Summer 2000

The INNERLIFE
A Publication of the
Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee, Inc..

Partners in Caring Since 1985

Welcoming the stranger, the marginalized, the disenfranchised, the "disabled" into community is an act of faith.

Jean Vanier, founder of the L'Arche communities, said that "our communities should be signs of joy and celebration If we are accepted with our limitations as well as our abilities, community gradually becomes a place of liberation . . ."

Our culture has lost touch with the rich tradition of hospitality and the moral component of its practice. This is not the practice of welcoming family and friends into our homes for a meal or the welcome we receive when we rent a room at a hotel but rather welcoming those who have nothing to bring to the table. Hospitality' s earlier practice both in the Jewish tradition and the early Christian church was related directly to sustaining the life of the community and its religious practices and beliefs.

Christine D. Pohl, in Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition says that in a number of ancient communities the practice of hospitality was the measurement on which morality was tested. The people of ancient Israel carried with them an identity of stranger and sojourner, separate from society by their religious beliefs and practices. Certainly during the Diaspora this became even more significant as the Jewish community was spread through the Middle East. It became imperative in light of this identity to welcome and embrace those who were lost, set apart or unwelcome elsewhere.

Hospitality, when it is practiced at its most authentic level, is a practice of resistance. Pohl, in Making Room, reminds us that "when the larger society disregards and dishonors certain persons, small acts of respect and welcome are potent far beyond themselves. They point to a different system of valuing and an alternative model of relationships." How hospitality is practiced in our homes, churches, workplaces and political arenas has much to say about our culture as a whole. It is in our homes and churches where individuals can make the largest immediate impact. Hospitality and its practice can function as a framework that bridges our theology with our daily lives.

Welcoming the stranger, the marginalized, the disenfranchised, and the "disabled" into community, whether it is at a work, church or home settings is an act of faith. It says something about both the community and the person being welcomed. Welcoming another is a powerful act. For the "welcomer" it can be a positive act of defiance or disregard within a larger context that perpetuates segregation and isolation. For the "welcomed" it can be an experience of liberation from societal messages that limit a person' s sense of belonging and value in the human community. Practicing hospitality involves risk. If we are too comfortable in our practice there is a good chance we have not moved past a theological belief to an active belief. A commitment to hospitable practices must challenge our loyalties and our values at their very foundation.

Recommended Reading:
Community and Growth by Jean Vanier
Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition by Christine D. Pohl

An Oxymoron
by James R. Coffman

One of our Board members recently told me that our agency needs champions. Newsweek (May 22, 2000) described the differences made to a cause when Michael J. Fox became involved in the fight against Parkinson' s Disease, Christopher Reeve with spinal cord injuries, and Liz Taylor with AIDS. The article noted how the good efforts of "regular advocates" were easily swept aside by government and private givers. But it seemed everyone wanted to listen to a prominent person and respond to his or her concerns.

We all manage a measure of prominence in our circles, and we have opportunity for contributing to some concerns along the way. I am hoping to solicit you as a champion for mission of pastoral counseling.

Pastoral Counseling tends to focus its attention on the person or family who is living through the chaotic. What is the chaotic part of your own life? How do you cope with it? How do you go about organizing life and relationships around this dimension of your self? Does the chaotic ever rise to the point of personal and family dysfunction, depriving you of living and interfering with your capacity to love and work? We believe such experiences are part of the human condition, and individuals have varying skills to manage. Pastoral care in general, and pastoral counseling specifically, assumes the challenge of helping souls through the chaos. We believe that a relationship with God informs us about meeting chaos, and we believe that psychotherapy provides helpful tools. We are careful to employ people on our staff who know that the helper embodies the help-the one who has helps the one who does not. A pastoral person must be mature and generous.

We appeal to the mature to help the less mature. With the same logic that informs us to work with parents to help their children, we in the Pastoral Counseling Centers ask the mature-congregations, foundations, groups, and individuals-to help those victimized by chaos. We know that the mature understand that their spirits are intrinsically connected with the spirits of the poor and sick. Our asking the mature to participate is a means for sustaining their maturity. One contributor recently thanked me for the opportunity of giving to our mission. His mature understanding was one of deep gratitude.

