COS 323 Congregational Care
Mississippi Course of Study
October 7-8 and 21-22, 2016
The Reverend Dr. Dorothy Dickson-Rishel, Instructor
Purpose: This course introduces students to practices of congregational care and the pastor’s responsibility in care giving.
Objectives: Students will be able to:
- Implement and oversee appropriate types of care in varieties of settings, including prisons, hospitals, nursing facilities, and homes.
- Organize caring ministries within the congregation.
- Discern and implement appropriate boundaries, knowing when and to whom to refer people, and when and when not to share information.
- Reflect on and practice skills of sensitive caregiving, using role play and analysis case studies.
Bibliography You do not have to buy all seven text books All students are required to read the first book by Charles Taylor and then choose ONE of the other listed texts..
· The Skilled Pastor: Counseling as the Practice of Theology by Charles W. Taylor
Mastery of the material in this text is required of all students. Familiarity with the material must be evidenced in the precourse assignments, class discussion, and class presentations.
· Student Choice assignment. All students must choose one of the following texts and be prepared to discuss in class. Students who are interested in being eligible for a grade of A or B in the course should also prepare a 3-4 page summary and teaching outline of their chosen reading by October 7. Students who do not choose to complete the written assignment will receive a maximum grade of C.
a) Creating a Healthier Church: Family Systems Theory, Leadership and Congregational Life by Ronald Richardson (This is a very useful but more advanced text. It is recommended for students with higher levels of interest and/or education)
b) Pastoral Care Emergencies (Creative Pastoral Care and Counseling series) by David K. Switzer (This is a classic pastoral counseling text designed to build skills for dealing with crisis situations such as bereavement, disasters, and hospitalizations.)
c) African American Pastoral Care (Revised Edition) by Edward Wimberley (This reading focuses on the specific challenges and opportunities of doing pastoral counseling in African American communities.
d) Pastoral Care in the Small Membership Church by James Killen (This is a more basic text for persons who may be new to the ministry or the smaller church setting. It is not recommended for those who have been in ministry over 5 years.)
e) Listening and Caring Skills in Ministry: A Guide for Leaders and Groups by John Savage (This is a manual for developing advanced listening skills and deeper communication in the pastoral context. It provides a variety of exercises to facilitate hearing others’ stories)
f) Practicing Care in Rural Congregations and Communities by Jeanne Hoeft, L. Shannon Jung, and Joretta Marshall (This is a slightly more advanced text that offers insight into how to provide congregational care in less urban settings.)
Precourse Assignments: Due to the instructor by Monday, September 26.
1. Read the books assigned. Demonstrate understanding in the assignments below.
2. Create a life reflection paper in which you
· Tell me in one paragraph who you are. Please include where you are from, your education and occupation, your appointment, your family and where you live now.
· Choose 4 events in your life that have shaped you significantly and describe how it has molded you as a pastor.
· Define congregational/pastoral care as you understand it in your setting. What strengths are present and what weaknesses do you see?
· Describe 2 areas in which you want to grow as pastor and identify how you might work to facilitate those goals. Tell me which book of the list of six you chose and why.
3. Choose and identify a Biblical event in which you see a pastoral counseling issue. Write a brief reflection on the counseling issue in the story and then provide a description of how this scriptural passage might be beneficial in your pastoral relationships.
4. Write a paper of at least 3 pages that offers a reflection informed by your readings of your pastoral caregiving.
· Write one page in which you received effective or ineffective pastoral care. What were the factors that contributed to the outcome? What changes would you make in the pastoral care or what strategies have you learned from it to better your congregational care?
· Write one page on a situation in your ministry when you offered effective pastoral care. Be as specific as possible about what you did and said right and what allowed the Spirit to work in the situation.
· Write one page on a situation in your ministry when you offered ineffective pastoral care. Again, be specific. What blocks were present, where and how did the care get off track.
· Summarize your reflection.
Extra assignment necessary for a final grade of A or B – due by October 7.
Write a 3-4 page reflection on one student choice book that addresses the following:
· What insights/perspectives/discoveries from the book are the most useful to you in your ministry?
· Describe how you would use one or more of the methods from the reading to improve the counseling situation you wrote about in assignment#4.
· Provide a lesson plan or outline of how you might teach your congregation to be more effective in congregational care using the insights of the book you read.
Course Outline
§ Weekend I The Role of Pastoral Counseling and Skill Development
§ Biblical study on pastoral/congregational care
§ Distinguishing pastoral roles
§ Facilitating conditions for all helping relationships
§ Discussion on “Student choice” readings
§ Role play and practice of counseling skills
§ Selection of readings for class discussions on special topics.
§ Weekend II Applying Pastoral Counseling Skills in the Local Church
§ More Biblical study
§ Ethical issues-
§ Class presentations on specific topics—Counseling, Congregational Care Teams, Pastoral Theology, and Pastoral Care in Crises
§ Role play and practice of pastoral skills
Course Requirements
Precourse Assignments Please note the due date for the precourse assignments. This is a firm date. In fairness to all students, late assignments will be penalized. I am happy to receive assignments by mail or email.
Class Participation and AttendanceBecause of the particular nature of this course, regular attendance and participation is crucial. All students will be expected to contribute to discussions and exercises.
Readings All students are expected to complete and comprehend the required readings. Precourse assignments, class discussion and exercises will give you opportunities to demonstrate your comprehension of the assigned books. Additionally, students will be able to choose a reading in a special topic area.
Class Presentations Class presentations will present information gleaned from the special topic readings. Students will also present a one-page summary or outline of the most important points in their reading to be distributed to classmates.
Grading Passing grades will be based on comprehension and engagement with the materials presented as well as effort and class participation. Students who are interested in a higher grading standard of A or B must perform at the college/graduate level and complete the additional assignments listed above. The goal is that you grow in your understanding of and skills for counseling in your local church.
Class Participation 40%
Precourse Assignments 40%
Class Presentations 20%
Contact Information:
Dr. Dorothy Dickson-Rishel, 109 Beach Park Place, Long Beach, Ms., 39560
Cell 228-596-8504, Office 228-865-3204, Fax 228-867-5377
Please try to use the e-mail option if possible. Also, please do not go to the expense of sending your assignments by overnight mail.
I look forward to working with each of you. Please feel free to contact me if you have specific questions or concerns about your reading or written assignments. God bless you as you grow in this aspect of your ministry in the name of the "Wonderful Counselor". Grace always, <spacer type="horizontal" size="324"</spacer>Dorothy
Shopping Cart
Remove / / Listening & Caring Skills
A Guide for Groups and Leaders
ISBN-13: 9780687017164
23677238 / $12.34 / Update / $12.34
Remove / / African American Pastoral Care
Revised Edition
ISBN-13: 9780687649495
23677239 / $12.34 / Update / $12.34
Remove / / Pastoral Care in the Small Membership Church
ISBN-13: 9780687343263
23677241 / $9.74 / Update / $9.74
Remove / / Healthy Congregations
A Systems Approach
ISBN-13: 9781566993302
23677250 / $18.00 / Update / $18.00
Remove / / Pastoral Care Emergencies
ISBN-13: 9780800632281
Paperback
23677257 / $20.00 / Update / $20.00
Practicing Care in Rural Congregations and Communities.
By Jeanne Hoeft, Shannon Jung, and Joretta Marshall
ISBN 9780800699543
The Skilled Pastor: Counseling as the Practice of Theology
By Charles Taylor
ISBN-13: 9780800625092