When the pandemic hit, Sarah Condie, co-director of the Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute, began to feel a bit discombobulated. So she invited her friend, Jill McGilvray, Mary Andrews College lecturer, ministry leader and author, to her home for a (socially distant) conversation. Their topic? Grief, an area Jill has studied and worked in as a counsellor for over 20 years. So grab your cup of tea, settle back and have a listen to their very helpful conversation. To find out more about Jill and her work with women around the world, read this new article
How do you usually respond to someone who is wrestling with spiritual concerns? We’re likely to listen, pray, offer care, counsel, and comfort from God’s word. But (very) occasionally, this is entirely the wrong approach. That’s because the need for ongoing reassurance may indicate an underlying mental health condition known as scrupulosity – a sub-type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
“I don’t know how to relate. What will I say? I don’t understand them!” Have you thought this about a different generation? This article from Amy Yeung suggests a framework that could help us care well, no matter what generation someone is from.
Pastoral care takes place in many different contexts and capacities. You might offer care to those in your family, your friendship network and your church community. A toolbox of resources can equip you in these various contexts and roles.
Caring is not so much about fixing a need or solving a problem – it’s about showing up and being there as a willing servant of Christ. It lets another know they are seen and valued.
