ADVENTIST CHAPLAINCY CLINICAL PASTORAL ORIENTATION CONCLUDES IN PORT HARCOURT

By Ekpor Temple

The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training program, jointly organized by the Port Harcourt East Conference and West Mission of the Seventh-day Church, concluded successfully on May 18, 2024. The event, held at Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, saw robust participation from both laymen and clergy across the territory.

This CPE training is aimed at equiping chaplains of the Adventist Church with practical skills and firsthand experience in providing spiritual care to patients, families, and staff members within their communities.

Pastor Adesanya Adebuwale, a chaplain from Babcock University and an Associate Educator for the Center for Clinical Pastoral Education, emphasized the transformative vision behind the program. He highlighted the desire to see the chaplaincy ministry in Nigeria evolve and become more impactful in the 21st century.

"Chaplains should be at the forefront of ministry, this course is designed to generate interest in chaplaincy and help pastors understand how knowledge and experience in this field can enhance their ministry effectiveness.

“It also aims to create greater ministry opportunities, taking the church's mission to the public and meeting people where they are, he stated.

Representing the leadership of the Port Harcourt West Mission, Executive Secretary Pastor Alvin Ikeocha expressed his enthusiasm for the program, describing it as a redefinition of ministry and a reevaluation of evangelism.

"The chaplaincy orientation course is an eye-opener, focusing our attention on institutions as mission fields. This training will be increasingly valuable in the future, especially when the church needs to find more efficient ways to win souls, he remarked.

Pastor Chidi Agburuka, one of the coordinating directors, who spoke with PHEC media team praised the program for its richness and impact. He expressed that the training will help broaden their horizons and raises awareness about the importance of chaplaincy.

Participants like Mrs. Chinyere Gabriel Evuru found the training profoundly beneficial. "I achieved a lot during the program," she said. "I learned how to be a caregiver and reach out to people through visitation."

The Vice-President of the Eastern Nigeria Union Conference, Pastor Anyalebechi Nnunukwe (Ph.D), and the host fields Presidents Pastor Samuel Iruolor (Port Harcourt  East Conference ) and Pastor Solomon Okonu (Port Harcourt West Mission) also attended the programme.