Chaplains Commission Weekly Update – 5/15/2009
Friday, May 15, 2009 at 11:59 am
Choice Christian Greetings!
Since we began our Community Service Chaplaincy Program (volunteers), we have now trained more than 7,000 chaplains in our 27 and 40 hour courses, placed chaplains in some 35 different types of institutions, and have literally touched thousands with the hope of Jesus Christ in these ministries around the world. They are far beyond the US, with programs in 71 countries. In the early days, we trained more than 1,000 in the Philippines, 400 in Romania and 200 in the small country of Latvia. This is just an example of how expansive this ministry has become. Among those that we have trained, almost 50% are credentialed ministers.
A good example of this type of Community Service chaplaincy care comes from Chaplain Marlene Giordano, Bellevue, Nebraska. Her chaplaincy ministries take place in small assisted living facilities. Chaplain Giordano states:
I went to visit a patient suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, only to learn that she had been transferred to another nursing facility. I knew in my spirit that I must visit her. As I walked into her room, she was sitting in a wheelchair cradling a doll. I introduced myself, and she responded with words which made very little sense. She tried to form words, but found it impossible. I started singing a tune that both of us use to sing in Norwegian. Suddenly, she began to sing with me. And then, as she was singing, she began to praise the Lord. I spent time with her, prayed for her, and gave her many hugs.
Where would we be without these loving, caring volunteers?
News From The Field
· Air Force Chaplain, Captain, Jonathan Hurt, San Antonio, Texas, sent this report: “Among my other duties, I am our Chaplain Liaison for over 450 Muslims from 30 countries, who are being trained at our institution. And, of special note, Amy, my wife, was just elected as the President of the Protestant Women of the Chapel at Lackland Air Force Base. Also, Amy graduate from the University of Maryland on May 16. Send your note of graduate blessing to Amy at: jonathan.hurt@lackland.af.mil
· Army Chaplain (CPT) Ismael Serrano, currently deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, states: “I have been assigned as the co-pastor for the largest Gospel/Pentecostal service in Iraq. And, recently, I had a Bible study with soldiers on one of Saddam’s lakes.”
· Chaplain Lucius Edmondson III, Director of Team Jesus Ministries, Inc., McDonough, Georgia, sent this testimony: “I am 75-years-old, but doing more ministry than I ever thought possible. Through our Team Jesus Ministry, this month alone, 35 were saved. I am even teaching my 10-year-old grandson Noah, how to anoint and pray for people in need. In a healing service, one of our ministers was healed, and now everyone wants Noah to pray for them.”
· Fire Department Chaplain William Howard, Saginaw, Michigan, needs our prayers. He is experiencing some heart problems that have limited his chaplaincy ministries.
· Army Chaplain (MAJ) David Santiago-Cruz, Stuttgart, Germany will undergo open heart surgery this Tuesday, May 19th, at a local hospital in Stuttgart. Send notes of prayer and encouragement to him at: david.santiagocruz@eur.army.mil
Special Reports
Chaplains Commission Board Chairman, Dr. Darrell Waller, announces the marriage of his daughter, Andrea Michelle, to Aaron Daniel Brewer. The couple is to be married this Saturday, May 16th, at the Winchester Church of God, Winchester, Virginia.
Dr. Jake Popejoy, our International Chaplaincy Trainer, just returned from the Ukraine, where he conducted two chaplaincy courses. Reverend Alexei Domidivic, Ukrainian Overseer, has established a Chaplains Association for the Ukraine. The 36 students who took this course are the leaders in this endeavor.
Finally
At a recent gathering of church leaders, our General Overseer posed the question, “How can we influence our areas of ministry to become more missional?” It was concluded that, in order to do so, we need a firm, working partnership with our local churches in reaching the needs of their communities. Being missional calls for seeing our role, at all levels, as “customer driven.” You might say that all of church life and missions begins with that local church, in worship and in life. The Association of Theological Schools in the US and Canada recently completed a major study on the governmental structures within denominations. This study was complied into a 600-page book entitled “Ministry in America.” This book basically called for the church to shift from being “headquarters driven” to “congregational driven.” This study saw a major gap between what congregations perceived their needs to be, and what headquarters and seminaries perceived the needs of local churches to be.
It is for this reason that we have created our newest program, Local Church Chaplaincy Training/Development. In partnership with the local church, we hope to train thousands of lay persons to do chaplaincy ministries within their communities. All of our ministries must be “congregationally driven.” I know that you will be in prayer for us as we take on this new endeavor. And, do not forget to pray for our chaplains and their family members. They are on the cutting edge of taking the Gospel to a post-modern world.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Crick
Weekly Bible Verse
I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns.
Philippians 1:9-10
NLT
Contacts
Director, Dr. Robert D. Crick, cricksot@att.net
Full-time Chaplaincy and Public Relations, Dr. Jerry McNabb, jmcnabb@cogchaplains.com
Community Service Chaplaincy and Training, Dr. Doc Williams, dwilliams@cogchaplains.com
Community Service Chaplaincy Administrative Information, wroberson@cogchaplains.com
Disaster and Compassionate Care, Reverend Tom Offutt, tomoffutt@att.net
Prayer and Family Care, Elaine Offutt, elaineoffutt@att.net
General Information, chapcm@cogchaplains.com
Web Site/Page: www.cogchaplains.com
RDC/als
Correspondence
Categories: Weekly Update
Post a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.