Chaplains Commission Weekly Update – 6/26/2009
Friday, June 26, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Choice Christian Greetings!
On a daily basis, our chaplains and pastoral specialists deal with loss and grief. These losses range from tragic automobile accidents, code-blues in a hospital setting, and those other events which underscore mankind’s fragility. As we get closer to July 4th, we are made aware that our military chaplains, time and again, have conducted memorial services for young soldiers just out of their teens, who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their nation. This solemn ceremony brings together an entire unit – with the soldier’s boots, weapon, and helmet – evidences that he/she is now “gone forever.” These ceremonies grip our hearts; anticipating a mom, dad, sister, or brother will be processing the loss for years to come.
This week, Reverend Ray Phillips, pastor of the Stratford Heights Church of God, Middletown, Ohio, and a member of the Chaplains Commission Board, said goodbye to his dear mother. Even though she was in her 80s, the loss is still deep and profound. In my letter to Brother Phillips, I reminded him that her face will be burned in his heart forever. Twenty-five years from now, suddenly, he will experience again her presence. It may be a picture on the mantle, something someone says about her, or simply, in special ceremony on Mother’s Day, reminding him of her great impact upon his life and development. In leading Hospice grief groups, I often tell the group in the first session, not only must you recover, but that God wants to take you to a higher level of spiritual development. That is what grief does. Either we get stuck in time, or God allows us, through these losses, to find an even deeper and profound way to dedicate our lives to Him and to ministry. And, this principle is most underscored by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. He said, “put me on a cross; let them observe my death; and I will ‘draw all men unto me.’ May God continue to bless our chaplains as they not only deal with the grief and loss of so many, but, in the process, help their parishioners discover an even better understanding of the one who gave His all.
Chaplaincy News From the Field
· Community Service Chaplain Jennifer Smith, Lindenhurst, New York, has a unique chaplaincy ministry. She reports: “After our chaplaincy training, we bought a motor-home, and now move to various places spreading chaplaincy good news. Often times we are at a recreational camp, and other times it is at a local church. God is awesome. He has given us an awesome ministry.”
· Hospital Chaplain Henry Thomas, Mobile, Alabama, states that in just one month’s time, their hospital dealt with 60 deaths. He notes that he has had the privilege of working with many of these families who lost loved ones. Also, he requested special prayer for the family of a staff member who was murdered by her ex-husband.
· Prison Chaplain Carol Johnson, Longview, Washington, entered prison chaplaincy ministries after her daughter was murdered. What an awesome call! Here, God is asking her to minister to those like the one who took the life of her dear child. She sends this unique testimony regarding a recent jail service: “One of our inmates asked me how I could minister to people like him and others who had taken the life of one of our loved ones. He said, ‘Now that I have children, if someone murdered one of them, I would be afraid that I would never have love in my heart for that person.’ A few days later, when I gave an altar call, he came forward and accepted Jesus Christ into his heart. This was an affirmation again that God had taken a tragedy and turned it into a victory!”
· Fire Department and Law Enforcement Chaplain William Howard, Saginaw, Michigan, reported: “I was in the hospital for five days this month. I was rushed to the hospital with a blood pressure reading of only 46/14. My heart was stopping at three second intervals. After a heart catheterization, which showed no permanent damages or blockages, I have been given a new lease for ministry. All my medications now have been readjusted, my blood pressure is again normal, and I am back at my chaplaincy ministries.”
· Chaplain, Dr. Vernelle Allen, Live Oak, Florida, sent this note: “Thank you for last week’s update. It made me want to fall on my face before God and weep for hurting souls. But, at the same time, raise my hands in praise to God for all of His wonderful blessings. Like you stated in the update, His grace is sufficient. I recently had 23 skin cancers removed in various places of my body. I am recovering, but still have 9 open wounds. But in the process, I have learned again, He doesn’t leave us, and never will He. Keep me in your prayers.”
