“I appreciated everyone’s insight and honest comments. I thought many of the heartfelt conversations revealed a real need for open dialogue. I wonder how much of that would have occurred in a face-to-face meeting.”

—Rev. Bruce Frogge, pastor

In her presentation on the "Faith Dimension of Family Life," professor Diana Garland asks,

What charaterizes faith and spirituality in family life? In what way is family a context for individual faith? Do families themselves have a dimension to their life that we might identify as "faith"?

This seminar explores pastoral care for families through reflective dialogue around three presentations addressing the faith dimension of family life, the resilience of families, and congregational responses to adolescents in crisis. Using email, participants will identify issues of concern around ministering to families in light of their own experience and context. Through this process the group benefits by learning from one another as well as from the presentations.

Presentations (one per week):

• "The Faith Dimension of Family Life"
  by Diana Garland, Ph.D.

• "Hope and Resilience: Trends from Marriage and Family Therapy"
  by Suzanne Madori Hanna, Ph.D.

• "Congregational Responses to Adolescents in Crisis"
  by G. Wade Rowatt, Ph.D