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Divorce is an increasing social reality within Christian congregations, including in Indonesia, bringing profound psychological, social, and spiritual impacts while simultaneously presenting serious challenges for the church's pastoral ministry. This article examines the theological foundation and practical approaches in pastoral accompaniment for congregation members experiencing divorce, employing library research methodology within a pastoral theology framework. The study reveals that the church is called to be present not as a judge, but as a healing, supportive, and restoring community. Effective pastoral accompaniment encompasses empathetic pastoral counseling, a compassionate congregational community, intentional attention to affected children, and a long-term restoration commitment rooted in Gospel grace. The church is called to move beyond stigmatization toward genuine acceptance of wounded individuals, reflecting the redemptive love of Christ. This article concludes that the church's response to divorce must balance biblical integrity with deep compassion, affirming both the sanctity of marriage and the dignity of broken individuals. Thus, the church can become a safe space for every congregation member to experience genuine restoration and rediscover hope in Christ.

Penelitian ini mengkaji upaya pemberdayaan terhadap kaum muda remaja di GPT Kristus Kasih Ukui, Kabupaten Pelalawan, Riau, melalui tiga dimensi utama, yaitu pendampingan pastoral, pembinaan rohani, dan pembekalan pelayanan. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk memahami sejauh mana gereja lokal memberdayakan kaum muda remaja bukan hanya sebagai objek pelayanan, melainkan sebagai subjek yang dipanggil untuk bertumbuh, melayani, dan berpartisipasi dalam misi Allah. Pendekatan yang digunakan adalah kualitatif dengan jenis kajian teologis deskriptif-analitis. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi partisipan, wawancara purposif terhadap lima kelompok narasumber, pencatatan kehadiran ibadah selama Agustus 2024 sampai Agustus 2025, dan studi kepustakaan. Analisis data mengikuti model interaktif Miles dan Huberman, sedangkan triangulasi sumber digunakan untuk menjamin keabsahan data. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dari 46 kaum muda remaja yang terdaftar, hanya 15 orang (32%) yang terlibat aktif dalam pelayanan, sementara 31 orang (68%) belum terlibat sama sekali. Pendampingan pastoral, pembinaan rohani, dan pembekalan pelayanan telah berjalan, tetapi masih bersifat insidental dan belum terintegrasi dalam kerangka pemuridan yang sistematis dan berkelanjutan. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa pemberdayaan kaum muda remaja harus dipahami sebagai panggilan teologis gereja dalam terang Efesus 4:11–16, konsep tubuh Kristus, dan missio Dei. Karena itu, gereja perlu menyusun kerangka pemuridan berjenjang yang memadukan ketiga dimensi tersebut secara utuh.

Artikel ini bertolak dari kenyataan bahwa banyak umat telah mendengar sabda Allah dalam Liturgi dan pengajaran Gereja, namun belum sepenuhnya menghidupinya dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Situasi ini menegaskan pentingnya katekese sebagai proses pembinaan iman yang berkelanjutan, yang tidak hanya menekankan aspek pengetahuan, tetapi juga penghayatan dan perwujutan iman dalam tindakan nyata. Tulisan ini bertujuan merefleksikan katekese sebagai jalan pembinaan iman umat yang menuntun dari sabda menuju kehidupan. Fokus kajian artikel ini adalah peran katekese dalam membantu umat dewasa mengintegrasikan sabda Allah kedalam realitas hidup sehari-hari, baik dalam keluarga, pekerjaan, maupun kehidupan sosial. Metode yang digunakan adalah refleksi teologis pastoral dengan pendekatan kualitatif melalui studi literatur gereja dan pengalaman hidup umat. Pendekatan ini menekankan ketertarikan antara pewartaan sabda, pendampingan iman, serta partisiasi aktif umat dalam proses pembinaan. Hasil refleksi menunjukkan bahwa katekese yang kontekstual, dialogis, dan berpusat pada sabda Allah, mampu menumbuhkan iman yang lebih dewasa, sadar, dan tanggung jawab. Melalui katekese, umat tidak hanya memahami ajran iman secara intelektual, tetapi juga didorong untuk menghidupinya dalam sikap kasih, pelayanan, dan kesaksian di tengah masyarakat. Pembinaan iman yang berkelanjutan menjadi sarana penting untuk membentuk umat yang tangguh dalam menghadapi tantangan zaman dan tetap berakar pada nilai-nilai injil. Dengan demikian, katekese sebagai jalan pembinaan iman memiliki peran strategis dalam menjembatani sabda Allah dengan kehidupan konkrit umat. Pembaharuan metode dan pendekatan katekese yang relevan dengan konteks umat masa kini sangat diperlukan agar proses dari sabda menuju kehidupan dapat berlangsung secara nyata, mendalam, dan berkelanjutan dalam kehidupan Gereja. Kata kunci: katekese, sabda Allah, pembinaan iman, umat dewasa, kehidupan kristen

