Quakers in Pastoral Care & Counseling is an organization of Friends who are called into ministry in the areas of pastoral care, counseling, and chaplaincy. We share a commitment to taking our Quaker practice seriously and grounding our work in our faith. We include:

• Professionals who provide direct care, clinical training and supervision, and administration
• students in professional programs
• Friends called into other manners of healing
• those involved in pastoral care in monthly, quarterly and/or yearly meetings
• Friends who have retired from work in healing/caring fields

QPCC was begun in 1990 as an idea of Jesse Paledofsky that was carried forward by Bill Ratliff, then professor of pastoral care at Earlham School of Religion. For its first 13 years, QPCC was ably guided by Bill and the ESR support staff. After Bill's retirement, QPCC struggled with no internal structure and the limited resources of the few individuals who volunteered to plan the conference.

At the 2004 conference Friends recognized that the burdens of leadership and planning were overwhelming to the lone Friend whose efforts had brought about that year's conference. In response, members named a steering committee (click on Contact Us for a list of current members) to develop a structure for the organization, to plan the 2005 conference, and to shepherd QPCC's transition from a ministry/project of ESR to a free-standing organization. At the meeting for worship with attention to business at the 2006 conference, Friends approved statements on identity and purpose, as well as an organizational structure and system of governance. Click here to read those statements.

The Steering Committee deeply appreciates the continued support of the ESR administrative faculty and staff in manners large and small. ESR continues to hold our money, write our checks, and provide accounting for our funds; to include our conference in ESR publicity; and supply us with folders, photocopies and other basic items for the conference. We value our continued relationship.

QPCC continues to be rich in spirit and love. We hope that you will want to be part of our strong and lively community as we move ahead.