Faith Formation and Kidney Transplantation: A Pastoral Counseling Manual and Website

Team Members/Contributors

Tepper L Gill Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ Contact Me

About this pastoral study project

Following my kidney transplant in 2010, two things were clear--there was a lack of information about the medical facts and a lack of resources to support spiritual formation during this life-changing event. As clergy, I sought resources for spiritual direction during discernment for myself and my donor. As a spiritual director, I wanted to tap into spiritual disciplines to ease the angst. I later found out from my donor that she, too, had undergone a spiritual transformation throughout the process. Despite this absence, we were buoyed by a praying community that spanned three continents. Since our surgery we have shared the testimony of our faith journey with churches and community organizations. DVD's from these presentations will be edited and used on a website to be designed as a part of this study grant. The second output from this grant will be a pastoral counseling manual specifically for ministering to donors and recipients. The project will be carried out for five months on a 1/4 basis and the final month on a full-time basis. Surveys, interviews, literature reviews and meetings with the UCC Minister for Health Care Justice will provide the basis for the manual and website. A number of faith communities will benefit from this project if we use the statistics that state that over 70% of the 92,000 Americans awaiting kidney transplants identify themselves as Christians. Consequedntly, many pastors are the "first responders" for those needing kidneys and donating kidneys. There are many ethical issues involved in this medical milestone and fertile ground for Christian ethical discernment, however, for many pastors the need is acute for the "practice" of ministry. The impact of the output of this study grant will greatly enhance individual ministries and enrich the spiritual lives of kidney donors and recipients. Efforts will be made to publish and disseminate the manual through the UCC Ministry of Health Care Justice and the UCC Press.