St. Francis Episcopal Church
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In 1994, in response to a request for pastoral training, a spiritual community for calling disciples took root at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston. The Rev. Dr. Helen Appelberg, the creator of Community of Hope (COH), based the program for equipping lay chaplains for discipleship and ministry on disciplined prayer! Since then, this experience of conversion and transformation has grown to become ecumenical as well as international.
St. Francis Episcopal Church has embraced this program, finding it to be a much-needed as well as self-enriching experience where laity has learned to apply Benedictine spirituality to their daily life, especially when approaching pastoral care of others. Six classes have been completed and St. Francis currently has 39 active lay chaplains who are called to serve others. The 42-hour curriculum includes modules as diverse as Pastoral Identity; Motivational Spiritual Gifts; Listening Skills; (2) Practice Pastoral visits; Confidentiality; and Death, Grief and Loss.
Upon completion of the 14- week training, lay individuals are commissioned as "Lay Chaplains" and asked to serve for a minimum of two years (most stay beyond the two years!). By the time of commissioning, each individual will have discerned where their unique God-given spiritual gifts lie, which, in turn, directs them to minister in the area where their passions lie. One of the most overt signs of COH at work has been through its ministries to others.* Besides the weekly tending of the Ministry of Care (MOC) list (names and status of church members who are in the hospital, nursing home, rehab, or homebound), all lay chaplains are asked to pray for and be made aware of the needs those members of the congregation have. They then may chose to support those in need in any number of ways - advocacy, phone
calls, correspondence, meals, transportation, visits, or providing Holy Eucharist .
The backgrounds of St. Francis' Lay Chaplains vary from professionals, business owners, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors, construction managers , educators, ministers and retirees to caregivers and young moms. Their interests/passions vary according to their gifts and time. The following are the "major ministries" now served by COH:
* VISITATIONS (hospital, nursing homes, rehab and homebound)
* PRAYER & CORRESPONDENCE (COH prayer list and the MOC list)
* EDUCATION & PROGRAMS (On-going spiritual and educational programs for lay chaplains and major parish-wide events annually)
* YOUTH & CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
* ELDERLY SUPPORT
* FAMILY SUPPORT & BEREAVEMENT
* MUSIC (Several chaplains are members of the Praise and Worship Team and/or Choir )
* YOUNG FAMILY MINISTRY (in formation stages)
Other areas where lay ministers are involved include: Advocacy to those in need, Ministry of Meals, Transportation, Altar Guild, Hospitality, Bible Study, Worksites, Family needs, Lay Eucharist Ministry, Chaplaincy to Katrina evacuees and "Fun Friday". COH is also involved in the process of defining and implementing St. Francis' upcoming partnership with Family Services to create a Neighborhood Community Center. (The later three ministries are tied to St. Francis' commitment to "Outreach".)
COH is guided by the COH Team which includes 5 lay chaplains committed to facilitate the training of new classes, oversee COH direction, and, most importantly, support the ministries of its members by procuring professional speakers and/or offering pertinent educational monthly programs. This fall the team will include a day retreat in October, parish-wide caroling and its annual Christmas party. Scheduling for the 2007 COH class is to be announced later this fall .
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Community of Hope
In 1994, in response to a request for pastoral training, a spiritual community for calling disciples took root at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston. The Rev. Dr. Helen Appelberg, the creator of Community of Hope (COH), based the program for equipping lay chaplains for discipleship and ministry on disciplined prayer! Since then, this experience of conversion and transformation has grown to become ecumenical as well as international.
St. Francis Episcopal Church has embraced this program, finding it to be a much-needed as well as self-enriching experience where laity has learned to apply Benedictine spirituality to their daily life, especially when approaching pastoral care of others. Six classes have been completed and St. Francis currently has 39 active lay chaplains who are called to serve others. The 42-hour curriculum includes modules as diverse as Pastoral Identity; Motivational Spiritual Gifts; Listening Skills; (2) Practice Pastoral visits; Confidentiality; and Death, Grief and Loss.
Upon completion of the 14- week training, lay individuals are commissioned as "Lay Chaplains" and asked to serve for a minimum of two years (most stay beyond the two years!). By the time of commissioning, each individual will have discerned where their unique God-given spiritual gifts lie, which, in turn, directs them to minister in the area where their passions lie. One of the most overt signs of COH at work has been through its ministries to others.* Besides the weekly tending of the Ministry of Care (MOC) list (names and status of church members who are in the hospital, nursing home, rehab, or homebound), all lay chaplains are asked to pray for and be made aware of the needs those members of the congregation have. They then may chose to support those in need in any number of ways - advocacy, phone
calls, correspondence, meals, transportation, visits, or providing Holy Eucharist .
The backgrounds of St. Francis' Lay Chaplains vary from professionals, business owners, nurses, psychologists, social workers, counselors, construction managers , educators, ministers and retirees to caregivers and young moms. Their interests/passions vary according to their gifts and time. The following are the "major ministries" now served by COH:
* VISITATIONS (hospital, nursing homes, rehab and homebound)
* PRAYER & CORRESPONDENCE (COH prayer list and the MOC list)
* EDUCATION & PROGRAMS (On-going spiritual and educational programs for lay chaplains and major parish-wide events annually)
* YOUTH & CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
* ELDERLY SUPPORT
* FAMILY SUPPORT & BEREAVEMENT
* MUSIC (Several chaplains are members of the Praise and Worship Team and/or Choir )
* YOUNG FAMILY MINISTRY (in formation stages)
Other areas where lay ministers are involved include: Advocacy to those in need, Ministry of Meals, Transportation, Altar Guild, Hospitality, Bible Study, Worksites, Family needs, Lay Eucharist Ministry, Chaplaincy to Katrina evacuees and "Fun Friday". COH is also involved in the process of defining and implementing St. Francis' upcoming partnership with Family Services to create a Neighborhood Community Center. (The later three ministries are tied to St. Francis' commitment to "Outreach".)
COH is guided by the COH Team which includes 5 lay chaplains committed to facilitate the training of new classes, oversee COH direction, and, most importantly, support the ministries of its members by procuring professional speakers and/or offering pertinent educational monthly programs. This fall the team will include a day retreat in October, parish-wide caroling and its annual Christmas party. Scheduling for the 2007 COH class is to be announced later this fall .
