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The Community of Hope
Guidelines for Organizing a Community of HopeCenter
Creating a Community Committed to Pastoral Care
 
PHASE ONE: INTENTION TO BEGIN A CENTER
 
The rector, pastor or institutional administrator must first approve the establishment of a Community of Hope Center committed to lay pastoral care. 
 
This leader then arranges for the appointment of the leadership team of four persons. The leadership team is composed of:
 
  1. Administrative head or his/her representative
  2. Training Facilitator
  3. Circle of Care Coordinator
  4. Pastoral Care Administrator
 
The Leadership Team reads and discusses all of the documents in the Introductory Packet. The team discusses the need for lay pastoral care and decides if it wishes to commit to creating a Community of Hope Center and determines where the lay pastoral caregivers will serve. You may wish to use “A Process for Discerning God’s Call to Pastoral Care Ministry.” At least one place of ministry should be in a location outside the membership of the parish.
 
We recommend that a member of the leadership team attend the annual conference, usually held in June at the Episcopal Conference Center at Camp Allen, Navasota, Texas. For more information regarding the annual conference, please visit our website at www.coh-international.com.  
 
A Declaration of Intent is agreed upon and signed by all four members of the leadership team stating their intent to establish a Community of Hope Center offering:
 
  1. An initial training class, using the COH Curriculum.
  2. A monthly Circle of Care or an equivalent means of fulfilling the purposes of Circle of Care.
  3. A pre-determined setting in which the lay pastoral caregivers regularly offer pastoral care.
 
The original signed Declaration of Intent and a check for the Start-up Kit are submitted to the The Community of Hope. The contact for the Start up kit is Dr. Carrie Watson, c/o St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 6000-A FM 3237, Wimberley, TX 78676.  Phone (512)847-6692.  Email: carrie@ststeve.org. The fee for the start up kit is $200.  Make checks payable to The Community of Hope International.  Please retain a copy of the Declaration of Intent for your files.
 
PHASE TWO: APPROVAL BY THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE
 
Upon notice of approval, COHI will send a Start-up Kit. The Start-up Kit includes:
 
  1. CD-ROM containing the Facilitator’s Manual and the Lay Pastoral Caregiver’s Notebook
  2. Leadership Team Manual (paper copy, reproducible).
  3. Circle of Care Handbook (paper copy, reproducible).
  4. One copy of The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages byJoan Chittister.
  5. 20 Debriefing Cards.
  6. Price list for COH materials.
  7. A receipt in the amount of $200.00 for all churches and institutions.
 
After the Start-up Kit has been sent to the leadership team, notice will be sent to your Regional Representative. 
 
PHASE THREE: PLANNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CENTER
 
Pastoral Care Administrator:
 
Refer to “The Role of the Pastoral Care Administrator” located in the Introductory Packet and the Leadership Team Manual.
 
Faculty Recruitment
 
Seek a variety of people to teach the training modules. Faculty should be knowledgeable about the topic assigned to them. Modules are thematic guidelines for the faculty, and are not to be used as the lecture. Faculty are not normally paid for their presentations.  
 
Training Tuition
 
A tuition fee of $50 to cover program materials is suggested, however other funds may be sought to offer scholarships or to reduce the tuition fee.
             
Class Enrollment 
 
The leadership team will establish a means for filling the first training class with 10-16 people who feel God is calling them to a ministry of pastoral care as defined in the Declaration of Intent. Enrollment into the class has four steps:
 
1.       Obtain a completed Community of Hope Application for Pastoral Care.
2.       Obtain a completed Clergy Recommendation Form.
3.       Conduct a face-to-face interview using the Personal Interview for Initial Training, located in the Introductory Packet and the Leadership Team Manual. The object of this interview is to mutually determine if the applicant is ready to enter the training at this time.
4.       Decide and advise the applicant if they are invited to take the training. (After interviews are completed, place application and clergy recommendation in your center’s files.)
 
Training Facilitators Begin their Preparation:
 
Refer to “The Role of Training Facilitators” located in the Introductory Packet and the Leadership Team Manual.
 
Circle of Care Coordinator Begins Preparation:
 
Refer to “The Role of Circle of Care Coordinator” located in the Introductory Packet and the Leadership Team Manual.
 
Setting Up a Filing System:
 
Refer to “List of Suggested Records” located in the Start-Up Kit and the Leadership Team Manual. 
 
 
 
PHASE FOUR: CONDUCTING THE CLASS AND THE COMMISSIONING
 
Conducting the Class
 
1.      Provide all materials at or prior to the first class. 
2.      Provide nametags and attendance roll sheet.
3.      Provide a tape or video recorder for each session for make-up sessions.
4.      Have members sign up to provide refreshments for each session.
5.      Have members sign up to lead worship at each session.
6.      Announce homework assignments for the next session.
7.      Contact faculty one week in advance to reconfirm assignment.
8.      Send a thank you note to each faculty member.      
9.  Order name badges from Arch Engraving, www.archengraving.com at least three weeks in advance of commissioning. Please see the Leadership Team Manual for complete instructions.
 
Provide for a Three-Month Internship as Described in the Facilitator’s Manual
 
Conduct the Commissioning
 
1.                  Reconfirm with each class member the proper spelling of their names and how they should appear on their official Community of Hope certificate and name badge.
2.                  Six weeks prior to your commissioning service, send the Request for Commissioning Certificates form to the Dr. Carrie Watson (see address above).
 
PHASE FIVE: ACTIVITIES AFTER THE COMMISSIONING SERVICE
 
  1. Circle of Care meetings begin the following month after the completion of the Initial Training.
  2. Pastoral Care Administrator assists each lay pastoral caregiver in finding a place to serve.
  3. Lay pastoral caregivers submit monthly reports to the Pastoral Care Administrator. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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