Skip to Content
Share This Post

Faith in Rural Health’s Clinical Pastoral Orientation Program Graduates First Class

The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center’s Faith in Rural Health (FIRH) program celebrated the first class of Clinical Pastoral Orientation (CPO) graduates. This innovative program is designed specifically for rural faith leaders who volunteer to serve as chaplains in their community hospitals. The course helps to equip them with the skills and knowledge to provide spiritual care in a clinical setting.

Pastors Dylan Bowden, Scotty Mathis, Pete Mattix, Brandon Walton, Katherine Ware, and Craig Williamson all completed this intensive 12-week training and were awarded certificates by the clinical chaplaincy supervisors and the deans from Mercer University School of Medicine and McAfee School of Theology.

The program was developed in response to concerns of rural ministers who needed additional training in clinical care. Through the work of the Faith in Rural Health program — a ground-breaking program between the School of Theology and the School of Medicine, led by the School of Medicine’s Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center — in rural communities, it was revealed that hospital staff and administration also needed support during the COVID crisis.

The CPO program dives deep into topics, such as:

  • Empathy and Active Listening: Ministers learn to create a place of safety for patients and families to express their emotions and concerns.
  • Family Systems: Understanding family dynamics allows ministers to offer more holistic support.
  • Personal Growth: Self-reflection is crucial for ministers serving as chaplains. This training helps them to maintain their own well-being and offer their best selves to others.

Faith in Rural Health Program Director Paul Byrd explains, “The ministers who were providing pastoral care in hospitals expressed a desire to deepen their skillset, but most are not able to travel to a large medical center or commit a whole semester to the programs that were available. CPO has been crafted to give an introduction to clinical training that is focused specifically on the unique needs of providing care in these rural spaces.”

As ministers gain comfort in clinical spaces and provide care to patients and staff in rural hospitals, the relationships between the faith communities and the health care communities grow. Byrd said, “This creates opportunities for these two community leaders to work together in other areas as well. The program is really a win-win for everyone involved.”

The program’s impact resonated with the first graduates. Williamson said, “I would recommend this CPO training to any minister who serves as a chaplain, especially those serving in rural areas. It provided valuable tools for improving my patient interactions.” Mathis added, “The most valuable aspect was the sense of community we built. I’d like to stay in touch with everyone and explore forming a peer support group for chaplains in rural Georgia.”

The program was primarily led by two certified and seasoned clinical pastoral supervisors: Chaplain Rachel Greiner, D.Min, M.Div, BCC, and Chaplain Ken Waddell, MDiv, BCC. Dr. Greiner is director of pastoral care and clinical pastoral education at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo., and Dr. Waddell is the clinical pastoral education supervisor at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Ga. Both were essential to the program by providing the curriculum and supervision to make it a success.

“This program offers those volunteering in the hospital setting some basic clinical knowledge which helps not only the patients and families but the chaplain,” said Dr. Greiner. “Several of the ministers who participated have chosen to pursue further training. This cohort demonstrated significant growth in clinical skills and in personal awareness. I look forward to the next group!”

Building a Stronger Network of Rural Chaplains:

The success of the first cohort paves the way for the second edition of the CPO program. This program is essential for building a stronger network of chaplains who are well-equipped to serve the unique needs of rural communities.

Join the Next Clinical Pastoral Orientation Cohort

 Are you a chaplain serving in rural Georgia?

Are you passionate about providing spiritual care and making a difference in people’s lives?

We invite you to apply for the second cohort of the CPO program. Together, let’s ensure that all communities, regardless of location, have access to exceptional spiritual care.

Questions: Paul Byrd at byrd_pd@mercer.edu

Apply Today