Considering the importance of the next generation in the church, children must be empowered to be better. Therefore, this research can be a work that provides education about the influence of technology on Sunday school children at the Imanuel Batubara' Ra'Bung church which can be used as an instrument to help them in developing better thinking patterns. The research method used is a qualitative research method with a descriptive approach to describe the reality of the reality that occurs in the field. The qualitative method is applied through library research and field analysis. The library study is applied by finding supporting theories that are relevant to the research. Furthermore, a descriptive approach is applied through interview techniques and field analysis. Interviews were conducted by the author through field research and social analysis. The theories applied by the author are theories about counseling, theories about the church and theories about social assistance. The results of this study are that Sunday school teachers and child care providers must work together to help Sunday school children know God well and also be able to lead themselves in a better direction.

Sexual harassment is a criminal act carried out by two people by force with the intention of satisfying lust or an act of revenge. Sexual harassment in the church community is an act that violates Christian teachings where it is carried out outside the basis of marriage. Sexual harassment is carried out by force between men and women outside the husband and wife couple, namely between parents and children or between father and child. The Church has an important role in this. The Church seeks to heal, support, treat, and even accompany victims of sexual abuse through pastoral actions. Sexuality is no longer something taboo to talk about, therefore it is important for the church, government, and even families to discuss sexuality from an early age as an effort to prevent criminal acts or sexual violence. Society must have a sense of empathy and sympathy for victims of sexual violence, as an effort to heal and accept the reality experienced by victims. The church must really act in a real way in spiritual and psychological and social healing of victims.

This research is library research or research using library methods, the technique used by the author in collecting data is using sources from books, journals and theses which are related to the topic being studied, namely pastoral care. for divorced church boards. The type of research used in this paper is qualitative research which describes the impact of divorce and shows how pastoral care is present in the life of the church council after the divorce. This research aims to minimize the occurrence of divorce, especially in the life of a church council, in maintaining the identity and integrity of a church council.

Every human being has a different past. Of course, past experiences are various. There are beautiful past experiences and vice versa, depending on what happened. Usually the past that seems very painful, is very difficult to forget, until it leaves a mark in the mind and is difficult to forget. The impact is very large, it can lead to prolonged trauma. To treat it certainly takes a long time and requires pastoral counseling. Counselors must have the expertise to help the client heal the trauma wound. There are various effects of trauma, but in this case, the author specifically examines the trauma caused by being bitten by a dog. For that reason, in this section, the author wants to examine "Assistance Efforts for Miss "Y" who experienced Trauma Due to Being Bitten by a Dog on Sibandang Island".

Basically, God created His creatures perfectly. On the other hand, it turns out that God also created humans who do not have five senses, or incomplete body functions, such as the blind, deaf, physically disabled, even mentally disabled so that they have limitations in carrying out daily activities and are often considered different from others. A person who has physical or mental limitations due to illness or injury is called a disability. Being a person with a disability not only affects the person themselves, but often their families, especially their parents. The purpose of this study was to determine the application of pastoral care for parents who have children with disabilities. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method. The population and sample of this study were parents, namely the father and mother of a child with disabilities in Pamalian village, Sorkam sub-district, Central Tapanuli district. In an effort to provide pastoral counseling assistance with a Client Centered approach to parents who have children with disabilities, there are several approaches taken by the companion, namely, listening, reflecting, explaining, and being fully present. From the research results, pastoral counseling with a client-centered approach can help parents who have children with disabilities understand that what happened to their child is not a mistake or punishment due to sin so that parents can accept their child's condition.

Children who do not want to go to school and cannot complete their schooling and cannot finish their schooling or in other words do not get a diploma. There are various reasons why children can drop out of school, such as lack of attention from parents, economic problems, low interest in going to school, helping parents at work, being involved in juvenile delinquency cases, low intelligence levels, socialization and also the school zoning system. The purpose of the observation is to obtain information from the consequences of the child leaving school and to help the child to accept himself that he is a child who dropped out of school, so as not to be inferior and lose hope and convince the client (counselee) that the counselee can return to school and achieve his goals. This observation uses a qualitative method, in this case collecting data about events or phenomena that occur, and using a client-focused approach (psychotherapy that focuses on the client to solve his own problems), the counselor's presence is to listen empathetically and be fully present, and a rational-emotive behavioral therapy approach (an approach that aims to help someone overcome emotional disturbances and think rationally). From the results of the study, pastoral counseling assistance with a client-centered approach and rational emotive behavior therapy can help people who drop out of school not lose confidence, if they see their peers going to school, can open up, be more diligent in worship and more eager to prepare themselves to return to school.

