Course Description

Pastoral Care for Presbyterian Elders

This is a two-part course, open to all who participate in pastoral care in a congregation.

The two parts of this course will help elders, deacons and others who provide pastoral care in Presbyterian congregations to develop their skills for this important ministry so that they may effectively fulfil their mandate to visit, counsel and encourage the people for whom they have the responsibility of care.

The course will also help other lay leaders who provide pastoral care in their congregation. Participants will learn to initiate pastoral care relationships and to reflect on their ministry.

Course Objectives

To help elders

1. To develop the ability of participants to initiate pastoral care relationships, strengthen those relationships through effective listening and fulfil their responsibility for offering appropriate care, counsel and guidance.
2. To differentiate the role of participants from the roles of the congregation's pastoral minister and professional counsellors and therapists.
3. To help participants understand what may hinder effective pastoral care.
4. To help participants develop skills for theological reflection about pastoral care and begin to use that reflective ability in the practice of pastoral care.

Core Concepts

• Self-Awareness/Confidence
• Communication Theory (Roadblocks, Active Listening, I-Messages)
• Theological Reflection and Theological Resources for Pastoral Care
• Teamwork, Crisis Intervention, and Referral Theory/Skills
• Triangulation
• Conflict Resolution