Below is Part 4 in the 2014 Pastoral Care Week (Oct. 19-25) series here at CBFblog. 

By Stacy Sergent

People come to the hospital where I serve as a chaplain because they want to be made well. They have become sick or gotten hurt, maybe quite suddenly, or maybe so gradually that they barely noticed for a long time. But now things have gotten serious enough to bring them here for healing. They want the help of doctors, nurses, radiologists, physical therapists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and others. What many of them come to realize as well is that they have a need for healing that is not only physical. And that’s where my ministry begins.

I am thankful that many healthcare systems today are coming to understand the need to care for the whole person, not just address a physical diagnosis. Chaplains like myself help patients and their families address…