The Village at Orchard Ridge Hosts Clinical Pastoral Education Interns

October 6, 2016

This fall, The Village at Orchard Ridge—A National Lutheran Community in Winchester, Va. welcomed two new interns into National Lutheran Communities & Services’ Satellite Program of Eastern Mennonite Theological Seminary’s Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) curriculum.

Pastor Haley dos Santos joins the program from the United Methodist Church, fulfilling her requirement to complete CPE. She has a strong interest in working with seniors as that demographic is prominent in her congregation. Pastor Jim Payne is a Southern Baptist minister who works as a dorm parent at Randolph Macon Academy in Front Royal, Va. during the week, while serving a small congregation on Sundays. He joins the program with an interest in pursuing a career in chaplaincy.

Their time at The Village at Orchard Ridge will be spent completing the CPE requirement of working hours in a clinical placement. They are mentored by Rev. Dr. William Boldin and Chaplain Linda Wenger, specifically shadowing Chaplain Wenger in Orchard Woods Health Center, and meeting residents, staff and family members.  As these relationships blossom, they will engage in aspects of pastoral care, including conducting spiritual assessments and pastoral care plans.  They will also learn proper documentation of interactions with residents and participate in care plan meetings with other staff.

Typically, CPE is experiential learning that teaches technique, but more importantly challenges students to integrate theology, human behavior, and personal awareness, while performing Pastoral Care. This style of learning enhances the student’s development of pastoral identity and growth.

“The retirement community setting is unique in the health care industry in that there is opportunity to develop relationships with those that they care for, as well as to gain skills in relating with the senior population—the fastest growing demographic in the nation, and those most likely to express belonging to a faith tradition,” The Village at Orchard Ridge’s Chaplain and CPE Pastoral Care Mentor Rev. Dr. William Boldin said. “What the interns take from their experience will serve them well in their present and future ministry settings.”