The mission of the Ware River Valley Chaplaincy Program is to support the spiritual well-being of survivors of domestic violence in the Quaboag Valley by providing trained lay and ordained domestic violence chaplains. Our chaplains provide spiritual support to survivors regardless of their individual faith or spiritual tradition. 

How It Works.
Trained chaplains* are available to meet with you in person, and/or are available to communicate with you by phone or text. Chaplains might help you reconnect with your own spiritual strength, tradition or practice, or may simply offer you insights and support after listening to your story. If requested, chaplains can also offer prayers. Above all, chaplains are trained to follow your lead, to honor the faith or spiritual practice of your choosing of, and to maintain safety and confidentiality.  Chaplains receive 25 hours of training on domestic violence prior to joining the Program and on-going peer supervision, training and consultation as part of the Program. This Program is not ‘confessional’ in nature. If confessional services are requested, an appropriate referral will be made.  Chaplains are available to meet with a survivor up to 6 times. After three meetings with a chaplain, survivors are encouraged to also work with a domestic violence advocate.  Chaplains meet regularly with advocates, and are available to meet with a survivor and advocate together. 

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Our Chaplains....

 ​Work only with the survivor, referring people who use violence for outside help
 Work with, respect and support people of any faith or religion, and do not attempt to convert anyone to a different faith
 Acknowledge that while many faith texts and teachings provide strength, others can be misused or taken out of context to support abusive behavior 
 Provide services in a way that follows the lead of the person receiving support, and in a way that supports their direct relationship with the Divine however they define it
 Honor and support people of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability​



* Chaplains are either ordained or sponsored by an ordained faith leader from a faith community of our Program Partners. 


Ware River Valley Chaplaincy Program
Serving the communities of the Quaboag Hills is an Interfaith Initiative
of the Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force
www.waredvtaskforce.org
and
Growing a New Heart
www.growinganewheart.org

Connect with a Chaplain

To Contact Directly ~ call or email one of the chaplains listed below

• Mother Mary Rosendale,
  970-640-6461
• Pastor Deb Shepard,
  413-478-0731,
  ​debasheps@aol.com
• Peggy Baxter, United Church of Ware, 413-813-8627, m.baxter2010@comcast.net,
• Pat James, Saint Paul’s Church, Palmer, 413 -726- 8661, trishljam@aol.com
  
  

​To Have A Chaplain Contact You ~
call or email one of these organizations:

• Task Force   413-758-0605, wrvdvtaskforce@gmail.com
• Domestic Violence Program at our partners at Behavioral Health Network. 413-750-8053 or
  413-967-6241 Ext: 122. 

Background, Partners,
​and Funding

In 2013, recognizing the central role that faith and spirituality play in the lives of many domestic violence survivors, the Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force launched an Interfaith Initiative on Domestic Violence.  In 2018, after years of reflection, outreach and training in the community, Task Force members became aware of the need for one on one spiritual support for survivors, many of whom both rely on their spirituality for strength, and are separated from their faith community or spiritual practice as a result of abuse. As a result the Task Force, in collaboration with Growing a New Heart, launched this program.

Partners:
United Church of Ware, Ware
Trinity Episcopal Church, Ware
Tri-Parish Community Church, Hardwick-Gilbertville, New Braintree
Saint Paul’s Church, Palmer
Behavioral Health Network at Valley Human Services, Ware
Growing a New Heart
Ware River Valley Domestic Violence Task Force www.waredvtaskforce.org www.wrvdvtaskforce@gmail.com or 413-758-0605

​Funding for this program is provided in part by a grant provided to the towns of Ware, Warren and Hardwick by the MA DHCD CDGB program. Brochure developed in 2020.

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