Pastoral Care With Children in Crisis

by Lester, Andrew D.

• ISBN13: 9780664245986
• ISBN10: 0664245986
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1985-03-01
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Pr

Summary

Noted teacher and experienced counselor Andrew Lester challenges ministers to take up an often neglected task--caring for the children of the parish. It is the pastor's role, Lester says, to make spiritual sense out of the chaos of crisis. He looks to the ministry of Jesus as the model for faithful, effective ministry and illustrates how a pastor's relationship with troubled children can have a significant impact on their development.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	11	(2)
Introduction	13	(10)
Part I THE PASTOR AND CHILDREN
The Pastoral Neglect of Children	23	(13)
Childhood Idealized	27	(1)
How Children Communicate	28	(1)
Children's Awareness	29	(1)
Children's Adaptability	29	(1)
Children as Their Parents' Responsibility	30	(1)
Avoiding Suspicion	31	(1)
Children as Noncontributors	31	(1)
Child Care Stereotyped as Woman's Work	32	(1)
The Pastor's Lack of Training	33	(1)
The Pastor's Sense of Inadequacy	34	(2)
Children Are Parishioners Too!	36	(15)
Jesus and Children	37	(4)
The Family of God	41	(2)
The Incarnation	43	(4)
Children's Crises	47	(4)
What Children in Crisis Need from the Pastor	51	(14)
A Sense of Competence	52	(2)
Attitudes and Values	54	(2)
Confirmation of Their Perceptions	56	(1)
A Sense of Belonging	57	(2)
Adult Friends (Even Heroes)	59	(2)
Someone to Listen	61	(1)
Someone to Accept Their Feelings	62	(1)
Spiritual Guidance	63	(2)
Some Basic Principles of Pastoral Care to Children	65	(20)
Getting Started	66	(2)
With Children in Crisis	68	(7)
Referrals	75	(2)
Miscellaneous Hints	77	(3)
The Pastor's Personal Preparation	80	(5)
Part II METHODS OF PASTORAL CARE OF CHILDREN IN CRISIS
The Use of Play in Pastoral Conversation	85	(12)
Children and Play	85	(2)
Puppets	87	(4)
The Ungame	91	(3)
The Bag of Words Game	94	(3)
Pastoral Care Through Art	97	(16)
Children and Art	97	(2)
Art and Pastoral Care	99	(3)
Materials	102	(1)
Methods	102	(9)
The Use of Art in Pastoral Conversation	111	(2)
Storytelling and Pastoral Care	113	(12)
Story and Religion	113	(4)
Telling Bible Stories	117	(1)
Relating to Children Through Storytelling	118	(3)
Involving Children in Storytelling	121	(3)
Children's Literature	124	(1)
Pastoral Care Through Writing	125	(9)
Finishing Sentences	127	(5)
Stories	132	(1)
Diaries	133	(1)
Poetry	133	(1)
Epilogue	134	(3)
Notes	137	(4)
Index	141