Chaplains Commission Weekly Update – 2/19/2010
Friday, February 19, 2010 at 11:52 am
Choice Christian Greetings!
All chaplains know that chaplaincy is about giving and receiving. And, most chaplains will admit it is easier to give than to receive from inmates, patients, military personnel, and all the others that we serve. Every day, those that we serve want to give something back to us. Please note, I am not referring to monetary gifts, but to those gifts that allow care recipients to feel as our equal. It may be the gift of their time, their story, or something that is a reminder of their life and experience. Receiving their “gifts” helps remove the stigma of feeling inferior to the caregiver. The following story, which is in a new book to be released shortly, The History, Theology, and Practice of Chaplaincy Ministries, illustrates this need to be receivers as well as givers. It is the story of a man who would not receive our offer of food and other support following Hurricane Ike before he gave us the “gift” of some of his unique experiences. Only after he shared with us could he then receive our support. The story goes along with the fact that patients, or others in crisis, may be sick, but not powerless. The integrity of all of us who are in need must be observed at all times. This is one of the core principles of chaplaincy. Their shared gift may be nothing more than their story, or some other common reality, but it puts them on equal ground with us. Otherwise, they are treated as superiors or subordinates. Jesus was masterful in making even the most, lowly sinner (at the point of His relationship with them) His equal. The story is as follows:
Following Hurricane Ike’s devastation in 2008, the Church of God Chaplains Commission sent a group of care responders to Houston, Texas. The storm swept through communities with rage and water levels that were unbelievable. At times the winds reached well over 125 miles per hour. In visiting the small community of San Leon, we had the privilege of walking down the street with our disaster response chaplains, visiting homes and talking to families whose entire belongings were in their yard, water-soaked beyond any further use. One gentleman, a rather rugged truck driver, first refused the meal we prepared for him and his family. But, after taking it, asked the question, “Would you like to see what the storm did to my home?” In other words, all he could give in return for our gifts were the emotions that he felt as he faced a possible death situation. With a note of personal pride, he showed us the watermarks, the damage to a recently purchased large TV, and the hole in the roof that he made in order to pull his wife from the raging waters. That was all he had to give; and, hopefully, we received his “gift” in a manner that affirmed his worth as he dealt with the crisis. Regardless of the gift, chaplains know that they must receive it with a sense of humility and grace. It may simply be their story, a smile, or in most cases, their deepest pain; but, nevertheless, it is a gift that if received properly, can lead to a much deeper relationship with those who we are called to serve. Chaplaincy is about giving and receiving.
Chaplaincy News
· Navy Chaplain (LT) Harry Hansen, Souda Bay, Crete, tells us that very shortly he will be reassigned to the USS Carter Hall, NAB Little Creek, Virginia. Upon leaving his recent assignment, he was awarded the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
· Sheryl Walker, wife of Army Chaplain (LTC-P) Bryan Walker, sent us this recent note: “Thank you sincerely for the wonderful care packages that you made available to my family and to Bryan. The packages were filled with love and goodies. The kids and I celebrated Christmas, along with Bryan’s parents, and with Bryan by way of Skype (Bryan is deployed to Iraq). Through this electronic means, he got to talk to everyone, as well as see the kids open the presents.”
· What would we do without our Community Service Chaplains? We have trained, in many countries, more than 7,000 of these significant volunteers. Every day they touch the hearts of thousands around the world. One of those, Chaplain Jessie May Newman-Munson, McDonough, Georgia, reports that in one jail service five inmates came to the Lord. She also states, “We testified to many Haitians coming home by way of Fort Lauderdale. It seems as if God is putting these in our path for care and ministry.”
· Navy Chaplain (LT) Brian Jacobson, just completed a most successful three year tour with the Coast Guard and is now assigned with the Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Upon leaving, I sent Brian this note:
Your Chaplains Commission is so proud of you; knowing that you have just finished one of the toughest military chaplaincy ministries anywhere. You dealt with 350 deaths during a three-year period; sailors, many civilians, and their family members. Multiply this vast responsibility many times as every death means that you have to deal with the command, families, and all the others who are connected to this vast network. If anyone deserves rest, it is you. But here you are, going from the Coast Guard to the Marines. We have nothing but love and commendations for you and Keersti. Your story is one of passion, commitment, call, and a deep love for God, country, and most especially, your family. We wish you well in this new Marine assignment.
· Retired Parchman Penitentiary Prison Chaplain, Mississippi, Aaron Mize, sent us this note: “Continue to pray for us, especially my grandson, Richard Evans, who will be deploying shortly with the Tennessee Army National Guard, 278th RCT, to Iraq. He is 23 years old, just got married, and we want him undergirded with chaplaincy prayers.”
