At Main Line Unitarian Church, we like to say that love is at the center of all we do. On Sunday, Sept. 21, that love was embodied as our congregation commissioned three Lay Pastoral Chaplains—members called to accompany us in times of change, loss, and healing.
Commissioning Tina Adams, Lloyd Cole, and Alan Scholl was a way of putting our values into practice. With six months of training led by Yvette McDonnell, Congregational Life Coordinator and Ministerial Intern, they are now ready to accompany us through life’s joys and struggles with compassion and trust.
Six Months of Preparation
Over the past half year, Tina, Lloyd, and Alan devoted themselves to a mix of learning, practice, and reflection. Their training included:
- 15 hours of in-person instruction and 10 hours of reading and reflection.
- skill-building in teamwork, active listening, boundary-setting, confidentiality, and end-of-life care with guidance from MLUC members Dr. Leslie Pepitone and Sue Compton, a trained death doula.
- practice sessions with MLUC members, surveys, and role-playing to deepen their experience.
“They have put in a lot of work, and they have agreed to hold what is shared with them in confidence and deep trust,” McDonnell told the congregation.
What Pastoral Care Means
Pastoral care at MLUC is the ministry of showing up with compassion, listening, and presence when members need it most. With three new lay chaplains commissioned, this care now extends more deeply into the life of the congregation.
The chaplains will:
- Support members experiencing major life changes such as illness, retirement, divorce, or job loss.
- Visit those who are homebound, hospitalized, or in assisted living.
- Offer comfort to the bereaved and support to caregivers.
- Maintain contact with members who are unable to attend regularly.
- Be available for confidential conversations in homes, hospitals, coffee shops, or on Sunday mornings at MLUC.
All personal information shared with them will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality and care.
A Congregational Promise
The commissioning was not theirs alone—it was a covenant made together. During the service, the congregation was asked:
“Will you allow yourself—even push yourself—to ask for their care and receive their care? Will you honor them with the role and responsibility of this lay ministry?”
In one voice, the congregation replied: “We will.”
With that response, Tina, Lloyd, and Alan were officially commissioned as Lay Pastoral Chaplains, welcomed with gratitude and applause.
“This ministry is built on trust. Our chaplains covenant to listen deeply, hold confidences, and keep love at the center of every interaction,” McDonnell said.
Living Our Mission
The creation of a Lay Pastoral Chaplaincy is part of MLUC’s ongoing commitment to “transform lives through love, service, and our welcoming faith.”
If you would like to connect with a Lay Pastoral Chaplain, click here.
Photo Caption: Newly commissioned Lay Pastoral Chaplains Lloyd Cole, Tina Adams, and Alan Scholl stand with Yvette McDonnell, Congregational Life Coordinator and Ministerial Intern, during MLUC’s Sept. 21 service as Senior Minister Rev. John Morehouse applauds.