Soul Care

Holding Space for You to Notice God’s Presence

Based on the ancient practice of spiritual direction, Great Road’s SoulCare ministry provides safe, listening space for those who hunger for God. Anyone who wants to have a conversation about their spiritual journey is welcome to make an appointment at any time. If you are a partner at Great Road Church, having a spiritual conversation with a SoulCare team is part of the annual partnership renewal process.

SoulCare meetings are more than ‘spiritual check-ins.’ They are an opportunity for honest spiritual conversations with people who care about your growth and spiritual desires and who will hold space for you to notice God’s presence in your life. Potential discussion topics range from personal connection with God, finding community and belonging with God’s people, to connecting to God’s purposes.

Here to listen

Our one-hour meetings are available in-person or virtually.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Please note, all appointments are confidential.

Common Q&As

What’s a typical SoulCare meeting like?

A SoulCare meeting usually lasts an hour and starts with acknowledging God’s presence through a simple prayer or reading from Scripture. The SoulCare team will then follow your lead if you have a particular question or topic in mind, or they’ll be glad to guide the conversation, listening for God with you through the asking of open questions. You are welcome to say ‘pass’ on any question that you don’t want to answer! The space and time are for YOU, for the cultivation of your own awareness of God’s leading and presence in your life! At an hour, or sooner if the conversation is complete, the team often wraps with the identification of a next step and a prayer.

Why am I asked to fill out a survey before meetings? What happens with those?

The survey is simply a way to get your mind and heart reflecting ahead of time – a sort of ‘priming the pump’ in order to maximize your time with the SoulCare team. It also provides the team with something to pray on in advance of your meeting. Does the survey stress you out? Don’t sweat it, it’s meant as a helpful tool, not a stress creator! Feel free to just answer the questions that resonate.

Why do I meet with two SoulCare Team members at once? 

Because we want to care well for you! And having multiple ears and hearts in the room – with their own lenses and perspectives – has proven really helpful! Also, as a community we are committed to spiritual and emotional health, transparency, and accountability. Our SoulCare teams work under pastoral supervision but also don’t necessarily have the benefit of all the training and layers of supervision required of our pastoral staff. Given this, we prefer to work in teams.

If I’m a new or renewing partner, is the meeting an interview? 

No! It’s not an interview, an interrogation, or any other means by which to evaluate you! We have no interest in evaluating your relationship with God. We simply want to provide safe, honest space where you can grow in hearing and trusting God’s voice in your own life. One of the best places for this to happen is in the company of trusted companions who are listening alongside.

Other questions? Contact Ruth Richards, our SoulCare ministry coordinator.

SoulCare Team Members

Team members are church partners trained under pastoral supervision to provide indivualized spiritual listening. Get to know our team here!

Ruth Richards –“Hello, I’m Ruth. I immigrated to the USA from England with my husband and two young sons in 1993; I’ve lived in Acton ever since.  (Our kids are now grown and we are blessed with two young grandchildren 🙂 I started worshiping at Great Road Church in 2018; I’m attracted by our church’s commitment to ministry to all God’s people and to the spiritual growth of everyone who finds a home here. It is a deep delight for me to be part of SoulCare and the opportunity to take part in this ministry of listening to and with people as they explore how they encounter God, their faith, joys, struggles and yearnings.”

Jack Yu – “Hi, I’m Jack! My family and I moved to Acton from Rochester, NY in 2012 and love being part of Great Road Church. My wife Cathy and I have three kids and a dog. I’m a product manager by profession, and enjoy reunions and escape rooms. Being on the SoulCare team allows me to witness and marvel at the different ways God shows up in people’s lives, which is not always an easy topic to get to in casual conversation!”

Lauren VanDixhorn – “Hi, I’m Lauren! I grew up in Maryland but have lived in MA with my husband, Joel, since college. We moved to Acton in 2014. I’ve been a project manager at Mass General, a Kidsrock Director at the church, and am now a stay-at-home mom to four young kids. I’m part of the SoulCare Team because reflecting on my spiritual journey has been so fruitful for me and I want to share that experience!”

Micah Webster – “Hey there! I’m Micah. I live in Watertown but love this church enough to still make the trek! I’m a Littleton native who moved closer to the city, as many people in their 20s do! Outside of church, I work in public health, and I play a lot of Brazilian jiu jitsu (trust me, I’ll talk your ear off about it!). In Soulcare, I take a flexible approach so the conversation can go wherever you need it to. This is your time, and I’m here to listen without judgment, just holding space and helping you reflect on God’s unique presence and invitations in your life.“

Peg Baldwin – “Hi, I’m Peg. I grew up in Potsdam, New York. My husband, Joe, and I and children moved to Stow in 1991. We have three adult children and 12 grandchildren. I work as an oncology nurse at MGH and love to spend time with my grandkids, golf, walk, and garden. My first exposure to quiet listening for the Holy Spirit was at an Alpha program. I enjoy the SoulCare ministry as it’s a faith lifting opportunity to see and listen to how God is present and working in people’s lives.”

Phyllis Myung – “Hi! I’m Phyllis. I grew up in Seattle, WA and have been in the Boston area for 20+ years. I’ve taken an interesting journey that’s led to my role as Next Gen Pastor at Great Road. I’m constantly on the search for the best burger, love a good show or movie, and hanging out with my husband, daughter, and dog! I love seeing how God shows up in our lives and journeying in that together.”

Willie Barnett – “Hello! I’m Willie, an Acton resident, partner to Pastor Becky, and dad to 3 kids. I love basketball, reading novels, and I’m learning to appreciate long walks in the woods. From working as a hospital chaplain early in ministry to working with several spiritual directors, I’ve come to appreciate the power and gift of a caring, listening, Spirit-attuned presence in one’s life.”