NCR Annual Meeting
Chula Vista Theme Resort
Wisconsin Dells, WI
The North Central Region of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education once again held its Annual Meeting at Chula Vista in the Wisconsin Dells. There were approximately 130 people in attendance, though our numbers were decreased by late cancellations due to the illness of some prospective attendees or their close family members.
Conference Program
This year's meeting featured the Bob Otto Lecture and Wine & Cheese Party, made possible through Bob Otto's generous bequest to the Region. The speaker was Carol Lakota Eastin, native American of the Lakota nation and ordained United Methodist clergyperson, whose topic was "Envisioning CPE in the New Millennium--Living in Two Worlds: A Native American Perspective". Carol lectured the first evening, then led a plenary session the next day. The native American theme was carried forward to the conference banquet that evening, when "White Bear" of the Hochunk band was the speaker/entertainer, sharing his story and dancing for us.
Carol Lakota Eastin White Bear
(Click photos to enlarge)
Carol used her own story, shaped profoundly when her son, John, "crossed over to the spirit world" at age 17 after a brief illness with a virulent cancer. She began and ended her presentation with the ceremonial words "Oh! Mitakuye Oyasin!", which is used within her own tradition to begin and end sacred ceremony. In so doing, she wanted to convey two things--that we were participating in something sacred together, and that we were (and are!) a circle of relatives. "We were not created to be alone, or isolated, or protected from each other. We were created to breathe in one another. And that is a sacred thing." She went on to suggest that when we are in our CPE groups or working with individual students, or in a hospital room with a patient or an ICU waiting room with a family, we must remember that we are related to all present and that the moment is a sacred one.
Carol defined prayer as "bigger than a conscious process of talking to God" (although it certainly includes that). "It is a relationship with all of life (in which the Creator dwells) that acknowledges the sacred in all things and all places." Prayer is an approach to life that acknowledges the sacred all the time--in the class, in the group, in the hospital room, at home, at the check out lane."
Carol believes that when we embrace this view we begin to achieve a balance in our lives that is a part of a great healing circle symbolized by the native American medicine wheel--wellness as "Wiconzanni"--being whole, complete. Out of the understanding that everything is connected come the belief that when we are sick, something must be out of balance. "The diagnosis of a physical illness does not simply include a physical dimension. It takes into consideration all parts of the human being--the physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual. Any treatment plan involves seeking balance in all parts of self and between the self and others.
Carol shared how basic issues of culture and blood are to people, and how she, herself, has always felt that she was somehow different from others around her. "I believe my own experience is parallel to that of other persons of many cultures who live in America, trying to fit in so they can be a part of the great American dream...trying to melt into the pot, when in fact that just isn't possible. Culture just doesn't melt down well. The melting pot is a lie. What we really have here is stew."
"For a lot of us living here is living in two worlds. It is important to understand that takes a lot of energy. It takes a lot of translating. Certainly that is true for the person for whom English is a second language. But it is also true for those of us for whom the European world view...the majority way of thinking...is a foreign world view. There is another language that is spoken all the time--it is a way of seeing the world. Native American persons, and others as well, are having to translate that all the time."
Carol had some practical suggestions for pastoral caregivers regarding the value of ritual at the time of death for the dying person, families, as well as staff, using her own family's closure ritual with Johnny as an example. She is convinced that people heal in community, with ritual and ceremony, with sacred items/objects that become touch points for all senses, and in a process which can be predetermined ceremonially. She believes that does not just apply to grief, but to all manner of imballance, be it spiritual, emotional, or physical.
