Want to learn how to give pastoral care to others while deepening your own faith? Consider signing up for the Community of Hope class at Good Shepherd in Dallas. The program begins Feburary 1 for a Benedictine retreat, then meets on Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m., Feb. 8 through May 24. The retreat provides a foundation in the principles of Benedictine spirituality.  Class members call the retreat "transformational" in their spiritual growth.  Afterwards, the Wednesday afternoon modules focus on specific and meaty topics that directly touch on care-giving and amplifying participant's ministerial gifts.  All modules are taught by clergy and/or experts in their fields.   Module topics include: theology of pastoral care; pastoral identity; understanding family systems; motivational spiritual gifts; prayer, meditation and silence; listening skills and grief and loss, to name a few.   Upon completion of the training, members can choose to be commissioned as lay chaplains who will serve in their parishes and community.   Others will take what they have learned and apply it as the groundwork for deepening their spiritual walk and better relating to others and God. 

You can also learn more about the training on our Good Shepherd website, www.goodshepherddallas.org and the COHI website, www.cohinternational.org.

Here is the schedule of classes: 

Benedictine Retreat is scheduled from noon 1to 4 p.m.,  and the remainder of classes are noon to 3 p.m.

Here are a list of the modules: 

For more information contact Catherine Miller, Director of Pastoral Programs and Adult Formation at Good Shepherd in Dallas, at 214-351-6468.