Guidelines for Organizing a Community of Hope Center

Creating a Community Committed to Pastoral care

There are five phases in the process of establishing a Community of Hope Center within a church or institution. The basics behind each step are outlined below. A more in-depth explanation is available by clicking HERE.

 PHASE ONE: INTENTION TO BEGIN A CENTER
Approvals are gained from a rector, pastor or administrator, and a leadership team begins laying the groundwork for the Center. A Declaration of Intent is drafted and signed.

PHASE TWO: APPROVAL BY THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE
After the The Community of Hope in the Diocese of Texas receives the Declaration of Intent and check, approval will be given to become a COH center and notice will be forwarded to the Regional Representative.  Upon approval, COH in the Diocese of Texas will send a Start-up Kit to the new center.  From this time on, all communications of the new center regarding Community of Hope will be done with their Regional Representative.

PHASE THREE: PLANNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTER
A Pastoral Care Administrator begins work, and a Community of Hope training class schedule is established. All the administrative groundwork is laid for classes, ministry activities and a Circle of Care group.

PHASE FOUR : CONDUCTING THE CLASS AND THE COMMISSIONING
All potential Community of Hope members complete the training program, and are installed as active members in a commissioning service.

PHASE FIVE: ACTIVITIES AFTER THE COMMISSIONING SERVICE
Once the program is in place, the Pastoral Care Administrator and Community of Hope lay pastoral caregivers work together to find effective places to serve. Circle of Care meetings begin, and regular reports are sent to regional representatives.