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Law Enforcement Chaplain by Pastor John D. Putnam

 

Awakened out of my sleep by the sound of my phone vibrating on my nightstand, I rolled over and recognized the familiar telephone number of our 911 dispatch center.  It was 2:30 AM and as I tried to get the sleepy haze out of my mind, the sergeant said “pastor, we need you to come...  there’s been a bad car accident resulting in a fatal.”  It was yet another call to serve, not from the congregation I am privileged to pastor, but by our Sheriff department that I have had the honor to serve for the past 14-years.  And yes, I leaned over to my, now awakened wife, and said “I just got dispatched and I’ll see you soon,” as I rushed to get ready and head down the road. 

The time of day is not significant as the calls can come and have come at all times of the day.  The scenario was not unfamiliar.  This happened to be a car crash, single fatality, where a death notification was needed to be made to the next of kin.  Countless others have been drug overdoses, suicides, farm accidents, etc.  The call is the same: “Are you available to come?” 

(Click on Law Enforcement Chaplain by John D Putnam to continue)

 

CHAPLAINCY IN CRISIS MODE by B.Diamond Dool

CHAPLAINCY IN CRISIS MODE

How do you hug a grieving 16-year-old mother who is all alone and just lost her 13-day old baby girl from 6 feet away? How do you show an encouraging smile to a staff member who is overwhelmed and terrified they are placing their loved ones at risk from behind a mask? How do you connect lonely patients with worried family members through closed doors? How do you chaplain in crisis mode?

My name is Brittney Diamond Dool, but in the hospital, they call me Chaplain Diamond. My middle name became an image of not only the journey that I am on but the journey of transformation from coal to diamond that I am called to walk with those around me, especially those that are in crisis. I am a licensed minister in the United Pentecostal Church International and have been co-pastoring with my father, Rev. Richard E. Dool, for over 4 ½ years. I knew God had called me to chaplaincy, but God was taking me through an unconventional route – I did not go to bible college; I did not attend seminary.

So, how did this small-town preacher’s kid end up as Chaplain Diamond? By the grace of God, a long waiting period, surrounding myself with wise counsel, and walking through the doors He opened, I found myself in the middle my most transformative year to date. Being raised in a minister’s home and thrown into the responsibilities of a home missions church at the age of nine brought with it ministry and social services training in the “school of hard knocks.” However, nothing quite prepared me for walking into a chaplain residency at a Level I Trauma Center.

This residency was explicitly designed to challenge your view of self and the world; to determine what true faith, hope, and compassion mean; and extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ inward and outward. It was designed to challenge your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual being – to take everything you knew as a minister, turn it on its head, throw you in the middle of a crisis and help you find yourself and God. That would have been challenging enough, but we entered unprecedented times and a pandemic.

A CRISIS OF PANDEMIC PROPORTIONS

(Click on link Chaplaincy in Crisis to continue reading)

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The Four Chaplains

THE FOUR CHAPLAINS

Submitted to Chaplain Mark Hattabaugh

   On the frigid night of February 3, 1943, the overcrowded Allied ship U.S.A.T. Dorchester, carrying 902 servicemen, plowed through the dark waters near Greenland.  At 1:00 am, a Nazi submarine fired a torpedo into the transport's flank, killing many in the explosion and trapping others below deck.  It sank in 27 minutes.  The two escort ships, Coast Guard cutters Comanche and Escanaba, were able to rescue only 231 survivors. 

   In the chaos of fire, smoke, oil and ammonia, four chaplains calmed sailors and distributed life jackets.  They were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Clark V. Poling,  Dutch Reformed; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish.

Active Shooter, How to respond

Chaplain Hattabaugh, our commander over the Police/Fire chaplains submitted this helpful booklet on 
Subject: DHS Resources for Active Shooter and Mass Casualty Events 
Click on the link above entitled "Active Shooter How to respond" to view 

IN NEED OF CHAPLAINS

Arkansas State Trooper 1st Class Moomey hit a drunk driver head on, ON PURPOSE!  The drunk was speeding the wrong way on the interstate highway, obviously posing a grave danger to others. The drunk is dead, the Trooper is barely hanging on. The Trooper made a deliberate, informed decision to stop a threat despite a very low chance of survival for himself. He quite literally put himself between innocents and a threat.The Hallsville Community and the Hallsville First Responders stand and salute you, Trooper Moomey for your sacrifice and heroism.


