Anyone seeking new ways to serve, or interested in an intentional community to support the ways you are already serving, is invited to consider if the Benedictine-steeped Community of Hope International (COHI) might be a calling. The Community of Hope is first of all a praying community – modeled on principles of Benedictine spirituality espoused first by St. Benedict, a sixth century monastic whose “Rule” has for over 1500 years guided people all around the world to live balanced lives through practices rooted in humility and hospitality. Benedict’s goal was “to safeguard love.”
The Grace Church chapter is joining with other COHI chapters in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta to offer a fourteen session training class between September 2021 and February 2022. The curriculum is derived from the Rule of Benedict and includes units, called modules, focused around Benedictine spirituality, pastoral care theology and identity, individual spiritual gifts, listening skills and other practical skills necessary in various pastoral circumstances, including personal boundaries and self-care practices foundational to one’s commitment to ministry. One of our national COHI leaders reminds us, “We are in community to learn who we are in God so that we can discern where we are called.” So we are trained and feel called to lay pastoral service, but we also take seriously our ministry to one another in community, nurtured by monthly Circle of Care gatherings when we worship, study and discuss the Rule, share and debrief, and engage in continued education. The goal of Community of Hope is to provide training and support to equip its chaplains to serve the Christ in the Other – safeguarding love wherever we find ourselves.
The current period of discernment will end August 31, with the training class to begin mid September. Please contact Karen Murphy with any questions. We look forward to seeing you!
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