FOOTHILLS UNITARIAN CHURCH
PARISH VISITOR PROGRAM
Established, Fall 2013
NEED
As the congregation embraces ministry as the work of all members, a Parish
Visitor Program affords trained and supported members the opportunity to
express compassion, enrich their own lives and deepen their own spiritual
development.
WHAT IS A PARISH VISITOR PROGRAM?
It is a lay pastoral ministry that supplements the ordained ministers’ services
and outreach to members and friends. Visitors work in collaboration with and
under the guidance of the ordained ministers. The goal is to create a more
caring community in which members express their interconnectedness and
reflect the congregational mission to support one another in times of need and
joy. Visitors promote an atmosphere of hope, caring and work to ensure that
no member of the church community needs fear being alone. Visitors bring to
individuals and families the caring, comfort and knowledge that the Foothills
congregation is thinking about them.
WHAT DO PARISH VISITORS DO?
Through personal visits, phone calls or other requested modes of
communication, Visitors listen, converse, support individuals and families.
Contacts are requested by individuals or families made to the ordained
ministers who pass on the requests to the Visitors. They do not do spiritual or
personal counseling.
PROPOSE TWO TYPES OF VISITS
SHORT TERM VISITS . These Visitors make short-term “follow-up visits” to
parishioners recovering at home or in rehabilitation centers from surgery,
accidents, etc. and who have already had ministerial contact/support. If the
parishioner’s condition evolves into something more long term, the ministers
will give further guidance on how visitors can best assist.
LONG TERM VISITS. These Visitors commit to the more extended
visiting/contact cycle that shut-ins or limited mobility members would
appreciate, whether they are in nursing homes, assisted living, or just generally
house-bound.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR PARISH VISITORS
1. Foothills member and friends of at least six months of involvement in
other church activities
2. Compassionate and empathetic listening skills
3. Grounded in their own and respectful of others’ life styles and
spirituality
4. Respectful of confidentiality and boundaries
5. Respectful of their own strengths and limitations
6. Comfortable seeking and accepting guidance from minister and program
leaders
7. Regular church attendance to know people new and old
8. Reliable, keeps commitments and follow-through
9. Willing to make a two year commitment
10.Available to attend required training and scheduled support meetings
SUPERVISION
Short and long term Visitors will have a facilitator for first level communication
about scheduling, issues, other concerns.
The Visitors will meet monthly in small group led by one of the ordained
ministers. This small group ministry is designed to provide mutual support,
education, updates on community resources, training in new skills, deeper
understanding of clients and self, and sustainability in the work of the ministry.
Confidentiality will be maintained outside this group. Discreet sharing of needed
information will be maintained within the group of Visitors and ministers.
APPLICATION PROCESS
1. Application Form
2. Screening of visitor applicants
3. Colorado Bureau of Investigation background check. Fees paid by the
Caring Committee. Applicants will sign a release form.
4. A Committee screens applications
5. Interview with one of Foothills’ ministers
6. Initial training
INITIAL TRAINING
Three hour session. Small group format. Any longer, volunteers are
overwhelmed. Fine tuning skills comes with ongoing training. It is important that
visitors are volunteering from their concern and heart, not to be problem solvers.
The initial session includes listening skills, confidentiality, use of visitation form,
making contacts, length of visits, DOs, DO NOTs, time commitment,
scheduling/communication procedures, client rights, like right to opt out of
continued visits, whom client should contact if not pleased with the Visitor.
COMMITMENT
Length of commitment: two years
Responsibility: At least two to three hours of visiting every other month. In
addition, other forms of agreed upon communication.
RECRUITMENT
Explanation and application in EXTRAS, at table during coffee hour, InterCom ad,
word of mouth, communication with a list of interested people, asking specific
people we think would be good. Recruitment must be transparent in that
everyone knows about the program and process and has a chance to apply.
SOURCES
The Eugene, OR UU congregation model
A 2012 winter Pacific Coast UU District sponsored webinar on Pastoral Associates
attended by Marc Salkin, Joy Brill and Kay Hood
May 2012 dialogue Joy Brill and Kay Hood had with Pastor John Engle of the
Timberline Church in Fort Collins.
September 9, 2013 conversation Marc Salkin and Gretchen Haley had with Kate
Terrio, “The Parish Visitor” at Plymouth Congregational Church in Fort Collins.
September 13, 2013 thoughts and notes from Viski Siska.
September 24, 2013 conversation between Gretchen Haley and Rev. Jeanne
Shapiro of First Universalist Church, Denver.