· Boy Scout Chaplain Ken Golden, Leonard, Michigan, was recently presented with the award of the Silver Beaver by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America for his distinguished service to scouting and to his local community. Chaplain Goldman has been a Scout chaplain for 12 years. Send your notes of congratulations to Chaplain Golden at: chaplaingolden@netzero.com
Special Report on Grief
Dr. Donnie Smith, and his wife Barbara, some years ago, pastored a wonderful family while pastoring in Atlanta, Georgia. This family moved to North Carolina, where their kids grew up and eventually gave to this marvelous couple several grandchildren. This week, while at a youth camp, the couple’s two-year-old grandson became violently ill and was eventually medevaced to a special children’s hospital. Here are Dr. Smith’s and Barbara’s accounts of those events:
We met with these wonderful, former members, in a time of deep turmoil and grief. Their two-year-old son had been air-evaced to a children’s specialty center and died shortly thereafter. This was a beautiful child; never sick, with a great future ahead of him. Now, here we are spending many hours with a grieving couple, along with these grandparents, whose lives have been shattered. The wonderful thing about this medical center is the fact that they know how to give care to persons in such crises. They allowed these grandparents and parents to take that deceased child, and literally rock him in their arms for sixteen straight hours. Barbara and I had the occasion of being with them for a good portion of this time. There, we cried, we raised all the critical questions and issues of “why,” as well as, all those other un-describable emotions that come with such a great loss. After many hours, finally, the parents and grandparents were encountered with the question, “Would this little child now choose to leave the loving arms of Jesus to come back and be with us?” The question broke through the anguish; and, for the first time, I saw a glimmer of hope in the eyes of these loving family members. I want to thank many for making this death journey tolerable. First, a hospital that understood how to let this family grieve in their own way and at their own pace, in a style that fit their needs and not just the institution’s needs. Secondly, for parents and grandparents who trusted Barbara and I enough to let us in on a process that is so sacred that you could almost describe it as “the holy of holies.” And thirdly, for a God who understood the loss of a child, in that He experienced giving up His “only begotten child.” This experience this week made me determined, in all I do as a pastor, as a leader, as the Director of the Care Division, to always keep “first things first.” If we would spend more time in situations like this, we would have less time to worry about economic meltdowns, church restructuring, and all the other things that seem to occupy our minds and hearts. I know that you will be praying for this precious family; they are what this ministry is about. (I have taken the liberty to paraphrase Dr. Smith and Barbara’s remarks; I trust I have caught the spirit of an experience that touched my heart, and will undoubtedly touch your hearts as well.)
Finally
This week, I had a chaplain who called me unexpectedly, and almost before he identified himself he said, “I want to thank you for believing in me.” This was a chaplain candidate who came from a very dysfunctional family. When he arrived for seminary training and development, it was apparent that he needed some tough love training. His seminary training was everything but a smooth ride. I once told him, “You are 13 going on 28.” It was almost like teaching an adult how to feed himself, to drive the car for the first time, or to do all those other common things that get so well-developed in a normal, mature family. But the wonderful thing about this candidate for chaplaincy is the fact that he hung in there. It took him 5 years to complete three years of training; not just a quarter of CPE, but a whole year, and several other short-term internships with tough love pastors. He knew that it was going to take him longer than the typical candidate to reach the starting line. But, he never gave up. Once he said to me, in my tough love approach, “You are the meanest teacher on campus.” You know why I am so delighted at that remark? That was the first time in his life that he felt competent enough to speak so directly to someone at my level. When he told me that, I chuckled, hugged him tightly and said, “You are getting there, son.” There you have it. When the race begins, we may very well be several feet behind the starting line; but with God’s blessings, a lot of hard work, and faith in our call, we will not only finish the race, but may finish, like this chaplain, ahead of our colleagues. Thank God for chaplains who don’t just focus on the starting line, but the finish line that God has challenged them to complete.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Crick
Weekly Bible Verse
Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you. You have done so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.
Psalm 31:19
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
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