Community Of Hope
The mission of the Community of Hope is to create Christian communities of volunteer lay “chaplains,” united in prayer, shaped by Benedictine spirituality and equipped for and serving in pastoral care ministries. It is ideal for people who serve as Eucharistic Visitors, friendly visitors, outreach workers or as caregivers in other settings — nursing homes, retirement homes, hospitals, and to persons shut-in due to illness or frailty.
Circle of Care
After being commissioned, all trained lay chaplains are integrated into the ever-widening Circle of Care which meets once a month to: Debrief—Debrief pastoral visits. Review the need for confidentiality. Receive mutual support Deepen Spiritual Life—Practice contemplative prayer, lectio divina, discuss the Rule of Benedict Enjoy Continuing Education—Benefit from guest speakers, films and presentations on topics related to ministry, spiritual growth and pastoral care Share in Mutual Supervision—Take part in peer supervision. Receive coordinator/clergy support. Report on Visitations—Make monthly reports of ministry carried out. Deepen Community—Worship at opening and closing of Circle of Care and enjoy a light meal Participate in Retreats and Quiet Days—These may be regional or diocesan-wide events that provide refreshment for the soul.
Overview
Since it began in the fall of 1994 as a single center in the Pastoral Care Department at St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston, TX, the Community of Hope has become integral to the pastoral care life of parishes and mission across the Diocese of Texas and in many other Episcopal dioceses throughout North America.
Over 100 centers have been established with more than 2,500 commissioned lay chaplains. These lay chaplains represent over 130 Episcopal churches as well as 40 other denominations. In addition to the Diocese of Texas, centers are located in the dioceses of Arkansas, Dallas, Kansas, Mexico, Missouri, Northern California, Oklahoma, San Diego, Southeast Florida, West Texas, Western Louisiana and Western Massachusetts. They are located in churches, health care facilities and correctional institutions.
The purpose of the 14-week, 42-hour Community of Hope training is to awaken trainees to God’s call on their lives and to help them to discover their spiritual gifts for ministry. Each participant is encouraged to make this experience a journey into wholeness, to use this time to explore a ‘rule of life,’ silence, Christian meditation, compassionate listening, pastoral identity and lectio divina, all within the context of Benedictine Spirituality.
Community of Hope Ministries can include:
- Outreach to Parishioners
- Homebound
- Nursing homes
- Women’s Ministries
- Retirement homes
- Outreach to underserved
- Outpatient clinics/centers
- Work sites
- Hospitals
- Prisons
- Homeless
- Youth Ministries
- Mission trips
- Hospices
- Community
- In families
Community of Hope Core Curriculum
- Benedictine Spirituality—How the Rule of St Benedict continues to be a relevant model for strengthening spirituality, building Christian community, and caring for others.
- Theology of Pastoral Care—Characteristics, goals and functions of pastoral care ministry, and identification of the Lay Chaplains own needs
- Pastoral Identity—Increased self-awareness and participation in the community process of pastoral identity formation through sharing of personal experience
- Prayer, Worship, Christian Meditation and Silence—The value of silence, stillness, and simplicity as spiritual disciplines and the relationship of meditation to ministry of presence
- Spiritual Gifts—Identify and appreciate various spiritual gifts in community and their relationship to pastoral care ministry and their impact on building community
- Listening Skills—Compassionate listening in care giving and in community, especially as a reflection of the depth of spiritual life
- The Pastoral Visit—Development of the pastoral skills of observation, listening, sensitivity, compassion, prayer and privacy
- Confidentiality & Debriefing—Learning to honor privacy and also, how to care for one another in pastoral ministry within community.
- Practice Pastoral Visits
- Understanding Family Systems—Seeing care-receivers and ourselves as part of relationship networks, each with sacred on-going history and story
- Death, Grief & Loss—Understanding personal loss and grief as preparation for appropriate pastoral ministry to others
- Practice Pastoral Visits
- Care for the Caregiver—Recognition of self-care—body, mind, and spirit—as vital to pastoral care of others, as well as the relationship between Benedictine spirituality and wholeness
- Commitment to Ministry—Commitment, stability, obedience, humility and perseverance as Benedictine values that are important to pastoral care ministry and community
[These modules are contained in a Lay Chaplain’s Handbook given to each member of the training class.]
From the Rector
Worship Services
We offer 3 Sunday Services:
- 8 am - Traditional
- 9:15 am - More informal and family-oriented
- 11:15 am - More formal with classical chior