Reflections in memory and honor of Peter Yuichi Clark

Greene, Amy

Shelton, Maureen

English

Reflective Practice - Formation and Supervision in Ministry (E-Journal)

Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in MinistryISSN 2325-2847 (print)*  ISSN 2325-2855 (online)* © Copyright 2020 Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in MinistryAll Rights ReservedIN MEMORIAMPeter Yuichi Clark On December 1, 2019, the Rev. Peter Yuichi Clark, PhD, Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) certified educator, died of complications from an insidious and persistent form of cancer. He left hundreds of friends, family members, colleagues, and former students. He also left more than a thousand handmade origami paper cranes made by well-wishers in hopes of his recovery and peace. We believe he is at peace.Both of us knew Peter from the time he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, after seminary to do clinical pastoral education at Emory and to begin his PhD there. Maureen was in his residency group (1992–1993), and Amy and Peter attended the same church, Oakhurst Baptist. Peter’s process of becom-ing an ACPE educator overlapped with Amy’s in the late 1990s. His achieve-ments were many, culminating in his years as director of spiritual care for the University of California, San Francisco. In this brief memoriam, we will focus more on who he was than on what he did. There are so many qualities that Peter embodied—warmth, humor, creativity, humility, helpfulness, intellect, faith, loyalty, courage. In every-thing he did, even in sickness, he did his best. He was true to his deepest values to the very end. I (Amy) first met Peter when he came to Oakhurst, but our first con-versations came about because he contributed artwork to the small inde-pendent Baptist newspaper that was housed in our church building and for which I worked as associate editor. His penmanship was like him—neat, fastidious, creative, but also warm and welcoming, not mechanical. His handwriting was calligraphy—it was “beautiful writing.” Even his seem-ingly casual notes were in this same meticulous script. I would find myself thinking, “Who has time to write like this and still get everything done?” Peter did, because he took the time. His beautiful artwork still graces the cover of this journal.267I (Maureen) first met him when we were both residents in the same peer group in Emory’s CPE program. This was the year that Peter’s father went through significant health challenges. We all discussed the fragility of life and offered one another comfort, theological wrestling, and space for laughter (Peter had a wonderfully contagious laugh). Peter was able to inter-weave his insights from his wrestling with theodicy and suffering beauti-fully and meaningfully into his offering of care to those around him. I can vividly see his face as he listened intently to whoever was before him, as well as the grin that was never far away.When I sat for a consultation that year with peers (including Peter) and certified educators, I remember being struck with Peter’s capacity to offer generous support and care while pointing to the heart of the matter with directness and clarity. I kept his notes on my reflection document and read them again recently. He wondered with me, “Will you live life embracing risk or live life dreading risk?” Great question, Peter. I so appreciate that during our nearly thirty years of friendship, Peter and I engaged this question in many different ways. I saw him consistently embrace risk, and I witnessed his resultant embodied wisdom as it unfold-ed and manifested in the world to all of our benefit. In 2007 Peter joined the newly formed Editorial Board for Reflective Practice: Formation and Supervision in Ministry, and in a magical moment he single-handedly designed the cover of this journal. (He has also designed the logo of the Association of Professional Chaplains). He served as the edi-tor of the ACPE Theory Paper of the Year for Reflective Practice until 2014. In that capacity, he invited me (Amy) to join the group, and I was deeply hon-ored to work with him on this important aspect of our profession for the next few years. We both felt passionate about the need for our own inter-nal literature, particularly in the realm of theory, because our work was (is) unique—not simply theological/philosophical or educational or even psy-chological/developmental. Peter was easy to work with and supportive. I especially appreciated the professional way he handled a delicate ethical case involving plagiarism. Peter, as the writer, understood completely and fought for the situation to be handled justly.Peter’s work with the Organization Design Work Group will live on permanently in ACPE. That group’s work is the foundation for all the chang-es we have been engaged in over the past few years. His ability to be both IN MEMORIAM: PETER YUICHI CLARK268loyal and visionary helped ensure that our beloved institution will remain relevant well into the twenty-first century and beyond.Peter lived into the blessing of the unknown in his leadership with honesty and integrity. A quote that I heard him use a number of times from Dag Hammarskjöld was, “For all that has been—Thanks! To all that shall be—Yes!” Peter lived into this quote with humor and with “engaged hope.” He used his gratitude and his vision to participate in life with grounded-ness and intentionality.As we think about the future of our organization, we can’t help but feel cheated of the contributions Peter would have continued to make. With his deep commitments to professionalism, multicultural awareness and com-petency, ethics, and ongoing learning, he would no doubt have continued to function in leadership for many decades. What we can hope and aspire to is that all the students and colleagues he impacted will live those values as passionately as he did. Our thoughts and condolences are also very present with his wife Tilly and his son Adam. Peter did his best at everything he did, even illness. His willingness to engage in a rigorous and difficult clinical trial for bile duct cancer (cholan-giocarcinoma) was, in his own words, an act of faith that it might advance scientific knowledge that would help others, even if not ultimately himself. I am grateful that he allowed me (Amy) to interview him last summer for the ACPE newsletter.1 His wise words will live on.Amy GreeneACPE Certified EducatorCleveland, OHand Maureen SheltonEmory HealthcareAtlanta, GANOTES1 Amy Greene, “Clinical Trial Indeed,” ACPE News, June 3, 2019,   https://www.acpe.edu/ACPE/News/Stories/2019/ChairsArticle060319.aspx.IN MEMORIAM: PETER YUICHI CLARK269ACPE is the premier, Department of Education rec-ognized organization that provides the highest quality CPE programs for spiritual care professionals of any faith and in any setting. We do this through a rigorous accreditation and certification process for centers and educators that provide CPE. The depth of our train-ing enables students to realize their full potential to strengthen the spiritual health of people in their care as well as themselves.acpe.edu

In Memoriam: Peter Yuichi Clark

https://journals.sfu.ca/rpfs/index.php/rpfs/article/download/785/731

In Memoriam: Peter Yuichi Clark

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Reflective Practice - Formation and Supervision in Ministry (E-Journal)