Building and Maintaining Care Teams in your Church

1. Building and Maintaining Care Teams in your Church  Reverend Betsy Ritzman Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor 831 South Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, IL 60304 Phone: 708.848.9900 Fax: 708 848.9902 Email: betsyritz@comcast.net Website: www.tenditmendit.com

2. But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opposers into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform the deep gloom of the old age into the exuberant gladness of the new age. It is this love which will bring about miracles in the hearts of men. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1956

3. The Gift of the Care Team • Builds Community • Nurtures Leadership • Expands Volunteer Capacity • Integrated Volunteer Recruitment

4. Faith in Action A National program For the support of volunteers: Funding Technical Assistance Model Programs Tools Collaboration http://www.fiavolunteers.org/

5. Care Teams • Parish Nursing • Screening • Healing Worship • Healing Touch • Prayer Shawls • Pastoral Care • Steven Ministry • Prison Ministries • United Power for Action and Justice • Military Support ministry • Older Adult Ministry

7. Assessing a Faith Community’s Readiness for Care Team Ministry Conduct a congregational self study (Faith in Action) • Study the history of other successful outreach ministries • Obtain spiritual support and pastoral blessing • Acquire strategic support of key leaders • Identify available resources: • Financial • People (interested and committed)

8. Volunteers Supply Cycle • Volunteer Fairs • Web • Outside partnerships: • schools • colleges • other congregations • Community organizations Goal: A seamless connection between Church & Community

9. Organizing Care Teams

10. The Role of the Volunteer Coordinator • Manages: • Recruitment Task Force • Screen Clients and Volunteers • Training Task Force • Matching • Nurture & Supervision • Appreciation • Track and Report

11. Role of Care Team Leader The Communication Hub: • Schedules Volunteers • Schedules Meetings • Feedback

12. Making the Match: Developing Client/Care Team Relationships • Choose who you can serve • Nurture beneficial and healthy relationships • Establish boundaries through training and supervision • Create “normative distance” and self care values • Empower clients and caregivers to say Yes…and No

13. Support Structures for Healthy Care Teams • Training Manual including policies and procedures • Continuing Education • Regular data reporting • Evaluation of Goals • Satisfaction Surveys • Clients • Volunteers

14. Risk Management • The Good Samaritan – no ministry without risk • Who determines tolerance for risk? • Realistically define your tolerance for risk • Establish boundaries to honor that limit

15. Nurturing Care Teams • Spiritual Care and Ongoing Training • Team Composition and Team Building • Prayer support and regular recognition • Feedback • Spiritual Retreats We are only human. Without faithful and sustained prayer, there is little or no hope that this work can be accomplished.

16. The Life Cycle of Care Teams • Healthy Closure • Bereavement Support • Cycles of Giving and Healing Expectations for caring We are all wounded healers Assist the spiritual and emotional integration of Care Team experience

17. Discussion.. Questions.. Answers