Church of God Chaplains Commission

Church of God

Chaplains Commission

Weekly Update           10 Feb 2007

Choice Christian greetings!

We are in the process of reviewing our chaplaincy activities during 2006.  God has blessed us in an unbelievable manner.  Just a few years ago, we had only a sprinkling of chaplaincy ministries outside the U.S.  Today, our chaplaincy ministries are in 68 different countries.  Some of the best examples of this vast international expansion are found in Eastern Europe and South America.  In Romania, we are in the process of completing a $500,000 Chaplaincy/Medical Center in the large metropolitan area of Oradea.  Through this center, we will continue to train chaplains for prisons and hospitals, as well as provide medical services to some of the country’s most destitute individuals.  In South America, in partnership with the South America Seminary, we are helping build a new Latin America Chaplaincy Urban and Transcultural Ministries Center.  This Center will provide classrooms for chaplaincy training, space for benevolence/care outreach and a storage area for goods for those in needs.   Also during 2006, in partnership with the Youth and Christian Education Department, we have seen the Alpha and Omega ministries to secular colleges and universities explode.  We now have active chaplaincy programs on many U.S. secular university campuses.  Through this ministry, we hope to stop the outflow of our young people, who are highly impacted by secular education, from leaving the church; and, at the same time, teach them how to be strong Evangelical voices to fellow students and teachers.  Of course, one of our most active ministries has been the area of disaster relief.  During the past year and a half, the Church of God Chaplains Commission has sponsored 100 chaplaincy teams to the Gulf Coast area; and recently, we sent teams in response to the massive tornados that left devastation in central Florida.  These are highly trained chaplains, who are the immediate responders whenever a disaster takes place.  They provide emotional and spiritual support to traumatized victims as well as disaster workers.  Finally, we must lift up our work among our military chaplains around the world.  We know they are in dangerous places; therefore, we focus our prayers every day for them and their family members.  With additional troops being sent to Iraq, we will see more chaplains completing their second, third and maybe fourth deployments. 

This is a brief review of our work, expanding around the world.  Whether a full-time chaplain or a Community Service volunteer chaplain, they are at the center of our prayers and are the reason why this work is so successful.  One good chaplain in a difficult area will not only bring spiritual healing to individuals; he will bring spiritual depth and change to the whole system.  It has been a great 2006; and already, we can see the productivity of our chaplains as we launch into 2007.

CHAPLAINCY MINISTRIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA:

Tom and Elaine Offutt, our Disaster Response Ministries Liaisons, just returned from central Florida, which experienced a devastating tornado.  While there, Brother Offutt met with key leaders in assessing the needs for additional chaplains.  At the present time, Disaster Response Chaplains John Gordy and Raymond Pettitt are on site, with an additional team of four chaplains from Alabama, led by Chaplain Joseph Schuck.  Our mission is highly focused; we are there to be attached to immediate disaster responders such as Operation Compassion, Operation Blessing, God’s Pit Crew and other responders.  We want to give the very best possible spiritual care to victims and workers, debriefing for those traumatized by these events and, in some cases, get additional pastoral care services for those who will need long-term care.  The Lady Lake Church of God was destroyed in this devastation.  If you would like to assist in chaplaincy ministry to Pastor Lynn and the Lady Lake Church of God families, please send your contributions to the Chaplains Commission earmarked for Lady Lake.

Full time or Community Service Chaplains interested in being assigned to these disaster areas should contact our Disaster Ministries Liaison, Chaplain Tom Offutt, 423-284-8674; or email: Chapcm@bellsouth.net    

OTHER  CHAPLAINCY NEWS:

1.      Army Chaplain (MAJ) Robert Sinnett, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, was recently awarded the Army Achievement Medal following his selection as the “Officer Instructor of the Quarter.” 

2.      Army Chaplain (CPT) Dasha Somaratna, deployed to Iraq, reports:  “As is often the case, our unit is moving again.  These moves are significant, with the possibility of casualties.  I know you will be keep my unit in your prayers.  We are continuing to have good attendance at our Christian movie night.  This is another means of reaching soldiers who need the Lord.”

3.      Community Service Chaplain Jesse Newman-Munson, McDonough, Georgia, is an example of hundreds of our volunteer chaplains who conduct fabulous ministry each month.  In the month of January, at her correctional institution, she ministered to 157, gave 4 sermons and witnessed 7 baptisms in water and 4 baptisms in the Holy Spirit.

4.      Correctional Chaplain Coordinator Mable Manning, Gastonia, North Carolina, continues to do outstanding ministries in several prisons.  She reports that her team ministered to 488 in January, with 87 accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 

5.      We just completed another chaplaincy training course for the Northeast Hispanic Region.  Forty pastors and laity completed the course, taught by Dr. Doc Williams and Dr. Esdras Betancourt. 

