Become A Spiritual Ambassador For Everyone
Praying Hands and Hearts Guide
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Employees as Spiritual Ambassadors At AdventHealth Waterman, we believe that our mission is to extend the healing ministry of Christ through a whole person care approach. Science has shown us that physical health and overall wellbeing are significantly enhanced when the spiritual is addressed. We envision for Waterman to be a caring and safe place of trust, belonging and hope where employees regularly offer each other emotional and spiritual support. Some hesitate to do so for fear of getting in trouble, not doing it right or well enough. At Waterman, employees are encouraged to pray with patients or co-workers while being equipped with tools, resources and opportunities to effectively minister to each other and the local community. With the value of service comes the expectation of sensitivity and respect for all Faiths and cultural backgrounds, so this guide is an introduction with basic and general guideline to assist employees interested in becoming an AdventHealth Waterman Spiritual Ambassador.
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Spiritual Ambassadors WHO WE ARE Are you FIT for the Call to become a Spiritual Ambassador? Are you willing to be: Flexible by accepting people who believe differently than you do? Involved in praying for others? Teachable and ready to learn effective ways to encourage others as a person of Faith? If yes to all these questions, you are invited to wear a special pin above your badge that will indicate that you would be also willing to pray with your co-workers or serve as a spiritual resource for your department, or in other words, serve as a Spiritual Ambassador.
CONTINUING SPIRITUAL EDUCATION Breakfast Bullet Points or Lunch and Learns will be scheduled regularly to assist Spiritual Ambassadors in sharpening their spiritual support skills. These coaching opportunities will be for sharing ideas on how to best encourage each other and their departments’ leaders and teams.
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When To Pray* A patient or another employee might appreciate prayer when he/she: • Asks you to pray • Expresses discouragement • Asks for chaplain or clergy • Expresses doubts about God • Refers to their faith • Asks: “Why has this happened?” • Lacks support of family or friends • Comments on the Praying Hands pin *Not every conversation needs to end in a formal prayer • You may want to ask the person if they would like to pray now or later. • Sometimes, an individual simply needs a listening ear and heart. Begin to identify and address your team’s felt needs: • What emotional or spiritual needs have you perceived or heard about within your department? • What emotional or spiritual needs would you like to begin addressing, and could bring up to your department leader/ manager? 4
• How could you in a creative, inclusive and non-threatening way begin to emphasize prayer in your work area?
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Sample Prayers Dear Lord, We pause for a moment to reflect on your immense love. You know us and our individual needs. Please bless us according to those needs and according to Your great love. Let Your hand rest upon our troubled hearts and give us peace. In Jesus name we pray, Amen Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen Blessed are You, the Lord our God, and the God of our fathers, Who fashioned man with wisdom and created him in God’s image. Hear our prayer for peace and comfort us, your children, in our time of need. Amen In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Thee do we worship and Thine aid we seek. Show us the straight way, the way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy grace, those whose portion is not wrath, and who go not astray.
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General Guidelines • Listen • Discover the person’s heartfelt concerns • Always seek permission before praying for someone • Protect privacy • Always seek permission before any physical contact. Limit contact to hand, lower arm or as appropriate- shoulder. To be safe-limit any touch or hug until all these conditions have been met: same sex, an established and long-term connection, and when permission has clearly been granted. • As much as possible, pray within the person’s faith tradition • Include the person’s name in your prayer • Include the person’s concerns in your prayer • Be cautious and wise with how you ask for miraculous healing • Be brief
GOOD THINGS TO ALWAYS PRAY FOR: Faith peace. comfort. courage .wisdom .strength. assurance. consolation. God’s Power.
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