Domestic violence (DV) is a phenomenon that significantly impacts the physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being of victims. This study aims to explore the role of pastoral counseling in assisting victims of domestic violence, specifically a woman named Ibu Butet, who experienced physical and psychological abuse from her husband and her husband’s family. A qualitative approach with a case study method was used to delve into Ibu Butet's experiences through empathetic pastoral interviews rooted in Christian spirituality. The pastoral care process focused on inner healing, discovering life’s meaning, and strengthening faith as a source of hope.The findings show that pastoral counseling provides a safe space for victims to express their emotional wounds, overcome trauma, and find new strength through spiritual reflection and prayer. In this context, the role of pastors or counselors as compassionate listeners embodying Christ’s love is crucial to the healing process. The study concludes that pastoral counseling not only helps victims cope with their suffering but also guides them to find renewed hope and purpose in life amidst difficult circumstances.

Poverty is a situation where a person is unable to fulfill his life needs in terms of food, clothing, shelter and education. This writing uses a qualitative descriptive design. Qualitative research is research that aims to describe, discover and understand the meaning of data obtained from a number of people who are the research targets of social and humanitarian issues. This research method is a visit, a pastoral conversation, where the companion is present to provide encouragement, motivation, listen to any struggles and problems faced by the counselee and provide social assistance. And in the form of Pastoral Assistance, the aim is to provide Supportive Counseling, namely counseling to strengthen and support each other (1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13; 10:25).

Pastoral assistance using a Gestalt theory approach to women who experience stress due to "Domestic Violence" is an important effort in assisting victims of violence holistically. Gestalt theory, which emphasizes full awareness of one's own experiences and the surrounding environment, can provide an in-depth approach to help individuals understand the feelings, behavior and relationship patterns that are formed as a result of the violence they experience. This assistance aims to provide spiritual, emotional and psychological support through an approach that focuses on the victim's current experience and self-recovery.This mentoring process begins with building safe and understanding relationships, as well as providing space for women to talk about their experiences without fear of being judged. In assistance sessions, Gestalt techniques such as the “empty chair” can be used to help victims face and express their feelings of oppression, as well as increase awareness of their inner strength to overcome stress and trauma. Apart from that, the spiritual aspect is also an inseparable part in providing comfort and hope, as well as helping victims find greater meaning and purpose in life despite difficulties. It is hoped that the results of this assistance will help women victims of domestic violence to gain emotional recovery, increased self-esteem, and the ability to make healthier decisions in their relationships. Pastoral care using the Gestalt approach provides a comprehensive approach by combining psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects, so that it can support women to overcome the stress that arises from experiences of domestic violence.

Self-acceptance is an important process for people with disabilities to achieve a better quality of life and optimal mental health. The limitations experienced by people with disabilities have an influence on their self-acceptance. The limitations they experience make people with disabilities feel stressed, have low self-esteem and feel lonely. Support from family, friends and community is the main factor that helps people with disabilities. The aim of this research is that this young man can accept himself as a person with a physical disability. The method used in this research is the case study method, where this method is an in-depth exploration of a bound system based on extensive data collection. Based on this research, people with physical disabilities can be responsible for themselves and their future and must be able to accept the disabilities they experience.

The experience of losing a parent has an impact on a child's life. When this event occurs, you will experience a feeling of loss which ultimately causes grief. In fact, this event had a physical, emotional and spiritual impact because of the child's grief over the death of his parents. Situations like this ultimately cause trauma to the person, therefore a healing process is needed for people who experience abnormal sadness. The purpose of this article is to describe a trauma-based approach to dealing with abnormal grief in adolescents whose parents have died. This research uses a qualitative literature method with a literature review using a content analysis approach. This study provides insight into the definition of pathological grief and trauma healing. Symptoms of excessive mourning experienced by adolescent children after the death of their parents. And knowledge about how to overcome grief using a trauma healing approach.

The purpose of this study was to analyze and evaluate the implementation of pastoral care in the church for congregations grieving due to death, and to understand the extent to which the congregation's understanding of the religious concept of death influences the way pastoral care is implemented and its impact on the grieving process. The research method used was descriptive qualitative, with data collection techniques through interviews, observations, and documentation studies. This study also aims to identify practical challenges faced in the implementation of pastoral care, especially in situations of sudden or complex death. The results of the study indicate that pastoral care in GKPPD Lae Salak needs to be improved in terms of the skills and knowledge of pastoral care workers in order to provide more effective support. This study provides benefits by providing input for the church to improve its pastoral care strategy.

