By Brent Raitz 0600 – Rounded in pre-surgery area and offered prayer for nine out of 11 patients that I met before they went in for heart, vascular or thoracic surgery. Provided support to nurse who was vaccinated but got COVID-19 anyway. Today is her first day back after being off for 10 days. 0700 … Continue reading
By Chris O’Rear The work of CBF-Endorsed Pastoral Counselors is rarely the headline of CBF communications, as the work of the pastoral counselor is confidential and usually occurs behind closed doors. We are not able to share much about our clients and their stories and we do not share photos of us doing our work. … Continue reading
By Veronica Martinez-Gallegos As a CBF-endorsed chaplain and Clinical Pastoral Education (“CPE”) Educator, CBF has impacted my ministry in ways I never imagined. After two decades in congregational ministry, my horizons expanded since I completed my CPE internship. After a few days through the hospital corridors, my focus changed and I found myself on a … Continue reading
By David Smelser My call to ministry in 1979 was to be a Chaplain. I started seminary two years later and was endorsed by the Chaplain’s Commission of the Home Mission Board to be an Air Force Chaplain Candidate in 1983. After graduation and being ordained to serve a church, I applied to the HMB … Continue reading
By Chris Towles Out of the blue a young Muslim wanted to know if we could meet. I had been the faculty advisor for the Interfaith Council, an associate chaplain at Wake Forest University, and I had started working with Baptist students. I had worked with students of different faiths (or no faith) having deep conversations … Continue reading
By Rhonda P. James-Jones In July 2018, I was asked to attend the Chaplaincy Research Summer Institute (CRSI) offered through Transforming Chaplaincy. Chaplains are invited to this institute for a myriad of reasons. Two drew me in—“providing leadership to chaplaincy quality improvement projects”[1] (QI) and “chaplaincy-related DMin projects”[2]. We discussed the importance of engaging in research, explored … Continue reading
By Layne Rogerson My final visit of the day was with a family who recently started hospice services. At the conclusion of the visit the adult child walked me to the car and shared that several years ago she had attempted suicide when she was at a place in her life where she could see no hope. Now, she has confidence that with God she will always … Continue reading
By Ronald C. Oliver Addressing the topic of the day, “Advancing Spiritual Care Through Research,” the chaplaincy profession has begun to catch-up to the need to establish an empirical foundation for itself. This, in my opinion, is a good step. What I want to speak to is the journey from where we’ve been to where we … Continue reading
By Allison Anderson This Fall we oriented our 3rd Chaplain Resident group to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s still mind-boggling to say that. What shifted our world and our work in the Spring of 2020, changing everything for that Residency year, continues to define and redefine the work of healthcare chaplaincy every day. With … Continue reading
By Durrell E. Brown, 2LT, USAF, Chaplain Candidate Have you ever felt like you encountered a thing that you never thought you needed? That’s how I feel about chaplaincy. I am fortunate enough to do God’s work and, at the same time, transform myself through the encounter of ministering to people. Those ministered to often have … Continue reading