In any group of people, including churches, there will be people who unfortunately have experienced abuse – whether through family growing up, a previous or current relationship, or seeing a friend experience a controlling or abusive partner.
Keith and Sarah Condie, Co-Director’s of the Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute, presented on this important issue at Vine Church, Sydney. They shared how we can recognise signs of physical, emotional and other forms of abuse, and respond well.
In their talk, the Condies referred to Safe Ministry resources – these are found here:
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). In an emergency, call 000.
In the last few weeks, as I’ve chatted with a number of women, I’ve seen how adept they are at juggling and pivoting. But we have many balls to juggle in life. Our plans go awry, and those balls just start tumbling. And this is when we feel the weariness and stress and think, ‘I can’t keep doing this.’
The question for us as pastoral carers is whether Jesus saw any other significance in laying down his life for the sheep. And consequently, is there a type of sacrifice which Jesus calls his followers in pastoral care to make?
The God of all grace is not remote and he doesn’t simply delegate to others. He is willing, so to speak, to get his hands dirty.
This was a moment of grace, during an ordinary routine, given to me by our creator God. Pumpkins had given me a new song to sing.
The Mental Health & Pastoral Care Institute is a part of Mary Andrews College, an Anglican Deaconess Ministry.
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