LEWISTON – Five persons have completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Center Maine Medical Center under the supervision of the Rev. Jay. Turner, CMMC’s director of pastoral care and education.

The students were Linda Hatch of Corinth, Dave Hedges of Evanston, Ill., Walter Kane of Boston, JoEllen Morrison of Philadelphia and Susan Tierney of Lisbon Falls.

The program provides a structure for individuals to accomplish several objectives, including the exploration of personal gifts for ministry; deepening self-understanding and spirituality; developing skills in visitation and pastoral care; discerning vocational direction; and meeting seminary and denominational requirements.

Four of the five recent graduates will continue their seminary educational processes and one will undergo training to become a spiritual director. CMMC is one of two sites in Maine that offer the only pastoral care training program approved and accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.

In more than 400 hours of supervised ministry, students learn pastoral skills through an action-reflection method that integrates personal history, faith traditions and the behavioral sciences.

The program includes patient visitations, intense individual and group reflection, didactics, written case materials and pertinent readings with discussions.

For more about the program, contact Turner at 795-2290.