Skip to content

 


At Saint Barnabas, No One Suffers Alone

 

Community of Hope is rooted in the wisdom found in the Rule of Saint Benedict, a guide for common life written by Benedict for monks in the 6th century. During his life, Benedict founded 12 monasteries and his wisdom continues 1,500 years later to shape monastic communities throughout the world. The rhythmic, communal, and incarnational character of Benedictine religious practice also helped to shape Anglicanism as found in our Book of Common Prayer.  Benedictine Spirituality also offers wisdom to those of us seeking connection to God outside of monastic settings. Through his rule, Saint Benedict teaches that humility, balance, hospitality, and spiritual growth contribute to meaning and purpose of the Christian life. These values also uphold the pastoral care provided by Community of Hope Chaplains.

Lay Chaplains, who have received training through the Community of Hope, are here to walk with you through any hardship. We are here for you when you encounter any of life’s tough spots:

• death

• loss of a job or a dream

• divorce

• illness

• a move you didn’t choose      

• even a seemingly happy occasion, like the birth of a child, that can make you feel overwhelmed or alone.

 

If you feel like there is no one to talk to, give us a call. We are here for you. To be connected to a Community of Hope Lay Chaplain, please contact the Rev. Pam Bell by email or through the church office, (480) 948-5560.

Training to be a Community of Hope Lay Chaplain

Community of Hope is a pastoral care model based on Benedictine Spirituality. The program builds a community of caregivers who are united in prayer and worship and shaped by the common practices and ethos of the Rule of Benedict. Parishes all over the country have implemented this program to equip and deploy lay ministers to meet the varied pastoral needs in their communities: loss, grief, aging, life transitions, loneliness…to name a few.

The training modules are a rich time of exploration and team building and will be led by parishioners, clergy, and experts in the field alike. If you’ve been looking for a way to serve at Saint Barnabas, maybe Community of Hope is for you.

Contact Rev. Jennifer to learn more about getting involved in the next training!

Some History:

The introduction of Community of Hope at Saint Barnabas grew out of the work of a fantastic group of people who had been dreaming about the future of pastoral care at Saint Barnabas during 2016.

One thing on which we are clear: Saint Barnabas already has a great team of committed lay pastoral ministers – from healing prayer ministry to lay Eucharistic ministers! Community of Hope will not replace this fabulous work! Rather, through Community of Hope, we seek to deepen and broaden our scope of ministry in the parish and in the community.

The Community of Hope Leadership Team at Saint Barnabas is as follows:

 

Our first class of Lay Chaplains was commissioned on May 14, 2017. Hear Rev. Elizabeth’s sermon and see the commissioning here: