful, but should you visit? Call? Bring food? Offer some wise words? Pray? What is truly helpful and comforting and what is not? These days we are faced with isolation and suffering in many forms. How can we be more compassionate and spiritually present to our friends and acquaintances?
It is the goal of this series to equip participants with some basic background information and solid tools that are helpful in offering a loving pastoral presence to those who are suffering or in pain. The series, which is open to members of religious congregations as well as the wider community, will provide a solid introduction for anyone who wants to feel more confident in reaching out to their fellow congregants, friends or loved ones in times of trouble. While the leader is grounded in the Christian tradition, the course is applicable to people of all or no faiths.
This course is open to the public, and is designed for those with no previous pastoral care experience, although it would also be helpful as a training or refresher for any congregation’s lay pastoral care teams. It will be led by the Rev. Elsa Worth, priest at St. James Keene, who has been in ordained ministry for over 25 years, including 4 years as the chaplain at Wentworth Douglass Hospital in Dover, NH, where she taught this course to members of Dover’s faith communities each year.
Info and Registration
Four Monday evening sessions (descriptions and dates below) will be held on Zoom.
Participants will be expected to attend all four sessions for the sake of continuity and trust within the group. Each session will include a presentation, some discussion, time in small group sharing and a brief mid-session break.
Each session will begin promptly at 6:30 and will adjourn when finished, no later than 8:30.
To register, please email Elsa
Session 1 – June 5 - The Problem of Pain
Why do bad things happen? Where is God in the midst of tragedy? What do we expect of God? In this session we will engage in a lively discussion about the complexities of pain and loss in our lives and in the world.
Session 2- June 12 - Kissing the Boo Boo
When people are in pain, love is more important than solutions or cures. In this session we will explore compassion and acceptance. We will also have a discussion about appropriate and inappropriate expressions of religion and faith in pastoral care.
Session 3- June 19 - The Power of Presence
They say that 90% of life is just showing up. Providing a loving, listening presence is more powerful than anything you can say. In this session we will both learn and practice some very useful active and reflective listening skills.
Session 4 – June 26 - The Pastoral Visit
What is the anatomy of a good pastoral visit? In this session we will go over what makes a good visit from beginning to end, and will also take some time to practice our developing new pastoral skills.
