POLICY ON PASTORAL COUNSELING
Adopted January 26, 2006
In all counseling situations the pastor of
· I will hold in confidence and treat as confidential communication any information provided to me with the expectation of privacy. I will not disclose such information in private or public except when, in my practice of ministry, I am convinced that the sanctity of confidentiality is outweighed by my well-founded belief that life-threatening or substantial harm will be caused.
· I will not knowingly use my ministerial status, position or authority to abuse, misguide, negatively influence, manipulate, or take advantage of anyone, especially children.
· I will report all instances of abuse as required by law to the appropriate agency. In any case involving persons working in ABC ministry, I will also report the circumstances to the appropriate regional and/or national denominational representative.
The pastor will in all situations respect the boundaries of ministerial relationships as defined in the
Pastoral counseling is limited to issues of pastoral and/or spiritual concern. Situations requiring therapeutic counseling services will be referred to appropriate resources. The pastor may make use of diagnostic tools to assist in the referral process.
Pastoral Care
The pastor will maintain regular contact with those in the church family and will meet with parishioners for this purpose or by specific request of parishioners. The pastor will exercise good judgment in determining the location and circumstances of such visits.
The pastor will place special emphasis on visiting with those who are newly bereaved, hospitalized, home bound, or in long term care facilities.
The pastor will serve as a resource for those addressing end-of-life issues. At the time of death the pastor will provide support, assistance with final arrangements, and the conducting of a memorial service and/or interment as agreed upon by the family of the deceased.
The pastor will be available in times of crisis to provide immediate assistance and spiritual support.
Preparation for Baptism and Church Membership
The pastor will, in cooperation with the Board of Deacons, conduct preparation sessions for individuals who are considering baptism and/or church membership.
Marriage Preparation
The pastor will meet with the couple preparing for marriage for four or more sessions. These sessions will be designed to address the couple’s specific needs and concerns regarding their marriage.
They may include, but not be limited to, such matters as communication, sharing feelings, conflict resolution and problem-solving, family matters, finances and legal issues, sexuality, and faith.
The pastor and the couple will plan the wedding service. As the couple has chosen a church wedding, the ceremony will be appropriate to the setting. It will include scripture, reflections on that scripture and prayers. In all situations the ceremony will honor God and acknowledge God as a partner in the marriage. Beyond this, the ceremony will be planned with the couple to reflect their personal preferences.
Spiritual Discernment
The pastor will be available upon request to meet with parishioners to discuss matters of spiritual discernment.
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Pastoral Counseling is conducted as part of the pastoral duties and as such requires no compensation. The pastor may receive honoraria for the conduct of memorial services and marriage ceremonies.
