Task Forces: Faith Community
The Representatives
Clergy, and lay persons from different Missoula faith groups: Buddhist, Catholic, Jewish and Protestant.
The Focus
To assist diverse faith communities in reclaiming and re-framing their role in enhancing individual, congregational and family preparation for dying, death and bereavement.
The Result
- Farewell, My Friend - a booklet developed by the task force containing 10 stories about end-of-life traditions among people who practice different faiths.
- Survey Tools
- Faith Community Leader Survey - a survey conducted among Missoula County faith leaders to explore values about end-of-life care, professional preparedness for dealing with end-of-life subjects and practice, and comfort with different end-of-life care practices.
- Faith Community Member Survey - a survey conducted among members of local faith communities to learn about perceptions of end-of-life care provided through their faith communities and perceptions of the care practices that would be important to them if they were seriously ill, dying, or bereaved. Data from this survey was used by several participating faith communities to create programs or ministries.
- Caring Circles - a program supporting family caregivers. Caring Circles was developed based on the needs identified through the Faith Community Member Survey.