Expressing love of God and neighbour

The use of pastoral care practices at four, church-based, intercultural initiatives

Abstract

This article details a study of four, church-based, intercultural initiatives in Melbourne. Although many Australian churches run mid-week, church-based initiatives for new migrants, little research has been conducted into their effectiveness in expressing love of God and neighbour. Participants were volunteers or staff and were mostly members of each congregation represented at the initiatives. In this grounded theory study, ethnographic methods were employed including participant observation at initiative sessions. Church services and other church-based events were attended and searches through church documents were conducted.

It was discovered that volunteers often failed to meet together to pray, plan, or reflect. Little or no training was offered to participants and spiritual formation for volunteering was not always a consideration. This resulted in uneven levels of care expressed at initiatives. This study demonstrates that group training in the principles and practices of pastoral care would strengthen expressions of love. This would nurture individual and group spirituality and would include practices of prayer, applied bible study, and reflection. The development of church core narratives prioritising love of neighbour would equip participants in the course of church life. Spending time with initiative attendees beyond session times would deepen mutual friendships.