Chaplains Commission Weekly Update – 3/26/2010
Friday, March 26, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Choice Christian Greetings!
This week, in a special chapel service at the seminary, Dr. Douglas Slocumb was inducted into the Seminary’s “Hall of the Prophets.” This honor is given to those who have conducted their personal and professional life with great integrity and has long-term success in propagating the very best of our Pentecostal doctrines and practices. Additionally, in order to be inducted into the Hall of Prophets, your friends are asked to raise funds to endow scholarships for worthy seminary students. I know of no one who deserves this honor anymore than my good friend, Douglas Slocumb. He is what Henry Nouwen calls, a “Wounded Healer.” Brother Slocumb learned a long time ago that God works significantly through those wounded parts of our soul and, with good process, turns those wounds into ministry. He is driven with a passion to heal the broken-hearted. During this special ceremony, I noted that Dr. Slocumb fits well the character in the children’s book, “The Velveteen Rabbit.” If you will remember, one of the characters, the Skin Horse, was noted to have lived longer than any other toy in the children’s nursery. As a result of his many years, he is covered with patches and has lost most of the hair on his tail from the many children who rode and played with this delightful horse. One day, Mr. Toy Rabbit, the main character in the nursery story, asked Mr. Skin Horse, “What is real?” “Well,” the Skin Horse stated, “Real isn’t how you are made; it is a thing that just happens to you. The curious Rabbit continued, “Does it happen all at once, like being wound up?” “No,” the old Skin Horse answered. “You simply, in a long-term process, become. It takes time; and it only happens to people who do not break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off, your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints. But, these things don’t matter at all; because once you are real, you can never again be ugly, except to people who don’t know you.”
My good friend Dr. Douglas Slocumb is like the Skin Horse in that life has had a tangible impact; yet, he is not slowed by his wounds. Rather, he is compelled to offer a ministry of compassion and healing and, most of all, love. And, has done so in his many years as a pastor, Missions administrator, and seminary professor for over 20 years. He genuinely deserves this special honor.
Indonesian International Care Conference
I was privileged, along with Chaplains Commission colleague, Thomas Offutt, to represent the Commission at the recent Indonesian Care Conference in Jakarta, Indonesia. Under the directorship of Donnie Smith, Executive Director of the Care Division, this conference brought together all the main ministries of the Care Division (Operation Compassion (David Lorency), Ministry to Israel (Michael Utterback), Smoky Mountain Children’s Home (Johnny Sweet and Coleman Peacock), Ministry to Widows, (Judith Moore), Ministerial Care, (Bill Leonard and Esdras Betancourt), SpiritCare, (Gene Rice), and many other persons and agencies who are part of this international care outreach). General Overseer Raymond Culpepper was also present to give keynote addresses.
As you know, Indonesia is noted as being the largest predominately Muslim country in the world; it is stretched out thousands of miles among 17,000 different islands. It is one of the most fascinating countries I have ever visited. Their leadership and passion is unbelievable and driven by a sense that God truly has now shifted His attention to the Far East. This is proven by the fact that our work in Indonesia is almost three-times that of our US church.
Other Chaplaincy News
· Prison Chaplain James Stogner, Warm Springs Correctional Center, Carson City, Nevada, notes: “I am working with a young man in his mid-20’s, ex-military, who is under the influence of a pagan faith group. He is serving 20 years for sexual assault and abuse while suffering from PTSD, but he is coming close to finding peace in the Lord Jesus Christ.”
· Jail and Prison Chaplain Lucius Edmondson III, McDonough, Georgia, tells us that he was recently awarded a “Gold Star Badge,” which recognized his 25 years of chaplaincy service.
· Community Service Chaplains Andrew and Cherry Landrus, Crab Orchard, Tennessee, reports: “During February, our center ministered to 81 different families; serving a total of 386 people during regular Wednesday feeding hours, including 116 seniors. Through our Backpack Program, we feed 163 children weekly. These ministries are in cooperation with many other agencies.”
· Hospital Chaplain Raymond Griffey, Theodore, Alabama, sent this report: “As a volunteer chaplain, I have had 40 hospital services during the month of February. Our food program for the poor is still growing: 2,000 bags of food in a single month.”
· Army Chaplain (MAJ) David Santiago Cruz, Germany, was recently the worship leader in a memorial service for three crew members of his community who died in a helicopter crash. He is asking that we continue to pray for these military families.