Contrived gratitude is an oxymoron. I have been in congregations and organizations long enough to witness gratitude and learn a bit. Here is the bottom line: one cannot create gratitude. Only God creates gratitude in human hearts, and gratitude is a prominent expression of maturity.

I have tried to create gratitude in my congregational ministries and in this agency. I have tried to get people to give who did not want to give. It is harder than sucking blood from a turnip. I think it the same dynamic as trying to help people who do not want to be helped. It is more frustrating than inventing DNA. I have heard people say that if they ask their friends to give to us, then their friends will ask them to give to their concerns. I have heard leaders say if we give to you, practitioners in our congregation will get upset. While I understand the logic, such statements miss the point of ministry. If you do not want to give to us, give to someone serving the people that we serve and doing what we do! Benevolent organizations and leaders like me only provide opportunities for expressing gratitude and growing in maturity. We do not create anything-we simply call out what is already in your heart. I challenge you to be passionate about serving people in need. Get involved with the poor and the sick-the involvement will help you mature.

Life Enrichment Events
These are just some of the Life Enrichment Events conducted in the first quarter of 2000. If you would like more information on our 2000 offerings please visit our web site at www.PastoralCounselingCtrs.org. You' ll find a listing of our 2000 events under the heading "Programs for Congregations". You can call Stephanie at 615/383-2115 for a copy of our current Life Enrichment Events booklet or for help scheduling an event.

• Children and Divorce at City Road United Methodist Church, Madison
  
• How to Survive as a Day Care Worker at Highland Baptist Church, Tullahoma
  
• Knowing Yourself, Knowing Salvation at First Presbyterian Church, Nashville
  
• Marriage Enrichment; After We Say 'I Do' at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Nashville
  
• Redeeming Relationships at Highland Baptist Church, Tullahoma
  
• Spirituality and the Myers Briggs at Woodmont Christian Church, Nashville
  
• The Emotional Process of Divorce at City Road United Methodist Church, Madison
  
• Understanding Evil in Interpersonal Relationships at Westminster Presbyterian Churches, Nashville

Budget Wisely - Become A "Member Congregation"
Partnership has its benefits not only for the counselees we serve and who would not otherwise receive the care they need but also for the congregations that support the ministry. While our congregation schedule is an encouragement to join us in a mission of care for individuals and families in our community, there are some perks to contributing. Member Congregations pledge annually to PCCT and their contribution is based on the congregation' s total budget. For example, a congregation with a budget of 100,000 or less can be a Member Congregation with a pledge of $600 for the year. Member Congregations receive 2 Life Enrichment Event Hours free and subsequent hours at the reduced $75 fee. Most importantly, when the congregation pays counseling fees for an individual they have referred to PCCT, the session fee is billed to the congregation according to an adjusted fee scale, based on the family' s income. This fee scale adjustment is only a benefit for Member Congregations. Supporting Congregations who pay client fees, pay a reduced but flat session fee of $75. As a Member Congregation your Outreach monies can benefit both those inside your congregation and in the wider community.

PCCT Training Programs Accepting Applicants
PCCT is now accepting applications for these four training programs: Pastoral Care Specialist (PCS), Clinical Pastoral Therapist (CPT), Advanced Practitioner (AP), and Clinical Supervisor (CS).The PCS is for persons desiring to enhance their skills in addressing spiritual/theological concerns in their profession. The CPT is designed for persons pursuing Tennessee and with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC). Based on need, applicants to the CPT program can apply for both a scholarship up to the full cost of tuition (depending on available funds) and/or a clinical assignment in the PCCT system to help defray training costs. The AP provides course work and supervision pursuant to theological integration in the practioners clinical practice. The CS equips advanced practitioners to provide clinical supervision for persons pursuing certification and licensure. Persons interested in more information or in receiving program materials and scholarship applications should contact Dr. James W. Pruett, Director of Training Programs at 615/370-9547.

