The phrase, “ministry of presence,” stayed with me for days, long after I heard reporter Michel Martin use it in a recent interview during Krista Tippett’s show, On Being, which airs on National Public Radio. Loving how those three words resonated within me, I decided to explore their meaning further with my mentor.
She explained that, in her community, the phrase is usually used when referring to the palliative care provided in their mother house. When terminally-ill women choose no extra-ordinary treatment yet desire companionship as death transitions, the individual giving witness is said to be providing a “ministry of presence.”
In daily life, my guide applies this expression to a bigger orb and it has everything to do with what some call chakras or power centers. Tapping into her own energy flow, she focuses on providing a safe environment for family, friends, colleagues and students to acknowledge and feel their own spirit/vitality. Attentive to their needs and appreciative of their singular stories, she listens—carefully—and shows them she cares. In other words, she is with them fully in the moment.
Over time, her ministry of presence begins to teach others how to self-mentor, strengthen relationships and build unity. That’s a powerful gift for anyone to receive. And if every one in her community is able to pass that on, imagine the ripple effect in a world where support systems have been badly eroded.
From the secular world, my mentor held up interviewer Charlie Rose as an example of the kind of ministry of presence we ourselves can extend to one another. Interacting with guests, he seems genuinely interested in what they have to say and equally disinterested in making a name for himself.
Being in the moment with another takes energy, no doubt about it. Try listening intently to anyone for just five minutes—listen to every word and don’t let your mind wander for one second—and you’ll see what I mean. The better you become at it, the greater the gift you’re giving.
Other ways of showing your own ministry of presence could be as simple as choosing not to multi-task while listening to a friend on the phone, maintaining eye contact with a colleague who is relaying information, quietly holding the hand of someone in pain or providing a genuine belly laugh at the end of someone else’s funny story.
Here are links to a few sites and stories that explore ministry of presence:
• Atlanta Bishop Models Ministry of Presence