Page 4 - Moravian Messenger Jan 2021

The introduction of Pastoral Supervision into the British Province
In July 2020, the Provincial Board, with the support and recommendation of the Provincial Church Service Committee, introduced a policy of pastoral supervision into the British Province for all serving Ministers, Provincial Board members, and our Safeguarding and Children's and Young People's Officer (hereafter collectively referred to as 'Ministers').
The Association for Pastoral Supervision and Education (APSE) states, on its website (https://www.pastoralsupervision.org.uk/about-pastoral- supervision/), that 'Pastoral Supervision is:
• a regular, planned, intentional and boundaried space in which a practitioner who is skilled in supervision (the supervisor) meets with one or more other practitioners (the supervisees) to look together at the supervisees' practice.
• a relationship which is characterised by trust, confidentiality, support and openness, that gives the supervisee freedom and safety to explore the issues arising in their work.
• spiritually and theologically rich, and works within a framework of spiritual/theological understanding in dialogue with the supervisees' world view and work.
• psychologically-informed, drawing on relevant psychological theory and insight to illuminate intra-personal and inter- personal dynamics.
• contextually sensitive, paying attention to the particularities of setting, culture and world-view.
• praxis-based, focusing on a report of work and /or issues that arise in, and from, the supervisees' pastoral practice.
• a way of growing in vocational identity, pastoral competence, self-awareness, spiritual/theological reflection, pastoral interpretation, quality of presence, accountability, response to challenge, and mutual learning.
• attentive to issues of fitness to practice, skill development, management of boundaries, professional identity and the impact of the work upon all concerned parties'.
Pastoral supervision is not line-management. It has been recommended in many denominations in Britain (e.g. The Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, the Baptist Church, the Salvation Army and the Church of England) and in chaplaincy settings (e.g. The Armed Forces, Healthcare Chaplaincy, Hospice Chaplaincy etc.), as a way of supporting Clergy well-being, enabling Clergy to grow in personal awareness and interpersonal skills, and as a response to the prevention of safeguarding issues and to 'managing' risk. Each denomination has implemented pastoral supervision in a slightly different way, which is influenced by financial constraints and other practical matters. In the British Province, each Minister has been allocated an APSE Accredited Pastoral Supervisor who is independent of the Moravian Church, and with whom they meet once a month for 11/2 hours. What is explored and discussed is kept entirely confidential between the supervisor and supervisee, except if there are safeguarding concerns.
The introduction of pastoral supervision to the British Province, this year, has been particularly timely, as the current COVID- 19 pandemic has thrown up many new challenges within ministry. However, as an employer, each denomination has a duty of care to its 'employees', and pastoral supervision is regarded as an effective way of fulfilling that duty of care in ministry, and of enabling learning at many levels to take place in a confidential and supportive (yet sometimes challenging) setting.
It is planned that this provision will be via an anonymous online survey, and weight will be given to the voices of all the participants. This will determine the usefulness of pastoral supervision for our ministry in this province, and whether such provision continues in the future.
Br Peter Gubi
Provincial Pastoral Supervision Co-ordinator Chair of the Church Service Committee
reviewed in July 2021,
The Memory Tree by Britta Teckentrup
Yet another book about death aimed at younger children. This has lovely illustrations which I found attractive with bright colours and simple drawings. However, I'm not so sure about the text. It starts out well saying Fox had lived a long and happy life but then he 'fell asleep forever'*, why couldn't they just say he died? His friends come to where he died and remember all the fun things he did with them when he was alive, much like humans do at a post funeral gathering and this affirms that talking about the dead is important. A tree grows and it helps them to remember him. The usefulness of this book will depend on
the family using it. I'm not sure I would use it with the children I know, but as they can't read the words could be modified to be more truthful. There is no Christian message, and there are talking animals, something I know some find uncomfortable. Overall, I think there are other books that are more useful.
ISBN 978-1-40832-634-3 Orchardbooks.co.uk Softback £6.99
*For some children the fact someone they loved 'fell asleep' can be frightening and affect their own sleep as the loved one didn't come back they are scared that will happen to them.
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