ONLINE Certified Lay Minister Course: Congregational Care and Ethics
April 18 @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- This event has passed.
April 18 @ 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Cost: $10
Join us for this Congregational Care and Ethics Course Certified Lay Minister course on Apr. 18 & 25, 12:00 pm – 4:o0 pm EST. In this course, the student will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to provide ethical congregational care in their ministry context. The course will explore scriptural underpinnings of the importance of ethical congregational care, discuss the necessity of healthy boundaries, explore ways to deepen their skills in active listening, visitation, and assisting the pastor in crisis ministry, and consider the ministry context of the current culture. These content areas will be addressed through lectures, discussions, and active participation. Students must come ready to share personal experiences of giving and receiving care, be willing to ask questions, and agree to participate in activities.
Course Requirements: Prior to the course, students will read The Wounded Healer by Henri J.M. Nouwen and write a 2-page reflection paper that includes the following:
- How does the following scripture relate to the concept of “The Wounded Healer” as presented by Henri Nouwen?“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” I Corinthians 1:3-5
- How have you personally experienced the healing of Jesus in your life in one specific area of concern? How has that experience informed the way you offer comfort and care to others?
- Participants will email their reflections to the instructor, Rev. Sami Wilson, prior to class at sami@christchurchbg.org. This preparation will help participants come to class ready to talk about their own experiences receiving congregational care and how that impacts the kind of care they want to provide.
CLM Course Credits: The Certified Lay Minister status is a lay status granted to individuals who feel called to serve in the local church and beyond, though not in a clergy role. The Congregational Care and Ethics Course will be considered a foundational course for the Certified Lay Minister certification. You can learn more about the Certified Lay Minister program here.
Instructor: Rev. Sami Wilson
Required Reading: The Wounded Healer by Henri J.M. Nouwen
Registration: This course has a $10 enrollment fee and open to participants from the MidSouth Annual Conference and the Western States Annual Conference. When registering, please indicate which annual conference you are affiliated so that your course completion can be communicated to the appropriate conference. For more information or to speak with the event coordinator, please contact Daniel Fulton at dfulton@midsouthgmc.org