This research aims to develop a family-based marriage catechesis module as a foundation for post-wedding accompaniment of young Catholic couples. Using a qualitative approach with document study, the research identifies five key gaps in Catholic couple accompaniment: discontinuity of pastoral care, non-transformative pedagogical approaches, minimal involvement of experienced families, lack of content contextualization, and weak communal support. In response, a module with spiral structure was developed for continuous accompaniment during the first four years of marriage, integrating theological-spiritual, relational-psychological, social-communal, and practical-contextual dimensions. This module operationalizes the concept of "family as pastoral subject" through a mentoring model where experienced couples accompany newly married couples. Implementation requires systematic selection and formation of mentor couples, balanced accompaniment structures, and adaptive approaches. Integration strategies within parish systems include institutional support, appropriate ecclesiological approaches, a "hub and spoke" model, gradual implementation, and utilization of digital technology. This research offers a more participatory, relational, and contextual approach to marriage pastoral care.

This research aims to find out what factors cause delinquency in children with physical disabilities and pastoral care using a behavioral approach that is relevant to dealing with delinquency in children with physical disabilities. The research was carried out using a qualitative approach involving pastoral case studies of a number of children with physical disabilities who experienced naughty behavior. Data was collected through participant observation, interviews with children, parents, and pastoral assistants, and documentation analysis. The research results show that pastoral care using a behavioral approach is able to make a positive contribution in managing the naughty behavior of children with disabilities. This research provides an in-depth understanding of the importance of pastoral care integrated with a behavioral approach in helping children with disabilities manage their naughty behavior. The practical implication of these findings is the development of more structured and evidence-based mentoring programs to support the holistic development of children with disabilities.

This study aims to explore the role of pastoral care in the recovery of trauma experienced by landslide victim families in Palangka. Pastoral care, which combines spiritual and psychological approaches, is expected to provide holistic support to victim families in their recovery process. This study uses a qualitative method with a case study approach to analyze the experiences and perceptions of victim families and the pastoral caretakers involved. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. The results of the study indicate that pastoral care plays an important role in providing emotional and spiritual support, strengthening mental resilience, and helping victim families cope with loss and trauma. The spiritual-psychological approach applied by pastoral caretakers helps rebuild hope, reduce stress, and accelerate the healing process. This study highlights the importance of integrating spiritual and psychological support in post-disaster interventions to improve the mental and emotional well-being of victims.    

The family is a social unit in the order of society. The family is also an institutional subsystem or smallest unit in a larger social system, such as society, nation and state. The family consists of people who are bound by marriage, blood relationship or adoption, family members who live under one roof (house), there is interaction and communication according to their respective roles, as well as passing down habits or culture in general and practicing them independently. The family is a biosocial institution formed by at least two adults, a man and a woman who are not related by blood or have no children. Every family certainly has a goal and one of them is to have children. However, not all married couples are successful in terms of having harmony. For some families, this is not a problem because they can react to it positively. However, for some families, not having children is something that triggers problems in their household and this is also experienced by several married couples in the church. For this reason, it is necessary to provide pastoral assistance to families who do not have children to prevent divorce. The author uses a qualitative approach. The qualitative approach emphasizes the search for meaning, understanding, concepts and descriptions of a phenomenon; prioritizes quality, and is presented narratively. Research data was collected through interviews. The author conducted open interviews so as not to limit informants from conveying their understanding about the absence of children in their family. And the informants were four families from four churches in Region 1 GPP Medan - Langkat.

This study aims to offer a model of mentoring the youth learning community in the Santo Gabriel Pulang Pisau Parish. The model is called the Youth Learning Community in assisting youth at Santo Gabriel Pulang Pisau Parish, as a means of cultivating the development of youth faith. This study also describes previous assistance used for mentoring youth at the Santo Gabriel Pulang Pisau Parish. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive methods. The research data was obtained using interviews conducted with 4 youths, 1 Senior OMK, 1 Catechist and 1 Priest. The data obtained was analyzed with the benefit of the "Miles" analysis method which was divided into three stages, namely reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. Based on the results of the research, it was concluded that the mentoring program through the pastoral program had not been implemented optimally. This conclusion was based on the statement of one informant who revealed that "the assistance has been running so far, but programmatically through the parish program has not run optimally. Therefore, this research offers a model for youth accompaniment as a pastoral strategy to foster youth faith development.