Care companions in congregations support others at multiple levels. They walk with people during challenging life situations, including death and grief; become prayer partners in moments of need; and are present in everyday moments of life. Sometimes care relationships arise through informal networks such as Sunday school classes or fellowship groups. Other times people are recruited and trained to become part of the caring ministry of a church. Lay Pastoral Care: A Narrative Approach offers guidance for people across a spectrum of care. Using a model grounded in narrative and collaborative theories, Joretta L. Marshall and Christie Cozad Neuger describe key ideas and practices that inform lay care companioning. They also provide comprehensive curricular suggestions for training lay companions. Marshall and Neuger build on a commitment to mutual learning, deepening spiritual growth, and collaborative support for people who wish to become care companions. Congregational leaders and members alike will discover that the recommended practices enhance the relational and spiritual lives of participating individuals and the congregation as a whole.
Joretta L. Marshall is professor emerita of pastoral theology, care, and counseling at Brite Divinity School. At Brite, she also served as executive vice president and academic dean, interim director of the pastoral care center, and director of the Carpenter Initiative in Gender, Sexuality, and Justice. She also served on the faculties of Vanderbilt Divinity School, Iliff School of Theology, and Eden Theological Seminary. Marshall is ordained in the United Methodist Church and previously served as a pastor and a chaplain. She is the author, coauthor, or coeditor of books and articles about forgiveness, gender and sexuality, and rural ministry. Christie Cozad Neuger has served as a pastor, chaplain, pastoral counselor, and professor. An ordained United Methodist elder, she received her MDiv from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and her PhD from Claremont School of Theology. After serving as a professor of pastoral care at Princeton Theological Seminary, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, and Brite Divinity School (emerita), she founded and directed the Institute for the Support of Pastoral Ministries at United Theological Seminary. Neuger is also active in developing lay ministry programs in congregations. Besides numerous reviews, articles, and book chapters, she has published four books.
