Community Chaplain Training

As of June 2024 our community chaplain training program is on hold. Please check back for updates. We will announce on our Instagram and FB page when the program restarts.  We do not anticipate the program restarting in fall 2024.

Sojourn chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support to the diverse population of patients, their loved ones and the staff of San Francisco General Hospital. Chaplains serve individuals of all faiths and spiritual traditions and those claiming no specific tradition. Chaplains offer compassion and human connection through active listening and genuine presence. At the request of those served, chaplains also facilitate prayer, ritual, sacramental ministry, and access to scripture and devotional resources of many faith traditions written in multiple languages. Our chaplains come from a variety of traditions and backgrounds, and support the faith and spirituality of every individual they serve.

Sojourn continually seeks to build and support a volunteer community described by diversity of faith, gender, race, culture, and sexual orientation. We welcome those who are interested in providing hospital chaplaincy to contact us for further information about our volunteer programs.

We train individuals from all Bay Area communities called to chaplaincy work or other outreach ministry, whether they wish to work at SFGH or another health care institution or pastoral care setting. Sojourn also provides programs of training for seminary and university students. We provide continuing education and learning opportunities for our volunteer chaplains on a variety of topics pertinent to their work with Sojourn.

Gender Affirming Spiritual Care The Trans Spiritual Care Initiative was born when we were approached by trans members of our spiritual communities about challenging experiences with chaplains at different health institutions. Based at the San Francisco General Hospital, Sojourn Chaplaincy’s chaplain training program began in the early days of the AIDS epidemic as a ministry for people dying from HIV. During those painful times, we learned how important it is that training for for chaplains and spiritual care providers be rooted in social analysis. However, too many spiritual care providers still lack even basic knowledge on how to respectfully work with transgender patients.  Our incredible team of Trans and Non Binary Trainers offer training for chaplains, clergy and spiritual care providers in Gender Affirming Spiritual Care.  Check out our Trans Spiritual Care website for a free downloadable training as well as info about how to learn more!

Eucharistic Ministers Training In summer 2016, we have been privileged to work closely with St. Peters Roman Catholic Church to develop a new training program for Eucharistic Ministers here at the General. Each of these ministers has received training from their home congregation and currently serves the parish as a Eucharistic Minister. We are privileged to be welcoming this new class of faithful vounteers to bring the sacrament to patients Catholic patients requesting holy communion. If you would like to learn more about Eucharistic Ministry at ZSFG, please click here and talk to your parish Priest

Theological Student Chaplain Internships For over 30 years Sojourn has been educating seminarians and students of theology. For hundreds of religious leaders in the bay area alone, study with Sojourn has been a fundamental part of their spiritual formation. Each year, we welcome Chaplain Interns from Graduate Theological Union schools, the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies, and Westmont College. These students participate in the Volunteer Chaplain Training as well as undergo additional studies as a part of their internship. If you are interested in Sojourning with us as a part of your pastoral formation, please apply today Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) We have had CPE interns serve here at Sojourn with ZSFG as their clinical placement while CPE learning happens offsite. If you are interested in serving at the General and would like to explore CPE credit elsewhere, please apply today!

Make a donation today to support the important work of Sojourn Chaplaincy!

Links

San Francisco General Hospital
Bay Area Jewish Healing Center
Episcopal Charities
The Episcopal Diocese of California
San Francisco Interfaith Council