Pc 713 - Pastoral Care of Children and Families

Dan Digatono [email protected] Spring, 2013

PC 713 - PASTORAL CARE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides students the theological, theoretical and practical applications necessary for providing effective pastoral care to children and families. A variety of issues facing children and families are explored. The helping relationship and helping skills are practiced. Emphasis will be placed on the personal and professional self- understanding of the pastor.

OBJECTIVES

1. Formulate appropriate pastoral care responses to specific crises and problems. 2. Consider and practice the use of prayer, scripture, and other pastoral care resources. 3. Develop an appreciation of the faith community's responsibility for care ministry. 4. Encourage attentiveness to self, self-care, and healthy boundaries. 5. Develop a network of resources within your church and community. 6. Understand the ethical, legal, and professional pastoral care issues. 7. Learn basic attending skills.

REQUIRED READING

 Anderson, H., D. Browning, I. Evison, & Stewart Van Leecuwen (Eds.). (1998) The Family Handbook. Louisville: Westminster Press. ISBN 0664256902

 Lester, A. (1985). Pastoral care of children in crises. Louisville: Westminster Press. ISBN 0664245986

 Stevenson-Moessnar (2005). A primer in pastoral care. Fortress. ISBN-10 0800637607

 Sullivan, J. (2000). The Good Listener. Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press. ISBN 0877929438

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING

 Boers, Arthur. (1999). Never call them jerks: Healthy responses to difficult behavior. Annapolis Junction, MD: Alban Institute. ISBN 1566992184

 Gilbert, Roberta. (1999). Connecting with our children: Guiding principles for parents in a troubled world. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0471347868 ASSIGNMENTS

1. Discussion Forum One: Introduction 2. Discussion Forum Two: Personal Pastoral Care Experience 3. Discussion Forums Three And Four: Pastoral Care Network 4. Discussion Forum Five: Pastoral Care Case & Self Assessment Paper 5. Child Protection Assignment 6. Pastoral Care Verbatim 7. Reading

1. Discussion Forum One: Introduction

Introduce yourself to your classmates. In your introduction share at least one example of the types of pastoral care experiences you encounter. Due Tuesday of Week 1. This forum requires one post.

2. Discussion Forum Two: Personal Pastoral Care Experience

Discussion Forum Two: Review a difficult time in your life. What were the issues? What were you feeling at the time? What did you do? Who helped you? Elaborate on and critique the pastoral care you received. Was the care what you needed? How do you care for others now in relation to how you were cared for? Your initial post is due Tuesday of Week 2. Read all of your group mates posts and respond to at least three of your group mates. Your responses are due by Thursday of Week 2. This forum requires at least 4 total posts.

3. Discussion Forums Three and Four: Pastoral Care Network

Meet with at least 8 people or organizations in your community that care for children or families. A good way to knock on the door is to let the person know you are doing this for a class and to find out more about their organization.

If I were to do this assignment in Sioux Falls I would call and set up an appointment with: 1) The social worker at Sioux Valley Children's Hospital and Infant Loss Center; 2) The director of Lutheran Social Services adoption services; 3) The department of social services child protection; 4) A local attorney who specializes in child and family law; 5) The Children's Inn shelter for battered women and children; 6) A local funeral home; 7) A child and family pastor from another congregation; 8) A marriage and family therapist, child counselor or psychologist; 9) A grade school principle or counselor and 10) The director of the Juvenile Detention Center.

Interview the person face to face if possible, or on the phone if you absolutely can not schedule a face to face visit. Ask the person to tell you about their services, the mission and purpose of their organization and an example of the work that they do. Elaborate on ways that you have already worked together with the person or ways that you may work together in the future.

Discussion Forum Three

Pastoral Care Network: Post a brief discussion of the services for each of the services of the first four people that you interview is due on Tuesday of Week 3. Ask at least one of your group mates at least one question about a person (or organization) they met with. Your question to your group mates is due by Wednesday of Week 3. Respond to at least one of your group mates' questions to you by Thursday of Week 3.

Discussion Forum Four

Pastoral Care Network: Post a brief discussion of the services for each of the next four people you contact: due on Tuesday of Week 7. Ask at least one of your group mates at least one question about a person (or organization) they met with. Your question to your group mates is due by Wednesday of Week 7. Respond to at least one of your group mates' questions to you by Thursday of Week 7.

Discussion forums Three and Four require at least six posts each.

4. Discussion Forum Five: Area of Interest and Self Assessment Paper

Part One

1. Read The Family Handbook 2. Select an area of interest from your experience or the book (e.g., spouse abuse, welfare programs, homeless children, teenage sexuality, etc.) 3. If possible provide a specific case example(s) from your ministry 4. Summarize the issue and its importance to you and your church. 5. Provide relevant facts surrounding issue. 6. What is your theological response to the issue? Elaborate on a biblical theme(s) or text(s) that capture your theological understanding of pastoral care in your chosen area 7. What is your church's interaction with the issue? What might you do? How does your pastoral care response integrate with other aspects of ministry? 8. Listing of Local Resources 9. Resources/bibliography page

Part Two

1. Self-assessment: What Strengths/challenges/growth areas do you see for yourself?

After posting your paper, respond to at least three of your classmate's papers. The paper post is due Tuesday of Week 10. All responses are due by Friday of Week 10. This discussion forum requires at least four posts.

5. Child Protection Assignment

Please bring the following information to Bethel to be shared with your classmates

A) Your state's child abuse reporting laws (or lack thereof) for pastors and churches. Please directly quote and reference your state laws. This information can typically be found online

B) Your Church's Child Protection Policy. This policy should cover areas such as background checks for youth workers, child abuse reporting policies, two adult rules, relations between youth leaders and teens, etc. If your church does not have a written policy please write up your unwritten practices.

