1 volunteer chaplain training creating understanding module four © copyright 2001 al henager. use...

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Volunteer Chaplain Training

• Creating Understanding• Module Four

© Copyright 2001 Al Henager. Use only with written permission and with proper credit.

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What is Understanding?

• Good understanding involves:– Observing– Listening– Feeling– Sensing


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What is Understanding?

• Characteristics of good understanding– Being aware of how the other person

communicates– Using your impressions– Avoiding imposing your own issues on

the other person– Not assuming anything


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Creating Understanding• Look for the signals

– Invitations to intrude– Watch out for your own anxiety– Understanding the Story is the heart of primary pastoral

care– Remember the difference– Primary pastoral care– Pastoral counseling– Story listening is pre-counseling ministry– Don't race ahead– Avoid fixing it– Jumping to solutions is superficial


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Listening to the Story

Story Listening

Story Teller Story Listener

?Resolution

Situation


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• Effective story listening– Let the story teller set the pace– No need to ask for more information– Story teller will give enough information if you use

good listening skills– Help with hesitation– Anticipate– Encourage– Allow change of subjects

• Usually means you missed it


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MessageHeard

MessageSent

MessageConfirmed

MessageRepeated

Back

Good Communication


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• Effective story listening– Is a caring ministry– Is hard work– Requires caring enough to do so– Involves empathy, not taking

responsibility for their problems


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The Ministry of Presence• Job’s Three Friends

– “Came to sympathize and to comfort him”

– When they saw him in his misery, the wept and mourned with him

– Then they sat with him for seven days & nights• Not speaking a word• “The saw his pain was very great”

– Then they opened their mouths© Copyright 2001 Al Henager. Use only with written permission and with proper credit.

The basic idea for this example came from: Hume, William E. Pastoral Care & Counseling: Using the Unique Resources of Christian Tradition, Ausburg Press, 1981.

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The Ministry of Presence• Job’s Three Friends

– Eliphaz the Temanite• Hey, stuff happens; get over it• Besides, you must have done something

to deserve this--you must have sinned in someway.

– Bildad the Shuhite• If you would just repent, then God will

take away the suffering

– Zophar the Naamathite• This was just God’s will


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The Ministry of Presence

• The Fourth Friend of Job– Comes to sympathize and comfort– Sits seven days & nights

• Does not even a word • “See the pain was very great”

– Ministry of presence


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All I did . . .

was just be with them


Read Case #1Page 1 of the Case Handout

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What a big

“ALL”


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Creating Understanding

• Case Study

– Do the case in the case study appendix– Read and follow the directions– Do the exercises– We will discuss these in the session

Read Case #5Page 6 of the Case Handout


NOTE: I had problems securing copyright release for the case I use here. I am developing a new one.

1 volunteer chaplain training creating understanding module four © copyright 2001 al henager. use...

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