As a Pastoral Counseling Center, Covenant Counseling lives up to its mission by developing strong relationships with congregations in the community. We achieve this through a Covenant Agreement, which creates a partnership in ministry between CC&FRC and the local church. The Covenant Agreement allows CC&FRC to become an extension of and complement to each church's ministry.
The principle that undergirds all Pastoral Counseling Centers nationwide is that the Covenant Agreement is beneficial to both the church and to CC&FRC. How? Through CC&FRC, churches in the community have access to a range of services that might be unaffordable otherwise. In turn, CC&FRC is supported in its ministry to the community.
Common Elements of a Covenantal Agreement
CC&FRC agrees to:
- Provide 24 hour access to counseling services for members of the congregation.
- Maintain a competent counseling staff.
- Provide 4-6 hours of free consultation or educational programming during the year.
- Maintain Professional Liability coverage for the center and staff.
- Provide a pastoral staff member to preach when needed.
- Provide a professional staff member to be a liaison to the church.
- Offer other educational events (seminars, workshops, etc.) for discounted rates and/or member registration fees.
- Provide consultation for clergy staff in dealing with a variety of therapeutic and/or human relationship issues with which they are confronted.
- Establish satellite counseling center in the church [when requested].
Church agrees to:
- Designate one Sunday a year as Samaritan Sunday, providing written information on Covenant Counseling to the membership and either having a pastoral staff member preach or make a brief presentation about the Institute.
- Make an annual contribution to the Samaritan Fund at CC&FRC, which provides scholarship help to those needing counseling, but who cannot afford the same.
- Select one pastoral staff member to serve on CC&FRC's Clergy Advisory Committee.
- Designate CC&FRC as the church's primary referral source for counseling
- Utilize qualified staff therapists [those trained to use the inventory. Prepare/Enrich] to do the premarital counseling sessions with couples to be married by clergy at church.
- Publicize CC&FRC in church media.
- Participate in the ACPCE - Association of Churches supporting CC&FRC ministry.
Covenantal Agreements can be tailored to best meet the needs of each church. To learn more, call (770) 985-0837, or e-mail us.
