Do churches need a pastoral care policy?

Pastoral Care is implicit in much of what we do as a Church and inherent in who we are as a community. A clearly defined pastoral policy, adapted to the mission and situation of the local church, could serve to be the benchmark against which actual practice is gauged as to its effectiveness or otherwise.

Such a policy could have the benefit of affirming the pastoral care already happening in the church and is one way of helping the Priorities of the Church to be met. Policies are also useful tools in clarifying our thinking and when seeking training and funding for the work we do.