AUGUSTA — StrengthenME is a program providing free resources to promote the health, well-being and resiliency of all Mainers. Spiritual Care Services of Maine, a program of StrengthenME is collaborating with the BTS Center and St Joseph’s College Spiritual Care Services of Maine, to offer a one day event exploring the role of spiritual care in human wellness.
The first annual Spiritual Care Summit will take place Monday, Oct. 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. Keynote speakers include Wendy Cadge, author of “Spiritual Care: The Everyday Work of Chaplains” and Rev. Jana Milhon-Martin, an Episcopal priest and founder of the Center for Lay Chaplaincy in Los Angeles.
The summit will encompass a full day of presentations and conversation about what spiritual care is, and the role it can play in the arts, social services, education, earth care/climate justice, infertility, grief and loss, therapy and more.
Spiritual Care Services of Maine (SCS Maine) was formed during the pandemic to provide remote support for people who might be experiencing isolation. Initially assembled as part of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ StrengthenME initiative, SCS Maine revealed an unmet need outside of traditional social services to help people experiencing homelessness, incarceration, addiction, poverty and other significant challenges find a path to healing. They provide free, confidential services and support accessible through StrengthenME’s warm line.
“While many people are familiar with the concept of chaplains, especially in hospitals, we want to expand the notion of what spiritual care can offer, no matter the setting,” said Lori Whittemore, executive director of Spiritual Care Services of Maine. “We hope to this event will expand our imaginations about what chaplaincy can look like in our own contexts.”
Rev. Jana Milhon-Martin, a keynote speaker for the event added, ”Skilled chaplains have long been valued team members in hospitals, prisons, the military, and private schools. In contexts where human resources are often in short supply, chaplains are uniquely qualified to address complex spiritual, religious, emotional, ethical, and existential needs that can often produce spiritual distress.”
Milohn-Marton continued, “Chaplains can provide much needed spiritual wellness support in contexts where the demands of meeting material needs predominate the time and attention of professional staff. In these contexts, trained chaplains have the time, energy, and the desire to listen deeply and to offer compassion and accompaniment to people living with the realities of incarceration, poverty, addiction, mental or behavioral health issues.”
The Spiritual Care Summit is sponsored by Spiritual Care Services of Maine, The BTS Center, and St. Joseph’s College of Maine. Admission to the event is $75 per person and includes lunch. To register, visit Spiritual Care Summit Registration, or for more information contact Lori Whittemore at Spiritual Care Services of Maine, [email protected].
StrengthenME is Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services program, offering free stress management and resiliency resources to promote the health and well-being of all Mainers. Knowing there is no health without mental health, StrengthenME resources aim to inspire hope and resilience. Services are 100% anonymous, low-barrier, and community-focused. We’re here to help.
