Offers practical guidance, tips, and reproducible pages for a six- to eight- week training program. Suitable for churches of all sizes.
Congregational Care Ministers (CCMs) are laypersons who work alongside pastors to provide quality care for their church family. This manual is designed to help pastors organize their congregations for care and equip persons to listen to, visit, comfort, and encourage congregants. Also included are reproducible handouts and ready-to-use worksheets, forms, templates, and information so that you can customize the guide specifically for your location.
Other congregational care training programs can be expensive and lengthy. This up-to-date product allows use by all churches seeking effective ways to care for the congregation. For more, readers can go to the Church of the Resurrection website for training videos and more “how-to” leader information (www.cor.org/ccm).
"The congregational care model Karen Lampe teaches in this guide will dramatically improve the quality of pastoral care while engaging laity in ways that will enrich and bless them and those they care for. This is a must-read for laity and clergy involved in congregational care." --Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor, The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
"For all sizes of churches interested in an excellent laity-run ministry of caring for people, this helpful training manual can guide you through the steps to build such a ministry. Rev. Lampe’s discussion of how to focus on purpose, recruitment, training, theology, prayer, and other essential aspects can guide leaders in improving congregational care. She offers significant questions to consider as well as helpful suggestions for how to approach a wide variety of situations." --Scott J. Jones, Bishop, Great Plains Area, The United Methodist Church
"As the process of how to establish a vibrant and responsive care ministry unfolds in this book, Rev. Lampe identifies the most important skills and tools under an umbrella of prayer. The reader will gladly discover that the guide pulls together ample information on the best practices of pastoral ministry. It also provides individual and group exercises to stimulate thinking and interaction. The appendix reflects the willingness of the Church of the Resurrection to share resources, documents, and forms freely and is itself an invaluable resource." --Emily S. Matheny, Executive Director of Congregational Care, Christ United Methodist Church, Memphis, TN
Karen Lampe is the executive pastor of congregational care at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, and serves in conjunction with senior pastor, Adam Hamilton.