LAY CHAPLAINCY COMMITTEE

Purpose

The Lay Chaplaincy Committee is responsible for overseeing Lay Chaplaincy activities. The terms of reference for the Lay Chaplaincy Committee have been provided by the Canadian Unitarian Council.

CUC terms of Reference

That congregations participating in the Chaplaincy programme establish a chaplaincy committee under terms of reference which include minimum requirements approved by the CUC Board and a clear contract with the Lay Chaplain or Chaplains

The committee will provide a summary report annually through the local Board to the CUC M & CC listing activities, evaluations future training requirements and concerns.

Members

• Fred Bolton, interim coordinator
• Marie Belliveau, committee member

• Ed Gilbert, lay chaplain (ucnlaychaplain@gmail.com)
• Valerie Jaeger, lay chaplain (ucnlaychaplain@gmail.com)
• Julianne Momirov, lay chaplain (ucnlaychaplain@gmail.com)

Reference Documents - 2001 CUC Chaplaincy Study

The 2001 CUC Chapalincy Study was was prepared by a committee which included former UCN Lay Chaplain Doreen Peever. Committee members were unamimous in their approval. The document was in turn approved by the CUC AGM. Highlights from the original 2001 study included:

4.1 That the name "Chaplain" be replaced with "Lay Chaplain" in English and "Célébrant/Célébrante" in French.

4.2 That congregations be required by the CUC Board to include in the chaplain’s contract a declaration that they will not engage in counselling beyond consulting on rites of passage. The training programme must cover the distinction between counselling and consulting.

4.4 CUC training must ensure chaplains are able to recognise the risk of role confusion and provide examples and ways for chaplains to keep their chaplaincy roles distinct from other roles or tasks they may have in congregations.

5.3 That chaplains serve a six year term, affirmed annually by the congregation. If, following a vigorous search, the chaplaincy committee is unable to find a suitable candidate, a term may be extended annually with the approval of the Minister & Chaplaincy Committee.

5.5a That evaluation of chaplains be performed annually by the local chaplaincy committee (M)

5.5b That the CUC Board establish a standard recommended evaluation process including the factors to be evaluated (M)

6.1b That each congregation contribute a fixed amount (to be determined by the CUC Board) to the CUC Lay Chaplaincy Training Fund from each fee-generating rite of passage conducted by their chaplains. This money to be used by the M & CC to create a training programme and subsidise ongoing training. Congregations are encouraged in addition to include funds in their budget specifically designated to send current and potential chaplains to formal M&CC training workshops and to pay for resource materials

An overview of the 2001 Study is available from CUC at this page §. The full 2001 Study is available here §.

Reference Documents - CUC Lay Chaplain 2008 Follow Up

In the follow up to the 2001 study, the CUC has stated that effective 2009, lay chaplain license renewals will not be processed unless an evaluation has been completed within six months for lay chaplains completing their first year and within 24 months for other lay chaplains. For more details, see Appendix 4 of the CUC Lay Chaplain 2008 Follow Up to the 2001 Study §.

Reference Documents - Current Lay Chaplain Contract

The current Unitarian Congregation of Niagara Lay Chaplain contract will be available shortly.

Status Reports

Spring 2009

1. Meeting held on April 4th at Bruce Millar's home for all of us to review and revise the Lay Chaplaincy part of the church's website. Julianne typed up the changes and Bruce will implement them.  Bruce had done a great deal of work researching information useful to people planning a Unitarian wedding.
2. It was agreed that Valerie and Julianne will monitor "hits" on the website and arrange between themselves who will respond to requests for services. Any requests that come to me over the Church's answering machine, I pass on to either of them.
3. Ed Gilbert's application for a Lay Chaplaincy license is in progress. I did an interview with him. He has filled out the application form which the CUC sent. Julianne retyped the Lay Chaplaincy contract with the church and it awaits Michael's signature as president.
4. I am continuing to mentor Ed. He has completed the Basics course as well as modules offered at the Mid-Winter Retreat in Bolton in February. He has also completed a course at his own expense at Niagara College on Palliative Care, Death, Grief and Bereavement.
I lent him 15-20 books of my own that are relevant to that course. I have also photocopied material for him and plan to do more, as I did for both Valerie and Julianne. Donna Bothen is in the process of making Ed a stole and he has been given a suitable robe.
5. Neither Valerie nor Julianne were available to do Ed Lemon's Celebration of Life service, so I wrote the service and shared its delivery with John Mayer on April 6th. Incidentally, over $1500 was donated to the Endowment Fund in Ed's memory. I gave copies of the service to both Valerie and Julianne.
6. I would like to observe a service performed by each of the lay chaplains, but the timing has not made that possible yet.
7. I have offered to write to a couple whom Julianne married last October. They borrowed a copy of "Great Occasions" by Carl Seaburg and have not returned it, despite numerous requests from Julianne.
That book is an indispensible resource for lay chaplains. A copy should be ordered by the church for Ed Gilbert. have responded to requests for help and advice by Julianne and will continue to offer that to both Valerie and Julianne.

Spring 2009 report prepared by Doreen Peever