Celebration at the Jail

At the La Trinidad Jail was the celebration of National Correctional Consciousness Week with our group, among others, honored for our participation in the care of PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty). This was held on October 25, 2019. We are thankful that Chaplains Lyn Montecastro and Shoneem Ejaz were able to attend and represent the team there.

Mid-October Updates

Ongoing: Two CPE groups are continuing through this month into next. One group with 5 trainees, and one with 7.
Oct 15. Start of PBTS PC courses. We are involved in facilitating three (Intro to PC&C, Interpersonal Relationships, and Clinical Pastoral Orientation). The 3rd one, CPO, can be taken as a non-PBTS student. CPO group is on Wednesdays and Fridays– 1pm – 2:30pm
Oct 24. CPSP-Philippines Cert board in Manila.
Oct 26. Bukal BOT Board Meeting
Nov 14. CPE Commissioning Service

Seminary Courses Coming Up

Bukal Life Care is working with Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary on some Pastoral Care courses starting mid-October
1. Intro to Pastoral Care and Counseling. This will be taught by Dr. Robert Munson on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:30am to 12 noon. This is a master’s level course and available only to PBTS students.
2. Interpersonal Relationships. This will be taught by Chaplain Celia Munson on Wednesdays and Fridays 1-2:30pm. This is a Bachelor’s level course and available only to PBTS students.
3. Clinical Pastoral Orientation (CPO). This will be taught by Dr. Robert Munson on Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-4pm. One DOES NOT have to be a seminary student to participate.. If you are interested, you can message us.
4. Starting in mid to late march, chaplains Vo and Lyn will lead Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Again, one DOEZS NOT have to be a seminary student to participate.
 
Additionally, Dr. Robert Munson is anticipating leading a master’s level module on Pastoral Care and Counseling at Maranatha Theological Seminary, also in Baguio. This will most likely happen in January.

Updates– Sep/Oct 2019

  1.  New Book.  We have just published our second bookFront Art in pastoral ministry. It is called Dynamics in Pastoral Counseling and Training. It is primarily for CPE trainees, and especially for those in 2nd unit and beyond. It is the follow-on to our first book, The Art of Pastoral Care. Click on the titles to find where they are available online. We also have them at our office (the latest one will be available in our office in a few days.)
  2. This Saturday, September 23, Chaplain Vo will be going with a group to San Jacinto, Pangasinan to lead a seminar in the Basics of Pastoral Counseling.
  3. We presently have two groups of CPE. Chaplain Lyn is leading a group of 5. Chaplains Celia and Vo have a group of 7.  Will be finishing both groups by November.

September Updates

Item 1.  PMHA-CAR Symposium on Suicide Prevention.  September 13.

Item 2.  Two CPE groups are up and running now. Chaplain Lyn is leading a group that meets on Saturdays at PBTS.  Chaplains Celia and Vo will be leading a group that starts on Monday (9am start).

Pastoral Supervision in the Bible

In our partner website “Adventures in Pastoral Theology,” we have an excerpt of our upcoming (within a couple of weeks, prayerfully) book, Dynamics in Pastoral Counseling. It looks at pastoral supervision as it relates to the a passage in the Bible. In this case, I Timothy 3.

You are welcome to see that article here:  Pastoral Supervision in the Bible

August Updates

We are in a bit of a lull right now. There may be a CPE group starting August 17, but that is uncertain (depending on whether some can really join who have expressed interest).

Of more certainty are the following:

  1.  September 14.  Basic Christian Counseling seminar will be led by Chaplain Vo Canoy in San Jacinto, Pangasinan.
  2. September 16.  We plan to begin a CPE Intensive program. It will be based at Pines Doctors Hospital in Baguio.
  3. October. We expect to start CPO as part of the 2nd semester at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary. More info to follow.
  4. Late October. Hoping hold IPR (Inter-Personal Relations) training led by Dr. Cal Sodoy. Again, more info to follow.

CPE Commissioning July 26, 2019

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July 26, 2019 we held CPE Commissioning for our 9 trainees at Bukal Life Care (with Diplomate Supervisor Celia Munson and Supervisor in Training Lyn Montecastro). We also welcomed 6 recent CPE trainees from Saint Andrews Theological Seminary (with Diplomate Supervisor Paul Tabon). The commissioning was held at Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary. Father Ivo Anselmi provided an inspirational message on family, and each of the trainees provided their ministerial metaphor to the group. Afterwards, all joined at the PBTS canteen for celebratory lunch.

Other photos of the event can be found at the Munson’s blogpage:  https://bobandceliamunson.wordpress.com/2019/07/28/cpe-commissioning/

July Updates

July 6.      CPSP Meeting

July 24-26.   Final Eval and Commissioning of CPE half unit.

August.  We will have one or two CPE half units starting in August.  One will meet on Saturdays.  The second group may be on Saturdays, or at a different time depending on needs of the trainees. Contact us a bukallife@gmail.com if you have questions.

Honor from the Governor

Benguet honors

On 26 June 2018, Bukal Life Care was honored by the Governor of Benguet for our work with those incarcerated at the La Trinidad District Jail. Also honored was an attorney (sorry I have forgotten the name… will update later when we get the group photo), and a pastor and wife who works with Prison Fellowship International (PFI) in discipleship work at the jail.

Actually 2 years ago (March 2017), the executive assistant (Ms. Okubo) was the one who contacted us about coming to the jail to work with the PDLs (Persons Deprived of Liberty). We have been able to bring chaplains and chaplain trainees there on Mondays for the last two years and believe that it is beneficial to those at the jail as well as the trainees. We are, in fact, very appreciative of this partnership.