News
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Marc Medwed Named Interim Executive DirectorJan 1, 2024
At the beginning of the year, we embarked on a search for a new executive director, a process that has moved along well and will wrap up in early 2024.
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In Search of the Beloved CommunityJan 1, 2024
Dear Colleagues, my heart’s desire for each of you for 2024 is that you will prosper in every area and that you will enjoy good health. Let me introduce myself - I am Cecelia Ann Walker the eldest daughter of Walter Cecil and Annie Laura Walker.
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Reflections from the Interim Executive DirectorDec 18, 2023
My contract with ACPE will end December 31, 2023. I leave with sadness and grief, and at the same time I am looking forward to reclaiming my retirement and having more time to spend with Miriam, and my granddaughter, Aubree. The past 13 months have been filled with many moments of joy as I have become acquainted with my Beloved Association in different ways. While there have been a few challenges, the joys have far outweighed the challenges. I have been grateful for the support received from the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors during my time as Interim.
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Advent and CPE: The Frustrations of BecomingDec 15, 2023
CPE is frustrating. Even though I know this mentally, it can sometimes surprise me how frustrating it can be. Verbatims in particular are frustrating. All attention is on you. Questions needle you to try to get at your core. You risk being misunderstood. No matter how much you want perfection, it won’t be perfect. The process is not designed for that. There’s always something to grow in. This can be frustrating. It’s frustrating when you’re trying the best you can to be honest with yourself and speak truthfully with the group, but you still may have blind spots. It’s frustrating when you’re asked to explore how you’re feeling but being limited in finding the words to express yourself.
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How do Care Recipients View Chaplains?Dec 11, 2023
Most chaplains and chaplaincy students describe themselves as versatile, able to offer spiritual care to adherents from any tradition or none. But recent research shows in many cases, that is not how they are perceived by the people to whom they offer care. When a chaplain goes into a room and introduces themself as “chaplain,” prospective recipients of care often hear “religious figure,” not “spiritual care provider” or “versatile spiritually informed professional.”
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For Your Professional Ethics EdificationDec 3, 2023
Once a month the ACPE Professional Ethics Commission (PEC) posts a couple of statements from our Code of Professional Ethics for ACPE Members. Each posting is accompanied by a brief personal reflection from a commissioner of the PEC sharing some ways this person lives these commitments*. December’s statements are: Explaining Differences Between Legal Process and Ethical Complaint Process. For December, Rabbi Michael Tevya Cohen, J.D., ACPE Certified Educator, Dallas, TX comments: ACPE members of our community may wonder what the differences are between the ACPE Ethics Process and that which one would find in a court of law. There are quite a few differences, including the following:
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Reflecting on our JourneyDec 2, 2023
As my tenure as Chair of the Board comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we have embarked on together. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve this organization and witness the profound impact it has on the field of spiritual care and education. Over the past year, we found ourselves in a time of transition. At the beginning of the year, we began a search for a new executive director and continued to chart a course for our association’s work over the next years in a strategic planning process. Both processes have moved along well and will most likely wrap up in early 2024.
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ABWG in real lifeNov 27, 2023
IRL: an acronym gifted us by this virtual age, “in real life” has itself become a gift to so many communities who gather day by day, week by week, month by month in virtual spaces to do our work across miles and time. The Anti-Bias Working Group, called into being just as COVID erupted, has been working between weekly Zoom meetings ever since. Our retreat over Halloween weekend was our full gathering in real life, and we all felt the odd mix of shyness and history, grief and gratitude that marks coming back into embodied community. It is this community we long for: the Real Life we want to share, to do the deeper work of unlocking and undoing bias.
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Beyond the Holidays: Celebrating our Authentic Selves Amid Confronting BiasesNov 20, 2023
As we approach the holiday season and I welcome my family into the US, I ponder about the meaning of various holidays that are not necessarily celebrated in our home and those that we celebrate. This is my family’s first Thanksgiving in the US, and it is unlikely that we will cook the traditional meal of said holiday. We will mark a year of gratitude for the joy of being together, but the spirit of what this holiday tends to be with family and friends gathered and many memories of past years and traditions shared will be different. For our Cuban families, Noche Buena (Christmas’s Eve) takes the place of Thanksgivings.