· Prison Chaplaincy Director, Jackson, Mississippi, Chaplain Eugene Wigelsworth, informs us that his wife Florie, had a bad fall recently, but is recovering following surgery. Gene and Florie have been on this chaplaincy journey for more than 20 years dating back to Atlanta, where as a social worker, he packed up, came to seminary, and is now the Director of a statewide chaplaincy program.
· Chaplain Daniel Wessell, Pine Bluff, Arkansas, notes: “I continue to see a number of students through my pastoral care ministries. A number of faculty members come by for prayer and support. On this campus, with 2,000 students, we recently had three faculty members who lost parents.”
· Army Chaplain (CPT) Ismael Obed Serrano, deployed to Iraq, reports: “I recently conducted a baptismal service in which my battalion commander, 1st Sergeant and Sergeant Major, all were baptized. I also led a footwashing service, with the lay leaders of our gospel service. I have the privilege of ministering to over 250 service members and civilians each week.”
· Army Chaplain (LTC) Mickey Jett, deployed to Afghanistan, notes: “It was a privilege to receive two letters from our General Overseer, Raymond Culpepper, thanking me and all of our chaplains for faithful service to God and country.”
· The following is a letter that I received from LTC Robert Ault, the Commander of Church of God Army Chaplain (CPT) Abraham Sarmiento, currently deployed to Afghanistan. The Colonel notes: “I just want you to know that Chaplain Sarmiento is currently deployed and doing well serving soldiers and making a difference. He is a valuable team member in a multi-functional aviation task-force of over 500 soldiers and civilians, with 40 army helicopters. He is doing great. We appreciate his efforts and spiritual guidance to the soldiers of this unit. Thank you for your prayers and support.”
Special Report
Local Church Chaplaincy Trainer, Chaplain Jack Smith, part of the chaplaincy ministries at the World Outreach Worship Center, Newport News, Virginia, just returned from Uganda. In summary, he sent the following report:
The training started at the church of the national overseer, with 194 attending our lay chaplaincy course. One lady, named Esther, had taken our training and now has a powerful prison ministry. In another setting, in meeting with General David, I was given the privilege of presenting our Local Church Chaplaincy as a model for the military. This will open many doors for chaplaincy ministries. On one military installation, Kakiri Barracks, we provided ministry to 132 soldiers and their family members. A little girl was brought to us with a racing heart beat and very high fever. Through prayer, she was healed. At the end of the training, we anointed and prayed over the entire group. In another chaplaincy training session, we had 102 in attendance. Again, an anointing took place during the graduation that empowered everyone. As part of this trip, our East African Church of God Bishop flew me to Yei, southern Sudan, to provide chaplaincy training for 58 pastors and leaders. We had to land at an airport with a dirt runway that is frequently invaded by goats and cattle. The training went well. As we left, I found out that a team was in the same area disarming land mines left over from the recent war. The last training was at Kampala Police Department. There, we had 39 in attendance. I am happy to report that during this trip we trained 525 pastors and laity for local church chaplaincy ministries. (If you are interested in a full report of Chaplain Smith’s unique international Local Church Ministries, you can contact him at: srchapjack@cox.net)
Finally
Chaplaincy, almost without exception, is a ministry that includes both “life” and “death” issues. I have learned in these many years of chaplaincy ministries that life isn’t always good and death isn’t always bad. One patient, who I had the privilege of ministering to during a six-month battle with cancer, noted at the conclusion of his journey that “During these six months, knowing that I was dying, I have had more significant ‘living’ than I had in my previous 62 years.” During this journey of his dying, he formed a new and deep relationship with his kids, his grandkids, his wife, his church, and all those others that were in on this significant six-month journey with him.
This story, with its deeper meaning, also tells us of a God who has a different time table than ours. He can make six months a “lifetime of good life and ministry.” Never underestimate God’s optimal moments; for, in just a few moments of time, a whole life of chaotic events and pain can be reconciled. Much of chaplaincy ministries simply allows God to break-in on our time-focused world, stops us dead in our tracks, and let us know that a moment with Him is more significant than a million years without Him. These moments normally appear as one, like in the story above, struggles to salvage a life of poor relationships and dysfunctionalities driven by human need to get somewhere, regardless of how much destruction we may cause to ourselves and to others. God’s timetable is not ours; a chaplaincy principle practiced everyday in hospitals, prisons, the military, and all those other places where God has allowed us to send Church of God chaplains with the good news of His grace and love.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Crick
Weekly Bible Verse
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25 (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
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