6.      Air Force Chaplain (CPT) Thomas Baize, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, sends us this note:  “I know you celebrate with me and my family on our recent arrival, John Peter, who is now 6 weeks old.  Also, I want to report that the work here is going great.  We had 9 saved in our services last month.  I am also involved in prison ministry.  I am asking special prayer for a Second Lieutenant who was recently confined.”

7.      Army Chaplain (CPT) Jeff Bartels, Fort Riley, Kansas, writes us concerning another Church of God Chaplain, Chaplain (CPT) Barron Wester.  Chaplain Bartels notes, “I just left a gym full of soldiers, where my good brother and friend, Chaplain Wester, rallied with his soldiers before loading buses for their long journey to Iraq.  As I entered the gym, I was struck by a flood of emotion because just two years ago, I was in the same place, doing the same thing.  As I anticipated my deployment, I began to remember all the days at the Seminary discussing theology, taking countless hours of counseling courses and coming to grips with the “know-be-do” and “all ready and not yets,” of a post-Christian society.  Those fond memories of my Seminary days gave me confidence and encouragement as I faced this awesome task.  Both Chaplain Wester and I realize that God is our fortress, and a very present help in time of need.  Our prayers go out for Chaplain Wester and his unit.  I know that his life will be changed forever by this deployment; and that his primary task will be that of pastoring his soldiers, offering them the love of Jesus and being there when the need is great.”  I know all of you will be praying for Chaplain Wester and his family.  Send your prayer support notes to Chaplain Wester at:  barron.wester@us.army.mil.

SPECIAL REPORTS:

1.      Army Retired Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor Randy Imhoff and his wife, Darlene, share this report regarding their daughter, Sheena.  “Sheena continues to give the “thumbs up” sign when asked various questions.  We continue to pray for her to do more things on command and the complete healing of all injuries received from this accident.  We are amazed, also, at how God is allowing us to place others in our hearts for prayer.”  (As you know, Sheena was involved in an accident prior to Christmas.  She has now been moved to a rehabilitation center.  This is a critical time for our prayers.  Also, pray for her husband, who is at her bedside from his assignment in Afghanistan.)

2.      Continue to pray for Retired Prison Chaplain Robert Dawkins, Troy, North Carolina.  He was stricken years ago with Lyme’s Disease, which has basically kept him confined and bedridden.  This recent note comes from Bob, “Continue to pray for Libby’s (Bob’s wife) dad, who has suffered several strokes.  He is in the Intensive Care Unit at Wake Medical Center.  Also, keep me in your daily prayers.  The Lord is good, and He is always right on time.  (I am asking 20 of you to send Chaplain Dawkins a note of prayer support, at rmdemd@earthlink.net.

3.      We just received an annual report from our Chaplaincy Coordinator for Paraguay, Chaplain Paul Stockard.  He notes:  “God continues to do fantastic chaplaincy work in Paraguay.  We were recently invited to teach on crises intervention for the Command Staff Personnel of the Paraguay National Police.  We also had the opportunity to build a new chapel in one of our prisons.  We were privileged to have FBI Chaplain Darrell Bewley and Law Enforcement Chaplain Jerry Cox for that special dedication and conference.  We have recently been asked by an Active Duty Colonel in the Paraguay Army to present chaplaincy courses for their units.”

FINALLY:

This week, our special thanks go to Church of God State Administrative Bishops.  As you know, when an Administrative Bishop is assigned to an area, all ministries within that area falls under his purview.  That certainly includes chaplaincy.  While we are the technical advisers to our chaplains, ecclesiastically, they come under the spiritual direction and leadership of that State Administrative Bishop.  Many of these overseers have set goals to train their pastors and key laity in the area of chaplaincy.  For example, State Administrative Bishop Mike Baker, Virginia, envisions that every pastor in the state will eventually be offered our basic chaplaincy course.  His vision is that pastors will not just pastor a local church, but a local community.  Chaplaincy teaches pastors how to build a strong bridge from their local church to the community’s prisons, law enforcement agencies, hospitals and other care-related institutions.  Next week, we will be conducting a chaplaincy course in Florida for some 50 pastors.  This is certainly timely in light of the recent tornados; and the memories of everyone in Florida of the back-to-back hurricanes a few years ago.  Pastors in these states realize they must be trained to make a difference in the institutions of their cities.  They also know that the day is over when people will come to us…we must go to them, where the need is great.  We send our blessings and prayers for our State Administrative Bishops.  Working with them, we can train a whole new army of volunteer chaplains; thus making the entire Church of God a “lighthouse of care.”

Sincerely,

Dr. Robert D. Crick

Director, Chaplains Commission

Director’s email:  cricksot@att.net

Office email:  Chapcm@bellsouth.net

Website:  www.cogchapalins.com

RDC/vja