Memorial and Honor Roll
We gratefully acknowledge gifts from the following individuals and organizations:
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Mrs. Barbara Massey Rodgers and The Jack C. Massey Foundation
The Memorial Foundation
Mr. Albert W. Johnson, II
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McDow
Mr. Dan Prince
Mr. Val Sanford
Mr. James N. Stansell, Sr.
Mr. James N. Stansell, Jr.
Dr. David Tuleen

Opportunities for Care!
It is the policy of the Pastoral Counseling Centers to serve individuals and families without regard for their ability to pay the regular fee. We welcome the financial support of friends like you who make it possible for us to do so. With your help we can meet the care needs of our communities. Please include the Pastoral Counseling Centers in your benevolent giving.

Notes

Pastoral Care & Counseling Week
October 22-29 marks this year's Pastoral Care and Counseling Week. This year's theme is Valuing Each Person Wholly. Many of our supporting congregations take this opportunity to highlight the ministry of the Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee. If you are interested in using bulletin inserts or newsletter blurbs, having one of our counselors participate in worship or taking a special offering to highlight the Centers'work and mission, please contact Stephanie in the Development Office. She will offer whatever help you might need. Or visit www.pastoralcareweek.org/index.htm for newsletter articles and bulletin inserts.

Founder's Banquet Date Changes
The Annual Founder' s Banquet date has been changed to Friday, October 13th. This year the Founder' s Banquet will honor Bill and Evelyn Tallent from Vine Street Christian Church in Nashville and the Reverend George Gracey, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Clarksville. Mark your calendar and join us in celebration! If you would like additional information about this event or would like to receive an invitation please contact Stephanie in the Development Office at 615/383-2115.

Employee of the Year Award
Each year PCCT recognizes a staff member whose contributions both personally and professionally have made an important impact on the life of the agency and the clients we serve. The Employee of the Year Award is given in September at the Board-Staff Retreat. Nominations are being solicited from all interested constituents.

Columbia Center Dedication and Open House
The renovations on the space donated by Trinity Lutheran Church for the Columbia Center are almost complete. Volunteers offered more than 500 hours of service to make the transformation of the space possible. Seven congregations of various denominations now support the Center' s mission and ministry in Columbia. The Center is scheduled to open July 1st. All are invited to the Pastoral Counseling Center of Columbia' s Dedication Ceremony and Open House on July 9th from 2-4 pm.
Volunteer Thank You

Belated Thank-you
PCCT apologizes for forgetting an important "thank you" to one of our volunteers during Volunteer Month in April. A big "thank you" goes out to Karen Dahlinger who serves the Vine Street Center on Monday evenings. Both counselors and counselees are grateful for her presence. Thank you Karen!

PBS Special: On Our Own Terms
Beginning on September 10, PBS will broadcast On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying. This four part series will reveal the stories of the dying, their families, and their caregivers, and will illustrate the growing struggle to balance medical intervention with comfort and humane care.

Staff Notes
Tom Knowles-Bagwell's colleagues and clients will be sad to say goodbye to Tom when he leaves PCCT in mid July. Tom has worked full time with PCCT and has been Coordinator of the Franklin Center for 11 years. Tom and his family are moving to North Carolina to take on new vocational challenges. We wish them well in their new life there.

PCCT would like to welcome the newest members to our staff, Caroline McBride and Kathleen Hardie. Caroline is our new Executive Secretary and Receptionist. She recently moved to Nashville from Maine where she was the Office Manager for a residential home for disabled persons. Caroline has a degree in Journalism. Kathleen joined the staff in May and works part time at Vine Street as our newest Contract Counselor. Kathleen has a seminary degree and is a certified social worker.

Archived Issues:
Summer 2004
Winter 2003: Nuturing the Institution
Fall 2002
Winter 2002: Ethics In The Workplace
Fall 2001: Room for Laughter
Spring 2001: Suicide - A Loss of Hope
Winter 2001: Helping a Child Through Loss
Fall 2000: Adolescence and Substance Abuse
Summer 2000: Hospitality, A Context for Care and Healing
Spring 2000: The Cry of Anguish