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2023 ACPE Election ResultsNov 17, 2023
By Cecelia Walker, Chair, Leadership Development Committee Thank you to all the members who participated in the ACPE Election for 2023! We are especially grateful to all the candidates for their tireless commitment to ACPE. We had 575 (34.7%) of 1656 electors vote in this ballot. The election results have been reviewed by ACPE Chair-Elect/Leadership Development Chair Cecelia Walker. Please take a look below.
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For Your Professional Ethics EdificationNov 12, 2023
Once a month the ACPE Professional Ethics Commission (PEC) posts a couple of statements from our Code of Professional Ethics for ACPE Members. Each posting is accompanied by a brief personal reflection from a commissioner of the PEC sharing some ways this person lives these commitments*. October's statements are: List of Resources on ethics such as webinars, websites, articles, books and conferences. For November 2023, Ruth Gais, ACPE Certified Educator, Summit, New Jersey comments: Resources on Ethics :
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Following the Impulse of Gratitude
Nov 4, 2023
In a world filled with pain and suffering, it can be easy for all of us to become overwhelmed by the darkness that surrounds us. From the violence of war, the devastating effects of global warming, the ongoing struggles of poverty, inequity and inequality, it is undeniable that there is much to grieve and lament. Amidst these challenges it is crucial to remember the power of gratitude.
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Your Gifts At WorkOct 30, 2023
This year we invested in the future of CPE through the Hemenway Scholars fund, support for summer students to help offset the cost of housing and educational debt. Fifteen students received $2,000 of support while they completed a summer unit. While we may never realize the full impact of our gifts, below are a few quotes from Hemenway Scholar recipients (identified and quoted with their consent).
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Reflection on Indigenous People’s DayOct 9, 2023
When asked to reflect upon Indigenous People’s Day, previously known as Columbus Day, I approached the subject with caution. While many often mistake me for a Native American due to my high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes, my heritage is rooted in Mexico. I am a proud blend of Mexico's diverse lineages, both culturally and genetically, reflecting a mix of Indigenous and European influences. In my childhood, “Día de la Raza” was the term used for Columbus Day in Mexico. It emphasized pride in the dual heritage of the Mexican populace, acknowledging both...
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LGBTQ Community of Practice RetreatOct 6, 2023
The ACPE LGBTQI Community of Practice is hosting a retreat for CoP members in Atlanta November 10-12, just before the leadership meetings. ACPE members who identify as LGBTQI are welcome to join, even if you have not attended a CoP meeting before. The meeting will begin Friday night with dinner and continue with sessions Saturday morning (playful learning together) and Saturday afternoon with our speaker, Dr. Pamela Ayo Yetunde (more on that below). We’ll wrap up Sunday morning with breakfast and a closing time of remembrance and celebration.
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Call for Workshop ApplicationsOct 3, 2023
You are invited to submit a workshop proposal for the 2024 ACPE Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 20-23,2024! This year’s conference will once again showcase the wisdom of our members and highlight the inspirational and innovative education that our educators, psychotherapists, practitioners, spiritual care professionals and programs offer.
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Planting Seeds, Bearing Fruit
Sep 29, 2023
Each year when autumn rolls around, I reach for Parker Palmer’s “The Paradox of Fall.” Living in the northern US, there is a chill in the air that speaks of changes coming. Fall stirs my soul. Parker reflects: Autumn is a season of great beauty, but it is also a season of decline: the days grow shorter, the light is suffused, and summer’s abundance decays toward winter’s death. Faced with this inevitable winter, what does nature do in autumn? She scatters the seeds that will bring new growth in the spring—and she scatters them with amazing abandon.
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Intentional and Inclusive: Crushing Pressure Pastoral CareSep 25, 2023
Dr. Patricia Williams, ACPE Psychotherapist, SIP Trainer and Member of the Anti-Bias Work Group, shares this insightful essay in honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
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Expanding our Contributions, Expanding our Future
Sep 20, 2023
This has been an unprecedented year of the Foundation investing in the ACPE values of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and access. As the spiritual landscape of our world changes, we as the membership of ACPE wrestle with how we will address the changing world while we move our profession forward. I want you to know that the Foundation will continue to invest in innovative projects and social change.
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For Your Professional Ethics EdificationSep 15, 2023
Once a month the ACPE Professional Ethics Commission (PEC) posts a couple of statements from our Code of Professional Ethics for ACPE Members. Each posting is accompanied by a brief personal reflection from a commissioner of the PEC sharing some ways this person lives these commitments*. September’s statements are: