PeaceBang
The manic mind of the minister -- Auntie Mame Meets Cotton Mather. Blogging about Unitarian Universalism, UU Christian spiritual practice, occasional cultural and political ravings, and the inner life of ministry. PeaceBang is the alter ego of a small town pastor serving an historic New England Unitarian Universalist congregation.
Excellent Book for Training Pastoral Associates
February 29, 2008 on 8:05 pm | In Shout-Outs, TV/Movies/Theatre/Book Reviews |It has been a real joy to train our first group of Pastoral Caregivers at my church. As I prepare to go on sabbatical, it means the world to have a terrific team of lay pastors to “walk the parish” and to make calls and visits on behalf of the church. We introduced them to the congregation this past Sunday and will do a formal Commission in the fall.
But for now, I just want to share that although I read a ton of books in preparation for the training sessions, and have taken many classes, seminars and workshops on pastoral care, I found this book to be the best guide of all in organizing our sessions.
A Pastor In Every Pew: Equipping Laity For Pastoral Care by Leroy Howe. I just think that, chapter for chapter, Howe’s book is the most conversant with the realities of pastoral caregiving, that it anticipates all the most significant questions and anxieties that arise for laypeople learning to do pastoral care, and that, although written from a strictly Christian perspective, it is the most useable for Unitarian Universalists.
It looks like ChristianBook.com has them on sale.
Four stars and two thumbs up!
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hey hey hey…can I add a book suggestion? [Hey, hey, hey, sure you can! Glad to have ‘em! - PB]
One of the great things about taking Intro to Pastoral Care right now is that I have a group of books that I have to read. The best one, other than Peggy Way’s book ‘Created By God’, is ‘Cultivating Wholeness’ by Margaret Kornfeld.
It is interfaith, which is refreshing, and does lay out a model that lots of people can understand. While it is geared toward those studying for the ministry, it wouldn’t be a bad book for lay leaders.
Comment by Kim Hampton — February 29, 2008 #
Wow - I’m just glad you train people. I went to a meeting of our pastoral visitors at church and they assigned me to someone without really telling me what I was supposed to be doing. I made a few visits and gave up, because I absolutely dreaded it and couldn’t even tell if the person I was visiting wanted a visitor…she was too nice to say and I didn’t know how to ask (I was 20-something at the time and much less sure of myself). Maybe I’ll read this book and suggest it to the pastoral care folks at my church.
Comment by Elizabeth — March 2, 2008 #