6. Pastoral Care Verbatim (not a discussion forum - bring 5 copies to class)

Utilizing the following outline write a verbatim of a pastoral care experience. The verbatim should be a specific "care" visit where you are called upon to offer pastoral care.

I. Background

Protect the confidentiality of the person. You do not need permission to write a verbatim if there is no way for us to identify the person. Change any identifying details, however, if you can include age, gender, family status, occupation, and any other relevant information (1/2 to 1 page).

II. Personal Observations

Assess how you prepared for the visit. What personal feelings or concerns did you bring into the visit?

III. Observations and Verbatim

Use "C" for Pastoral Care giver and "P" for person or parishioner. Please note in parenthesizes any observations you make about the person including body language change in affect and nonverbal signals. If prayer, scripture, or other pastoral resources are utilized, please include the content of the prayer, scripture reference and the purpose of the resource you used.

C1: "Hello Tom. How are you today?"

P1: "Hi, Pastor." (extending right hand to shake my hand). I'm glad you stopped by. I'm worried about my son . . ." (troubled look on his face). C2: "I noticed that he wasn't at kids club the last two weeks. How is he doing?"

P2: "I am embarrassed to say that his mother has moved out."

C3: (uncertain what to say) "When did all of this happen."

A total of at least 12 "C" and 12 "P" should be given so that an idea of what is transpiring can be determined.

IV. Analysis

Briefly summarize your encounter. What challenges or difficulties did you encounter? What was accomplished by your visit?

V. Evaluation

From your perspective, evaluate the following:

1. Where/how was God present in this encounter? 2. What were the theological issues? 3. How did you understand your pastoral role? 4. What might you have done differently? 5. What learning and growth issues emerged for you?

VI. Pastoral Opportunities:

What are your plans for the next visit? What are your long-term goals for your relationship with this person?

(Verbatim assignment adapted from Avera Health CPE & Luther Seminary Foundations for Pastoral Care).

Due Monday of Week 1 intensive (week five of the quarter). Bring 5 copies of your Verbatim to be shared in a small group.

7. Reading

Read all of Lester, Stevenson-Moessnar and Sullivan prior to intensive and be prepared to discuss the texts in class.

Intensive Topics will include but not be limited to the following

 Using the Bible, prayer, and other pastoral resources  Helping parents parent  Ethical, legal and professional issue  Self care and boundaries  Bowen revisited  Helping difficult and troubled children and adults  Divorce and remarriage  Step family adjustment  Grief and loss  The helping relationship and attending skills  Families in perpetual crises

GRADING

1. 5 points: Discussion Forum One: Introduction 2. 20 points: Discussion Forum Two: Personal Pastoral Care Experience 3. 20 points: Discussion Forums Three And Four: Pastoral Care Network 4. 20 points: Discussion Forum Five: Pastoral Care Case & Self Assessment Paper 5. 5 points: Child Protection Assignment 6. 20 points: Pastoral Care Verbatim 7. 20 points: Class Participation and Reading

A 100 - 110 B 90 - 99 C 70 - 89

Completing the course evaluation at the end of this course is included as a component of class participation. While your responses are anonymous, failure to submit an electronic evaluation will reduce your course class participation grade by 2%.

PC713 Pastoral Care of Children and Families Course Schedule

Spring 2013

Pre-Intensive: Read (before coming to Intensives): Stevenson-Moessnar: A Primer in Pastoral Care Lester: Pastoral Care of Children in Crises Sullivan: The Good Listener

Week One: Post: Introduction. Introduce yourself to your classmates. In your introduction share at lest one example of the types of pastoral care experiences you encounter. Week Two: Post: Pastoral Care Experience. Review a difficult time in your life. What were the issues? What were you feeling at the time? What did you do? Who helped you? Elaborate on and critique the pastoral care you received. Was the care what you needed? How do you care for others now in relation to how you were cared for? Read all of your classmate’s postings and respond to at least three, for a total of four posts.

Week Three: Post: Pastoral Care Network Post a brief discussion of the services for each of the first four people that you interview. Ask at least one of your classmates at least one question about a person (or organization) they met with, and then respond to at least of your classmate’s questions to you.

Week Four: No work due

Week Five: Intensive Week One – this course Monday: Bring to class Verbatims, State Laws, and Child Protection Policy

Week Six: Intensive Week Two – other course Nothing Due

Week Seven: Nothing Due: Read Family Handbook and write paper

Week Eight: Post: Pastoral Care Network – Final Four Post a brief discussion of the services for each of the next first four people that you interview. Ask at least one of your classmates at least one question about a person (or organization) they met with, and then respond to at least of your classmate’s questions to you.

Week Nine: Nothing Due: Read Family Handbook and write paper

Week Ten: Read: The Family Handbook Post: Area of Interest and Self Assessment Paper. Respond to three classmate’s postings.

Academic Course Policies: Please familiarize yourself with the catalog requirements as specified in Academic Course Policies document found on the Registrar's website at: https://bethelnet.bethel.edu/ureg/bssp/acp/. You are responsible for this information, and any academic violations, such as plagiarism, will not be tolerated. o Course Evaluations: Student course assessments are an important part of course development and enhancement. In order to recognize the value of your input and to encourage you to provide that input, your completion of the course assessment will be included as a factor in your final course grade. Review the course syllabus for how this will be calculated. For any questions regarding the course evaluation process, please go to https://bethelnet.bethel.edu/ureg/bssp/eval_index.