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Tasmanian Anglican

September 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 


Pastoral Partners at the recent training day in Burnie

 

Pastoral Partners Training

by Aileen Fitzgerald

 

 

One of the aims of the Ministry Stream in the Parish of Burnie was to have the beginnings of an effective pastoral care system operating in the parish by the end of 2004, and to this end 21 parishioners interested in being trained as Pastoral Partners attended a Training Session at St Barnabas', Somerset over the weekend 13-14 August.

The parish was delighted that Doug Edmonds accepted the invitation to conduct the training and many former friendships were renewed.

The Pastoral Partners Programme is produced by MediaCom and the author Sharon Price is an educator with extensive experience in the training of pastoral care workers, volunteers, health professionals, clergy and counsellors.

Further involvement

A Pastoral Partner is not an expert or a specialist but a Christian willing to take a little responsibility to support others. Each Partner is assigned to a group of approx. five families (a cluster) and is asked to keep a friendly 'eye' out for them, to maintain a regular informal contact with them, to pray for them and to alert the Ministry Stream Staff resource person of issues which may arise.

Those who attended the training found it very beneficial and are now considering prayerfully their further involvement. The Rev. Aileen Fitzgerald said that those called to the ministry from this first Training Course will enable the beginning of formation of clusters in the parish. Another training course will be held early next year to enable more clusters to be formed.

The Rev. Aileen Fitzgerald is the Ministry Stream Staff Resource Person.