Author Archives: bukallifeministries

Project Visayas June 2014

Our latest trip to the Visayas Region in response to Typhoon Yolanda was from May 26 to June 4. The team is a partnership between PBTS (Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary) and Bukal Life Care. The team of 6 includes Celia, Jeanard, Alexis, Lea, Joylene, and Gabby.  This day (27th) is the second day of DVBS in Tacloban. There were over 120 for day one at the evacuation center and over 190 on day two. Psychosocial Processing (PSP) is also being done.

The 31st, the team will travel to Baliguian Island. DVBS and PSP will be done there as well as initiation of community development work there.

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Listening and the Spirit of Unhurried Leisure

Craig Thompson's avatarClearing Customs

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“Get busy.”

That’s the mantra of many a boss.

“Look busy.”

That’s what coworkers say when the boss is coming.

Busyness isn’t always a synonym for work. In fact, busyness can get in the way of productivity.

Eugene Peterson, best known for his translation of the Bible, The Message, also served as a pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air, Maryland, for 30 years. One of the consistent themes in his teaching and writing is that pastors should not fall into the seductive trap of busyness. Instead, as he writes in “The Unbusy Pastor,” his goal in his role as a church leader was to do three things, things that are too easily pushed aside by a busy life: to pray, to preach, and to listen.

Listening, he says, needs “unhurried leisure.” This leisure is the opposite of busyness. And just as busyness does not equal work…

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CPE Graduation, May 2014

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The CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) Summer 2014 team. They completed 1/2-unit from late March to early May 2014. The team is from left to right: JM (on first unit), Alexis (advanced unit), Sr. Annette (on first unit), Celia (supervisor), Sr. Isabella (on first unit), Cori (advanced unit), and Rob (on first unit). Also thanks to Becky and Jehny in assisting the training.

Bukal Life Care is a CPSP-certified training center for Clinical Pastoral Education. Our next training starts on June 2nd, 2014. If you have any questions, contact us at 0933-302-0373, or email us at info@bukallife.org.

 

June 2014 CPE Half Unit

We intend to start a half unit of CPE supervised by Celia Munson (CPSP) in Baguio City. It will start the first week in June and continue 6-7 weeks. If you have any questions, email us at info@bukallife.org, or text/call us at 0933-302-0373 or 0916-557-9549.

June 2014 Mini-Workshop

Many have been asking about our next Mini-workshop. Our next planned one will be in June (probably 3rd week… exact date TBD). The topic will be “Counseling: Models of Interaction Between Psychology and Theology.” This will be a brief (2 – 2.5 hours) lecture and discussion groups on various models: “Levels of Explanation,” “Integrationist Camps,” “Christian Psychology,” “Biblical Counseling,” “Transformational Psychology” (and Spiritual Direction), “Historical Pastoral Care,” and “Modern Pastoral Care.” It will be held at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (Baguio City). Probably More details to follow.

Repost: Are You Listening? Really Listening?

Craig Thompson's avatarClearing Customs

[My family is moving across town this week, so I haven’t been able to work on the blog much lately. So here’s a repost from about a year and a half ago. This transition thing can feel like Frost’s “miles to go before I sleep.” But until that rest comes, I’ll look for a park bench along the way.]

Finding good listeners is very important to missionaries. In fact, when member-care trainer Brenda Bosch surveyed missionaries about what they wanted from their mission agency, the top answer was “someone to listen to me.”

German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes that listening is necessary in Christian community. He calls it the “first service” that Christians owe each other:

Just as our love for God begins with listening to God’s Word, the beginning of love for other Christians is learning to listen to them. God’s love for us is shown by the fact that God not only…

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April 2014 Updates

A lot going on. Here is some.

1. Our Disaster Response team (partnership of PBTS and Bukal Life Care) is continuing its work in the Visayas particularly with Stress debriefing. They will return to Baguio on April 9th.

2. March 24. Bukal Life Care (led by Cori and Jehny) are training AV-STM missionary trainees in “Basic First Aid” and “The Baggage Cart.” AV-STM will send out its “STMers” in April.

3. March 26. We start CPE 2014 Summer Intensive.

4. March 31. Didactics start CPE. Monday (March 31), we will be presenting an Introduction to Pastoral Care. The focus will be on (1) The roles of pastoral care from a historical standpoint, (2) an overview of the Clinical Pastoral Care movement, and (3) present models for relating psychology and theology in counseling. It will start at 8:30am and continue until 11:30am. Although this seminar is primarily for CPE trainees as their first Didactic, others are welcome to join if they wish. It will be held at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, Baguio City. There is no charge, but we would appreciate letting us know if you are attending. Text 0933-302-0373.