For anyone seeking an accessible
introduction to Christian pastoral care, this short guide offers a
practical introduction to caring for congregations and communities.
It includes:
– A brief exploration of the Biblical and theological background of pastoral care.
– Self-care: assessing your abilities and sources of support.
– Keeping everyone safe: the principles behind all safeguarding policies.
– How best to care for LGBTQI+ and BAME people, and asylum seekers.
– The place of prayer in pastoral care, including pitfalls to be aware of.
– Conducting pastoral visits at home, in a coffee shop or online.
– Caring for families and children. – Caring for sick people.
– Caring in difficult situations.
Revd Dr Michael Hopkins has 20 years’ experience of ministry in the URC
and ecumenically. He studied at Durham, Oxford, Birmingham, and Chester,
and earned a PhD through the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Examination in
Theology. He has tutored students training for ministry at Sarum
College, Westminster College Cambridge, and the URC Lay Preachers
course.