Pastoral Care Consultation Group

The Pastoral Care Consultation Group is a program offered periodically and designed for pastors active in the ministry of congregational leadership and pastoral care.  It consists of an orientation plus twelve 3-hour confidential seminars, meeting twice a month.

1. ✦addressing current congregational issues and difficulties in a supportive and confidential setting;
   

2. ✦practicing new perspectives in the readings in current parish situations;
   

3. ✦discussing and building upon one’s own understandings of pastoral identity, one’s strengths and growing edges;
   

Core aims are to develop competency in:

1. ✦pastoral assessment of individuals and relationship processes in congregational life;
   

2. ✦intervention and/or referral in parish conflicts, appropriate to the type and level of conflict;
   

3. ✦utilizing a congregational systems approach to pastoral leadership
   

Resource Person:  Dr. Mark Larson

Comments from Participants

“I absolutely would recommend this course to colleagues!”

"The group was supportive and encouraging.  There was no breach of confidentiality and no put-downs."

"I liked that we stayed focused on the cases.  There was not so much IPR (inter-personal relations) focus and personal focus, as in CPE.  I liked presenting cases without getting too personal."

"It helped to normalize my own problems - to learn that others are dealing with similar issues and even with similar kinds of people!"

"I sensed persons' genuine caring."

"It meant a lot being included in the group as a Part Time Local Pastor."

“This course has been extremely helpful in helping me strengthen my pastoral assessment of individuals and relationships with parishioners in my congregation.”

“My main objective was to become a better leader and minister to all people.  This has helped me to be a coach instead of therapist.”

"This is something I have wanted to do my whole ministry.  This experience was second only to my Supervised Ministry."

“The readings and theoretical presentations were fantastic – I was challenged to do every reading before class.”

“Great presentation guidelines.  Presentation models were superb.  I believe I felt much better giving presentations during his class than being in a seminary.”

“I would recommend this program especially to those who have had at least several years of experience rendering pastoral care so that they can hold up the lessons learned in this course to their experiences in the ministry.”