Spiritual Care Week Event Resources

 

 

Suggestions when celebrating Spiritual Care Week

 

Objective 1: To celebrate the education for and practice of spiritual care:

 

       Create an article, insert, poster or bulletin board with the theme:

 

       What is a Spiritual Care Professional?

       How does one become a Chaplain?

       Why and how I became a Chaplain.

       Who is the Spiritual Care Professional?

       What goes on in your Chaplain Center?
 

       Organize an activity that seeks to support the spiritual well-being of those we serve.

       Organize an educative event explaining what the education is for and practice of spiritual care through professional          chaplaincy and pastoral counseling.

       Feature a chaplain, a pastoral counselor or the chaplaincy program in the house communication, church paper or local    newspaper.

       Invite CPE personnel to make a presentation to the administration.

 

 

Objective 2: To interpret and promote spiritual care:

 

       Create a publication:

       When Is It Time To Call The Chaplain? - Do an article, brochure or flyer with the picture of the chaplain or chaplain team.

       Plan a fun quiz to bring to the different areas of the institution offering treats and small prizes for taking the quiz.

       Schedule an organizational event:

       Prepare a luncheon seminar; What Is Spiritual Care and When Does It Make Sense?

       Have a Spiritual Care Fair giving out brochures and SCW material.

 

 

Objective 3: To honor and celebrate all practitioners of spiritual care:

 

       Request that the mayor, the governor or the legislature issue a declaration celebrating Spiritual Care Week (see Proclamation elsewhere on this site). Publicize widely.

       Join forces to celebrate with Pastoral Counseling Centers, CPE training centers, small private group practices, psychotherapy centers, addiction treatment centers, jail, prison and military chaplains.

       Give special attention to parishes and volunteers who support the work of the pastoral care department:

 

       Invite them to a prayer service, blessing, re-commissioning.

       Give small gifts, thank you cards, prayer cards or flowers to acknowledge them.

       Offer an in-service, enrichment event or retreat.

       Provide a lunch or ice-cream social.

       Feature a volunteer, describing the work.

       Give an award.

 

 

Objective 4: To express appreciation to institutions and their staff who support spiritual care ministries:

 

       Send a letter of thanks to administration and other staff supportive of your work. Have an open house of appreciation for them.

       Take out an ad in your local newspaper expressing appreciation to the institution and its employees who support spiritual care. Include a picture of the spiritual care staff.

       Do an article in the institution's newsletter describing support received. Illustrate with brief stories.

 

 

Objective 5: To publicize the work of spiritual care organizations affiliated with the COMISS network:

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       Research "the spiritual care story" and utilize the information to educate the general public.

       Hold a Peace Service with peace poems from various faith traditions.

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Objective 6: To promote continued education for clergy, laity and institutional employees regarding the value of spiritual care:

 

       Sponsor a clergy appreciation day for area clergy.

       Provide a well-known speaker for inspiration and discussion.

       Have a "Lunch and Learn" on the value of spiritual care as demonstrated by research.

       Sponsor a poetry contest for all employees of the institution leading to a luncheon or dinner of readings.

 

 

 

Ideas for Celebrating Spiritual Care Week

 

For General Use:

 

"We gave cookies and punch out to employees on all three shifts." 

"The employees loved the pens and buttons."

"I placed a table tent on each table in the cafeteria."

"Our local TV station came out for our balloon launch." 

"We planned a lunch for the administrators and gave each of them a sports bottle and T-shirt."

"I invited the community clergy in for a brunch and had our hospital administrator thank them for their spiritual support to our patients." 

"We had a special event each day, like Bibles given by the Gideon Society, etc."

 

  

For Correctional Chaplains:

 

"I invited the area clergy in to lead a special service for the inmates. We then had refreshments and special pastries from our prison bakery that we shared together."

 

"We brought in a special guest speaker who then took some time to make rounds with the chaplain."

 

"We had the inmates that assist the chaplains to send special letters of affirmation to our area bishops and judicatories."

 

"We had several inmates join us in writing letters to clergy that we knew, thanking them for their ministry."

 

 

 

For Pastoral Counselors:

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"We invited in area clergy for doughnuts and coffee followed by a special presentation by a nationally recognized speaker."

 

"I decided I needed to get together with my peers in the city and so we planned a half day retreat at a nearby park."

 

"Our counseling center gave each counselor on the staff a special gift." "The area ministerial alliance sent each of us a certificate of appreciation."

 

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