The Ministry to the Aged Pastoral Care Team ministers to care center residents and their families and to center staff. Chaplains engage in group activities such as Bible study, hymn singing, playing trivia as well as making personal visits to individual residents. People residing in care centers may feel lonely, depressed, or angry as they experience loss, adjust to new circumstances and face suffering or death. As people grow older there may be a desire to deepen their spiritual life. These are all occasions where MTA Chaplains provide sensitive and supportive pastoral care.

MTA Chaplains are trained to provide pastoral care in various situations connected with life in a residential care facility. When a loved one moves to a care center, family members experience many complex feelings. Suffering or dying are times of loss, grief and hope for the whole family. Care center staff often experience deep feelings for the people they care for on a daily basis. Residents, their families and center staff all benefit from the ministry of the MTA Pastoral Care Team.

Whenever possible, chaplains work with leaders of faith communities in ministry to their members. Chaplains are available for everyone regardless of their faith background or if they profess no faith at all. Members of the MTA Pastoral Care Team do not proselytize but feel it is an honor and privilege to facilitate spiritual growth for people who now make their home in a care center. As a testament to the care they provide, MTA chaplains are often asked to officiate at memorial or funeral services for former care center residents. Gifts in memory of loved ones and in response to care provided by our chaplains are made to MTA and contribute to our ability to continue to provide this special ministry.

MTA Pastoral Care Team
	John Payne, Senior Chaplain is a Presbyterian (USA) minister. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia, and his PhD from the University of Mississippi. John attended the Georgia Baptist Hospital Clinical Pastoral Education Program in Atlanta, Georgia. Before moving to Boise, John taught at Union University, Memphis, TN., and served as the part-time pastor of Blackjack Presbyterian Church. In addition to providing pastoral care as a chaplain with MTA, John is pastor for Church of the Redeemer (PCUSA) in Weiser, Idaho. “I find great satisfaction in traveling with older adults on their spiritual journey. Their journey may take them through fear, depression, anger, discouragement, as well as sense of accomplishment and purpose. When leaving a facility after providing pastoral care to residents I almost always feel better than when I arrived. Their courage – and humor is an inspiration. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Senior Chaplain for the MTA Pastoral Care Team.” John enjoys camping, walking and reading.

	Carol Brunlinger, Chaplain is a Commissioned Lay Pastor in the Boise Presbytery and Southminster Presbyterian Church with additional clinical pastoral care training. She has a B.S. in Nursing from California State University at Fullerton, California and worked as a RN in long-term care for more than ten years before changing her profession. Carol is active in the Order of St. Luke, an international ecumenical organization devoted to the study and teaching of healing prayer. She is chaplain for the healing prayer group at Southminster, chaplain at Horizon Hospice in Meridian and member of the MTA Pastoral Care Team. “While working as a long term care nurse, it became increasingly clear to me how many of the distresses of my patients (and their families) were of a spiritual nature and I felt more and more drawn to addressing them in a spiritual way - in true pastoral ministry. Since becoming a Chaplain I have found much satisfaction in my work and have never had any doubts that I am where God wants me to be.” Carol enjoys square dancing, continuing education, reading and writing, and walking.

	Tom Warner, Chaplain is an ordained minister with the Advent Christian General Conference. He attended Boise State College (now University) and graduated with honors from Multnomah Bible College, Portland, Oregon. Tom has pastored churches in five states and also been a regular contributor to three Christian publications. In addition to providing pastoral care as a chaplain with MTA, Tom began providing pastoral care half-time as chaplain at the Idaho State Veterans Home in July 2006. “After pastoring churches for 20+ years, I had a year respite at a Christian retirement village in Florida. There, I saw what excellent pastoral care meant for the residents. The village sponsored a national summit on ministry to older adults where I met several chaplains of care centers and became very interested in their work. When I returned to Boise I heard about MTA from a friend and was able to meet Chaplain John Payne. Soon after I joined the MTA Pastoral Care Team.” Tom enjoys reading, old movies, playing guitar, singing oldies, and doing comedic accents for people's answering machines.

	The Rev. James McPherson is ordained in the Christian and Missionary Alliance. His wide-ranging experience includes work as a Certified Nursing Assistant, a journeyman carpenter, and pastor to churches. He earned degrees from the University of Wyoming and Denver Seminary, where he received the Master of Divinity degree. James has completed four units of clinical pastoral education from St. Luke’s Medical Center in Boise, Idaho, where he gained experience in ministering to persons in various types of distress. “Many residents in the care centers we serve have been forced to ‘slow down’ in life, for physical reasons, but they still have the same spiritual, relational, and emotional needs that the rest of us have. It is a privilege to help meet some of those needs as their chaplain.”