Chaplains Commission Weekly Update – 1/15/10
Friday, January 15, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Choice Christian Greetings!
If the earthquake tragedy in Haiti does not touch you at the core of your heart, then check yourself out, because you are spiritually dead. How could we but feel the pain of possibly 100,000+ killed as a result of one of the largest tragedies of our times? We thought we had seen it all; hurricanes throughout the US coastal areas, including the destructive forces of Katrina; floods, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and all the other natural and terrorist events which left a deep scar on our souls. But, can you imagine, one of the poorest countries in the world, with a life expectancy of more than 10 years less than what you will find in the US, now, 1/3rd of all their buildings leveled to the ground with thousands of their dead left unburied? Even if there are survivors in the rubble, will the rescue teams get there in time? As chaplains, we have always said that our calling was to go where the pain is the deepest and the greatest. That is why our hearts draw us to a nation that needs everything that we can give, and then some.
Our Church of God work in Haiti was, and someday will again be, very strong. We have almost 300,000 members there; the churches are great, we have tremendous educational programs, and, many benevolence and chaplaincy outreaches there. Over the years, many of Haiti’s leading pastors took our Community Service Chaplaincy courses and have developed chaplaincy programs. I am praying that those trained chaplains, wherever they are, will be able to represent us with a solid “beyond the gates” ministry during these critical times. Our entire church must mobilize all of its resources in responding to one of our greatest challenges. We just learned that Dr. Elysee Joseph, Overseer of the Church of God in Haiti, was among the casualties.
I am asking every one of you, without exception, full-time chaplains, Community Service Chaplains, and all our friends who receive this update, to send a donation for Haiti through Operation Compassion. The Church of God Chaplains Commission is in partnership with Operation Compassion’s Director, Reverend David Lorency, and we want this to be our opportunity to respond. Military chaplains, through your non-appropriated chaplain’s funds, request a donation; pastors, receive an offering at the earliest possible time; and, to all of our chaplains, give a strong personal contribution. Brother Lorency tells me that they already have shipments at the docks in Haiti, and many more are on their way. Let us not stand back and depend simply on the American Red Cross, the United Nations, or other benevolence groups. God is calling on you to respond with unconditional love; practicing what we believe has been our chaplain’s cry for years to our church.
How Can You Donate?
1. Send checks payable to Operation Compassion to:
Operation Compassion
114 Stuart Road NE
Suite 370
Cleveland, TN 37312
2. Use a credit card to donate by going online to www.operationcompassion.org Instructions are provided online.
3. Federal employees can go online, select #12403, Operation Compassion Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) number.
Professional Association Meetings, Washington, DC
Dr. Jerry McNabb and I just returned from Washington, DC; whereby we had the opportunity to represent the Commission at the Congress for Ministry in Specialized Settings, the National Association of Evangelical Chaplains Commission, the Federal Bureau of Prisons Chaplaincy, the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces, the Endorser’s Conference for Veterans Affairs Chaplaincy, as well as meetings with the three military Chief of Chaplains and their staff.
Chaplaincy can only function in relationship with these and other professional organizations. Generally, these professional groups allow us, along with other faith groups, to ensure the following:
1. That our nation continues to recognize the need for our best religious voices in military, and other government, civilian and private agencies;
2. That those that make-up these agencies – military personnel, inmates, patients in hospitals, and all the other persons in these agencies and institutions – have access to chaplains who represent their particular faith persuasions; and,
3. That by having chaplains in these institutions, we recognize that humankind is more than mere flesh and blood, but, spiritual beings needing a spiritual response to personal and family needs.
Our Church of God chaplains represent our denomination in 41 different types of institutions. To be there, we must know how to cooperate in establishing solid chaplaincy programs that provide chaplaincy ministries to persons of many different religious convictions; while at the same time, not watering down or denying our own deep Pentecostal roots and doctrines.
Chaplaincy News
· We continue to get good reports of our chaplaincy activities during the Christmas holidays. Juvenile Center Chaplain Billy Ridner, Maryville, Tennessee, reports that during Christmas they collected 80 baskets of food for needy families. Chaplain Raymond Griffey, Theodore, Alabama, states that during the holidays his chaplaincy agency fed 200 families, gave away 2,000 bags of groceries to those in need, and participated in 25 different hospital worship services. Chaplain Luther Walker, Tifton, Georgia, through Charlie’s Rescue Mission, was recognized in a local newspaper for his fantastic work in rescuing, refurbishing and distributing donated toys during Christmas. Chaplain Walker, 83-years-old, was given the “Caring for Others Award” by the Woodmen of the World.
· Community Service Chaplain John Inserra, Cooper City, Florida, states: “I just returned from a trip to Zambia. I was able to teach 300 teenagers at a youth camp as well as teach accounting and finance to the national overseers from 10 countries.”
· Golden Living Center Nursing Home Chaplain Bobby Williford, Jesup, Georgia, sent this testimony: “While I was in the hospital for prostate cancer, many blessings came my way. First, after discussing my situation with my surgeon, I found out that he was a Christian. My surgery went well, with the very best treatment. While recovering, my wife Jackie and I came into contact with a very devoted volunteer. When she found out that we were chaplains, she asked us to visit another patient. With two hospital gowns on me, Jackie under one arm and this little volunteer lady under the other arm, I made the trip down the hall to minister to a fellow patient. When we walked into the room, the son of a 94-year-old patient said that they were not aware that the chaplain was a patient. When we began praying for the patient, the little lady that had shared her testimony with us, and was insistent that I visit this patient, began to pray in an unknown tongue. I give God the glory for revealing Himself to us in these unusual circumstances; sending someone, who could have been an angel, to alert us to the need of a fellow patient.”
