Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care

There is a type of closeness that forms when people share in the seasons and cycles of life, and being a spiritual companion during the harder seasons of life is one of the greatest privileges of being a minister. Every minister has a unique pastoral presence, and I readily acknowledge that I am not a typical pastoral care provider. Although I consider it an honor to be at someone’s bedside during illness or death, my gifts for pastoral care tilt more toward the administrative and large-scale. 

An administrative approach to pastoral care means that I am good at recruiting and training lay pastoral care providers, as well as working with a lay team to develop pastoral care procedures. Having clear guidelines of what kinds of care are sustainable for how long empowers lay pastoral care providers to commit to providing care, and helps congregants feel more comfortable asking for support. 

When I say “large-scale pastoral care,” what I mean is working to bring coping skills and spiritual practices to the congregation and beyond. One way that I’ve done this is through using time in worship services for spiritual practices that allow the congregation to co-regulate their nervous systems. Examples include breathing exercises, meditation, and other somatic practices. During the height of the Covid shutdowns, I used social media to teach these practices during a series I called “Fireside Chats.” When the world is a stressful place, all of us can benefit from getting in touch with our bodies and quieting our minds.