HERE IS A NEED for a Chaplain to minister to the family of the injured Trooper's family, and his coworkers in the division in which he served; and a need for a Hospital Chaplain to work with the family of the injured trooper.  There is also a need for an EMT Chaplain to work with those who had to go and bring him into the hospital.  So many lives and emotions are devestated by this matter!

GUILT

Note: The following is an article written by my Head Chaplain at the Hospital where I am a Chaplain.

I so appreciate James Richardson and his wonderful caring spirit. Director OCA William Dillon

GUILT

There are various human emotions that are distressing and painful, but few affect us as much as the pain of guilt.  Almost everyone experiences guilt in their lifetime.  Guilt involves awareness that a person’s action or inaction has injured someone else.  Acceptance of personal guilt may be followed by feelings of conviction.  Sometimes guilt motivates a person to make amends, to confess and seek forgiveness, and to change their thinking and behavior. 

Like frustration and anger, guilt can slow down or totally inhibit an individual’s progress, and at times, it can completely restrain his/her thinking and actions.  When guilt is repressed, it can eventually take control of every aspect of a person’s life.  It can totally dominate the thinking process, decrease motivation and productivity, undermine self-esteem and sense of worth, and crush any hopes and dreams.   Each day can become more troubling and depressing.  A mother, Karen Lang, wrote the following about her experience with guilt:  One night after my nine-year-old son had just gone to bed, he asked me if I would lie down with him, as he was scared. I was getting ready for a busy week and was tired, so I replied, “No, you’re fine. Go to sleep.”

Healing the ‘Invisible Wound’ continued
The message of the campaign is “We’ve Got Your Back,” and for Place, serving in the Army is a “family business.”
“My son is still in active duty, he’s been an infantryman,” he said. “I was in the 101st Airborne Division, he was in the 82nd Airborne Division, and just like his old man was when I was a young enlisted man, he kind of followed in my footsteps.”
“I served in the 82nd in Desert Storm,” Place said. “So twice, I was on the initial invasion into Iraq, and then later on he came in to Iraq as I was coming out. And then he went on to the 82nd Airborne, and he went into Afghanistan as my unit prepared to relieve his unit in place in Afghanistan.”
Place retired in November. He is working with IAVA to help his fellow veterans get the help they need.
“My son has had three of his close friends who have lost the fight to suicide,” he said. “I have several friends who have either attempted or lost the fight to suicide. As a Battalion Commander, I had—for two years in command—multiple ideations, and a couple of attempts.”
Nearly 50 percent of IAVA members know someone who served in Iraq or Afghanistan who has either committed or attempted suicide.

Recently I began volunteering in the Spiritual Care Department at Henry Ford Hospital in Wyandotte, Michigan in the capacity of a volunteer chaplain.

When I began my course of spiritual care, I explained to Head Chaplain Karen about my OCA training, and my continuing education units that I have pursued. Afterward, she took me to different floors, to let me see her speak and pray with different patients. Before the day was up, I was on my own and have been each week. I chose Sunday’s after my church services are over to do my visitation.

Although challenging at times to see different patients, I am learning to apply what OCA has taught me. I am finding that as I pray and depend upon our Lord for wisdom, for him to put his words in mouth (Jeremiah), to guide me – that it is fulfilling to know that God is with me and in me to reach out to those who he foreknew I would encounter to his glory. I have a lot of “cold calls,” as the Head Chaplain calls them that I strive to handle with tract if I my service is rejected, or with joy when accepted. It keeps me looking to the Lord for sure. Also, I am reviewing the OCA training over and over again, which helps.

I am grateful to be apart of the body of Christ that reaches out with compassion, sincerity, and a desire to offer the ‘ministry of presence,” and hopefully will have the honor of introducing someone to Jesus Christ. To God be the glory! It is a blessing to “decrease so he can increase.”

Thank you all so much for offering the ministry opportunity through Ministry Central.

God bless each of you.

Sincerely in Christ,

Chaplain Bettie Davis

Site Mailing List 
Caring in Action

Director of Occupational Chaplains:  John D Putnam
Director Emeritus:  William Dillon

Administrative Asst.:

Brandi Hood - b.hood@upcchaplains.com

Phone: (800) 755-8492

Mail to:

Occupational Chaplains Assoc.

PO Box 1532

Saltillo, MS 38866

OCA is an endorsed project of the UPCI in the Office of Education and Endorsements 

36 Research Park Court, Weldon, Spring MO 63304