Carole quoted Dr. Martin Brokenleg who offers these ten pieces of advice for helpers working cross-culturally:
1. Understand that there is cultural bias in all interventions.
2. Be involved in the community you serve.
3. Trust your intuition.
4. Help the culturally limited, work with the larger cultural system.
5. Use rituals and symbols from that culture.
6. Work historical distrust.
7. Help people meet their own goals.
8. Maintain good personal traits.
9. Know where support exists in that population.
10. Help professionals develop cross-cultural skills.
Carol added the following to the list:
1. Know yourself.
2. Learn to dance (cf. C.A. Hammerschlag, The Dancing Healer.
3. Trust the universe:Albert Einstein was once asked "What is the most important question a person can ask?" He responded: "Is the universe a friendly place?" "This is a question that people you work with, who are facing the ultimate questions of human existence, are asking all the time. I never asked it before like I did after my son's death. And I never fully understood the question before them. I used to be naive and optimistic. The I had a taste of death. I went through a period of distrust. Now I'm bruised and optimistic. Yes, the universe is a friendly place. But don't believe it is because I said so or because you're in so much denial that you can't dare to feel and experience all the pain and hurt and downright hell that there is on this earth. Believe it because even though you are walking in darkness, you believe in the light. Believe it because you have enough faith to think that there is a power greater than you. Someone wiser than you. A plan more whole and real and awesome than anything we can comprehend."
Members of the Region enjoy wine and cheese after the Eastin lecture - click on a picture to enlarge it.
Distinguished Service Award, Honoring of Retirees
Harvey Berg was the worthy recipient of this year's Distinguished Service Award.
Harvey
& Shirley Berg
as Harvey addresses the assembly
(click to enlarge)
Supervisor who served all our part of their CPE ministry in the North Central Region and have recently retired from full-time ministry while residing in the Region were also honored:
List of those honored (pdf)
Worship
Worship opportunities were obviously and necessarily impacted and focused by the tragic events of September 11th, as there was an undercurrent of dis-ease throughout the conference. We also remembered those NCR current or formember members who had died since our last gathering: Supervisors Al Anderson, Charles Phillips, Russ Comnick, and Al Toews, and Clinical Member Kenneth White.
Lyle Greiner honored Al Anderson by sporting a t-shirt and sharing a poster that featured a blow-up of a "doodle" Al had done while doing individual supervision with Lyle. Did he have Lyles number? Click here to find out!
Annual Business Meeting
Official Minutes of the Annual Meeting + all submitted reports
Finance: The annual business meeting learned that nine months into the year we have a projected surplus of $12,338.00 against an operating budget that projected a year-end deficit of $6,160.00. The assembly adopted a budget for 2002 of $143,956.00 with a projected year-end deficit of $9,856.00.
Standards: Concern was raised about how Standards and Accreditation interface on the national level. There are some who feel there is too much power given the Accreditation Commission to shape how Standards are interpreted. A sub-committee of the two commissions is being evolved to address this.
Accreditation: The Regional Accreditation Committee has recommended continued accredited membership to two centers who underwent 10 year reviews and 7 centers who underwent 5 year reviews, all "with no notations". Chair, Nancy Wigdahl, reminded the Region that there continues to be a great need for site visitors. We all need to pitch in and help.
Certification: Emilie Wolf, Jay Hillestad, and Augustin Orosa became Associate Supervisors since our last annual meeting. Diane Greve, John Katonah, Michelle Oberwise-Lacock, Scott McRae, and Dixie Potratz Lehman became Full Supervisors. Dean Hokel, Philip Abraham, Audrey Zimmerman, Jerry Kaelin, and Mary Albing became Candidates.
Regional Director:
Six NACC Supervisors, Gene Sitzmann, James Buryska, Linda Bronerski, Judith Olind, Art Metallo, and Eric Erickson have exercised reciprocity provisions to become ACPE Supervisors.
Bill Tallevast (Wausau) and Kathy Turner (Meriter) are new Supervisors to our Region.
St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center, Green Bay and Midwestern Regional Medical Center, Zion, IL are no longer offering CPE. Meritcare, Fargo; Fergus Falls Regional Treatment Center, Fergus Falls, MN; and Victory Health Care in Waukegan, IL are currently vacant. James Tonneson is supervising on a contract basis at the state hospital in Jamestown, ND. St. Camillus Campus in Milwaukee has re-opened for CPE, and Lake Forest Hospital, Lake Forest, IL and City of Lakes Transitional Care Center in Minneapolis have moved from satellite to accredited member status.
The business meeting concluded with the "passing of the torch", as Chair Dave Middleton recognized incoming Chair, Beth Burbank:
Will
she still be smiling a year from now?
(click to enlarge)