The court house chaplaincy—a project in collaboration

Summary

This paper describes a Court House Chaplaincy Program in which Clinical Pastoral Education trainees and local clergymen were assigned to regular voluntary assignment as chaplains of the Harvey County Court House. Worked out in coordination with the Newton Ministerial Alliance and the commissioners of Harvey County, the project served court house clients, staff, and pastors as well. The paper describes a model for community collaboration that could be operated in many settings. In this plan, the mental health center clergyman joins with other clergymen in the community in a task that is directed toward the community's whole good and not specifically a project operated by the mental health center. The importance of careful preparation, of political negotiations, of responsible supervision, and clarity regarding the issues of funding are also illustrated.