Introduction
The Fellowship of Christian Care Professionals (FCCP) is a sectional group of the Graduates' Christian Fellowship (GCF), which was accepted into the GCF at the annual general meeting (AGM) in June 1993.
The composition of FCCP is heterogeneous and includes:
- Mental health professionals such as social workers, psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists.
- Professional or lay appointed counsellors
- Pastors and theologians with a special interest in the field of counselling
As a group, the FCCP holds to the joint aims of building a community of support and learning for Christian care professionals, and acting as a resource for the wider Christian community. An important aspect of this involves the integration of our professional experiences with our Christian faith. We seek to encourage thoughtful discussion and loving action, in order to maintain spiritual and professional vitality in our members. With our professional credentials and Christian convictions, we see an opportunity to serve the wider Christian community and aspire to be salt and light to our society.
Aims
- To encourage each other to faithfulness in our calling as Christian care professionals, through both professional excellence and spiritual vitality
- To provide a platform through which to critically evaluate and discuss the intersection of our faith and our work
- To serve the church through our professional knowledge and skills
- To be salt and light to our society
Ministry Focus
The FCCP achieves its aims through regular meetings, case conferences, informal networking and collaborations with para-church and community-based organisations. We recognise overlapping areas of need in many of the clients we see, and regularly invite Christians from other professions to share their experience and provide their insights into various issues. These issues include dealing with abuse, understanding mental illness, and working with the elderly.
Its activities include:
- Case presentations and discussion
- Educational talks for churches and community organisations
- Presentations by colleagues from the legal and medical professions
- Critical evaluations of counselling theories and key psychological constructs
- Topical presentations and discussions on topics such as family life, sexuality and mental health
Brief History
In 1991, a small group of Christian care professionals who felt it would be useful to network and share resources to tackle issues which they faced, started meeting together at the FES Graduate Centre (new name of City Centre). Two years later, at the GCF annual general meeting in June 1993, the FCCP was accepted as a sectional group.
The membership of the FCCP waxed and waned over the years. After a period of relative dormancy for a number of years, the group experienced a revival with a renewed leadership in 2008 and the introduction of regular case conferences and topical presentations. The opportunity to share professional knowledge and learn from one another was well received by the counsellors and care professionals in the Christian community, with up to 60 participants attending some meetings.
More than ever before, the FCCP sees the need for a community of care professionals, who are committed both to their profession and the Christian faith. In recent years, it has continued to re-focus on its joint aims of building a community of learning and support, and being salt and light to the world around us.