· Army Chaplain (CPT-P) David Hall, Fort Lee, Virginia, tells us that recently he put together a prayer breakfast with over 400 persons in attendance; including the Chief of Transportation, who served as guest speaker.
· Army Chaplain (CPT) Daniel Claypoole, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, reports: “I just conducted a singles soldiers retreat with 17 of my soldiers. We gave focus to the ‘7 Habits for Highly Effective People.’ The first night I spoke around a campfire from Romans 8 to soldiers from many different denominations. And, last week, I taught approximately 100 male and female soldiers about the importance of prayer. Then, during our worship service, I had the opportunity to preach about the second coming of Jesus Christ to 450 of my soldiers. Later, after lunch, I conducted a baptismal service for eight new converts. As you can see, this is a great harvest field.”
· Hospital Chaplain Jerald Smith, Titusville, Florida, reports that last week, he had the opportunity of ministering to a former NASA engineer who helped design the Apollo Command Module. This individual is the “real person” featured in the movie Apollo 13, in which, the crew dumps all the parts of the oxygen generator/filter on the desk of a guy who says, “We have to make this square filter fit into a round hole. This is all the parts we have to work with. We have eight hours before everyone dies.” This man was that guy. Chaplain Smith had the honor of conducting his funeral.
· Community Service Chaplain Douglas Hardy, Carrollton, Georgia, sent this testimony: “My daughter was rushed by ambulance to the hospital with symptoms that indicated serious illness. After the tests were completed, the only thing that they could find was that her potassium was low; she was treated and released. I just want to thank all of you for your prayers. During this ordeal, I was a basket-case, but I am so glad I have friends who took the time to pray for my daughter.”
· Army Chaplain (CPT) Sobana Somaratna, SHAPE Headquarters, Belgium, sent this note: “I had the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka this past month. It was great to be with family and friends. While there, I met with the head of the Officer’s Christian Fellowship in Sri Lanka. Later, back in the UK, I had the opportunity to meet with the European chapter of the Officer’s Christian Fellowship. They were celebrating the opening up of the Royal Army/Navy/Air Force Chaplaincy to all denominations. It was a privilege to represent the Church of God and the US Army Chaplaincy at these special events.”
Special Report
Long-term Prison Chaplain, Don Williams, United Kingdom, has recently been appointed as the National Director of the Prison and Chaplaincy Department, New Testament Full Gospel Church. Chaplain Williams reports:
We have begun a new ministry in one of our female prisons; and we are also developing ministries in Courthouses Crown and Magistrates. This vital ministry assists families of individuals who are facing court sentences. Another ministry, Kainos Community Ministry, deals primarily with after-care for those currently in prisons and will be returning shortly to their local communities. Through this ministry, we resettle ex-offenders back with their families and their faith groups.
Finally
Traveling from the US to Indonesia for our first Indonesian Care Conference was a gruesome task. The trip became complicated with the cancellation of flights, which got us to Indonesia a day late. During that trip, from Los Angeles to Singapore, I was on one plane for more than 18 hours. In this small space of an airline experience, you literally are “just where God wants you.” It is as if He takes one back to the basics, that is, the most important things in one’s life. For me, my relationship with the Lord, my relationship with my companion, Jeanette, and my relationship with my other family members, especially my grandkids, Rachel, Jonah, and Samantha. In that small cubicle, 35,000 feet in the air, it was just “Him and me.” Isn’t that what the Lord is trying to do for all of us? He seeks to corner us, to silence us, so that once again we can go back to the basics. There, we are confronted with our old testimonies of “I’m saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost, on my way to heaven, and a member of the great Church of God.” Sure, our testimonies of the “good old days” may be primitive, but they are the days that represent the most primary things in our lives. For chaplains this is most important. I know of no group busier with life and ministry than our chaplains. They tell me time and time again, “We need a rest from this busy world, so we can hear once again the quiet, deep voice of the Lord.” Whether it is trips to Indonesia or, in some cases, being confined to a bed, it is all about God and Him wanting our attention so that we will get re-focused on making the “first things first” in our lives.
Sincerely,
Robert D. Crick
Weekly Bible Verse
Thank God for His son – a gift too wonderful for words!
2 Corinthians 9:15 (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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