· Prison Chaplain James Stogner, Carson City, Nevada, sent this note: “I heard of a guy trapped in a storm on Mount Everest, who called his wife on the satellite phone to say, ‘I love you’ and ‘Goodbye.’ The same occurred when the twin towers came down on 9/11, with those same words, ‘I love you’ and ‘Goodbye.’ Yesterday, I again helped an inmate make what could well be his final call to his father. The inmate, who is serving a life sentence, has Hepatitis C, and his mind is being taken by rapidly worsening dementia. His father is in the final stages of prostate cancer. Both of these men know the Lord. I stood by this inmate who was holding the phone and crying out, ‘Isn’t 36 years enough? Daddy! Daddy! I just want to hold you one more time.’ And through the tears in his voice, I heard the distinctive tones of the man from the Bronx cry back, ‘My son! My son! I love you! We will hold one another again! The love of Christ will never let you go!’”
· Army Chaplain (LTC-P) Bryan Walker, currently deployed to Iraq, notes: “Thank you sincerely, on behalf of our soldiers, for the Little Debbie Christmas brownies. My section runs the chaplain’s corner, where our motto is ‘For God and Coffee.’ We go through a lot of coffee; and these goodies were appreciated. Thank you also for the personal gift box sent to our deployed chaplains. While some chaplains have to remind their endorsers of their names, I am blessed to have a caring and very involved Chaplains Commission. I am glad to also report that another one of our Church of God Chaplains, Army Chaplain (CPT) Megan Hodge, who is deployed with us, is doing a great job.”
· Community Service Chaplain Alejandro Ramirez, Fall River, Maine, reports: “When I took the chaplaincy course, I heard the words, ‘Care leads and evangelism follows.’ I will never cease to be in wonder of this new paradigm of evangelism. Before, I used to work incessantly for the souls to come to Jesus. But it only had a meager return on my investment. Now, as an Evangelism and Home Missions Director of my district, I do not evangelize anymore. I do not proselyte. I seldom even preach! All I do all day long is love unabashedly and unconditionally. And, I just step back and get ready to answer the myriad of questions from all that would ask about the hope that is in me that would compel me to love this way. I look beyond their faults and love them as if they were my own flesh and blood. Honestly, I wish that the Community Service Chaplaincy course would have come my way 15 years ago when I first came to Christ. An example of this unconditional love was when I visited a home and discovered that the couple only had mattresses on the floor and appliances, which were included with the rent. The young lady was six-months pregnant, and the husband was putting his entire paycheck into the rent and utilities. In the middle of a New England snowstorm, many people assisted me in getting the necessary items for this destitute family. I will always remember their faces of amazement as we delivered these goods. To God be the glory.”
· Army Chaplain (MAJ) Steven Cantrell, recently completed the Command and General Staff College course, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and has now been assigned as Deputy Division Chaplain, Fort Drum, New York.
A Special Report
I received a letter from a grieving mother concerning the ministry of recently deployed Navy Church of God Chaplain (LCDR) Philip Bagrow. She stated:
On November 8th, 2009, my world went upside down with the loss of my son, Jonathan A. Cenkner, USN. Mere words cannot express the extreme emotions I was to experience that fateful day and times to come. I had lost one of my babies. In addition to the loss of Jonathan, I faced the realization that his identical twin brother had been diagnosed with the same illness, and, could possibly meet the same fate. Chaplain Bagrow was the chaplain assigned to the USS Simpson, Jonathan’s ship, and was an extreme source of strength for me and my family during the days following Jonathan’s death. He was there when we came aboard the USS Simpson to meet Jonathan’s Navy family, and to see where he had worked. He was also there for us every step of the way, taking time from his family to travel with us to co-officiate Jonathan’s memorial service. On December 21st, when we laid my beloved child to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, Chaplain Bagrow again sacrificed time from his family and traveled through a blizzard for Jonathan’s internment. The ministry of Chaplain Bagrow was an amazing gift to me and my family, and then we find out that he had received orders to deploy right after the holidays. He was a source of comforting words and strength for us during the most difficult times in a family’s life.
With admiration,
Florence M. Joyce, Mother of Jonathan Cenkner, US Navy
Finally
While in Washington this past week, I had the privilege of meeting with several of our chaplains and their spouses for a time of dialogue, as well as a great meal. In addition to our chaplains, we were privileged to have Dr. Darrell Waller, our Board Chairman, with us, as well as his wife Pauline. In addition to pastoring a large church in Winchester, Virginia, Dr. Waller is also a part-time chaplain at the national headquarters of a large company in Winchester. A few hours each week he has the privilege of visiting employees, providing counseling when needed, and offering worship services for workers. What a great combination. As pastor and chaplain he partakes of ministry within the gates, as well as, outside the gates. I would wish for every minister in the Church of God, from the highest positions to the lowest, to spend a few hours each week to go “beyond the gates” – out of their normal, more traditional settings – to walk with and be with folks in the marketplace. By ministering in these settings, we may very well get back in touch with the reason why Hebrews 13 says that He, our Lord, “suffered outside the gates; so, let us go to Him, outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For here, we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.” That is the essence of why chaplaincy must be birthed in the hearts of every one of us, ministers and laity, regardless of the position we hold. It teaches us that “as we do it to the least of these, we do it unto Him.”
Sincerely,
Robert D. Crick
Weekly Bible Verse
No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.
Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)
Contacts
Director, Dr. Robert D. Crick, cricksot@att.net
Full-time Chaplaincy, Dr. Jerry McNabb, jmcnabb@cogchaplains.com
Community Service Chaplaincy and Training, Dr. Jake Popejoy, jakepopejoy@aol.com
Public Relations and Recruitment, wroberson@cogchaplains.com
Special Projects, 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.