Sunday, November 10 at both services, we will “commission” our new Pastoral Care Associates (PCAs).
In a religious community, to commission means to convey the authority to perform a task or take on certain duties and responsibilities. We hold a ceremony to embody the trust we place in our trained listeners, who will have completed twenty hours of training. We charge them to hold our stories in confidence and be a listening presence for those who are going through a difficult time.
The task of a PCA is not to fix the problems of other people, but to sit with them as they process the challenges that face them. The role is not to give advice or tell someone what to do, but to listen with warmth and compassion as people find their own way. PCAs do not offer counseling, but are simply present, with an open heart and an open mind.
Because of the deeply personal nature of this ministry, we ask that our PCAs hold themselves accountable to the highest standards of integrity. Our PCAs promise to listen in a way that is worthy of trust, to speak in a way that is respectful, and to keep appropriate boundaries and confidentiality. The congregation promises to support them during their three-year ministry.
Please come November 10 to participate in this exchange of promises, greet and thank our new PCAs, and learn how to access their listening presence for whatever you may be going through.
Rev. Dena McPhetres, Associate Minister